The referees were required to help a lady up if she fell while playing hockey. That was in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, women play hockey in the Olympics (although that’s now being debated).
Women’s Hockey in Western Canada
Women on Ice, Wayne Norton’s book on the history of women’s hockey in Western Canada covers the game from its first reported happening by women in 1891 out east in Ottawa–1897 in both British Columbia and Alberta–to the decline of women’s hockey in Western Canada in the 1930s.
Probably the most comical of all are the quoted tidbits throughout that demonstrate the way men covered women’s hockey in the press: it’s both shocking and amusing. This historical tome will doubtless become the book most referred to in all subsequent work on women’s hockey in Western Canada.
Women’s Hockey in Banff, Alberta
On and off from 1917, the Banff Winter Carnival was THE place for women to compete on the ice. Depending on weather and if teams could raise enough money to travel there, the carnival saw teams mostly from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
To see gals play today, check out the Women’s Hockey Tournament put on by the CHE (Canadian Hockey Enterprises).
Women’s Hockey in Calgary and Edmonton
Once the hotbed of women’s hockey, Calgary and Edmonton saw teams like the Calgary Regents, Patricias, Hollies and Byngs, and the Edmonton Rustlers, Monarchs, and Swastikas, vie for the coveted Alpine Cup.
Today, follow the Southern Alberta Women’s Hockey Association (SAWHA) and the Northern Alberta Female Hockey Association (NAFHA). Provincials happen in March and April every year.
Women’s Hockey in Vancouver
The most known women’s hockey team in Vancouver is the Vancouver Amazons. Gaining instant notoriety and popularity because of their affiliation with the Vancouver Millionaires (the famous Patrick family’s men’s hockey team and the only one in Vancouver to have won a Stanley Cup to this day), but were stymied by the lack of competition in nearby areas.
For tournaments all over British Columbia today, check in with BC Hockey, who run tournaments and championships at levels. In Vancouver, the Thunderbird Women’s Hockey League plays at the UBC Thunderbird Arena.
Women on Ice by Wayne Norton
This historical account of women’s hockey in Western Canada, Women on Ice by Wayne Norton, covers more than just the game of ice hockey. The book reveals the attitude about women’s role in society in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as how society reacted when women decided to take to the ice.
Most importantly, Wayne Norton has filled the book with quotes, clips of newspaper articles, historical photos and commentary that make this a significant contribution to the records of this area. As he state, the women mentioned have all since passed away, so no firsthand accounts are available. Without this book, their stories would most likely be overlooked and lost forever.
Western Canada Travel
For those who want to visit the communities mentioned in the book, the folks at Tourism BC (1-800-435-5622) and Travel Alberta (1-800-252-3782 or 780-427-4321) have a wealth of travel tips and information.
Lori Henry - A travel writer, Lori flits between exploring the world with incessant curiosity and huddling over her laptop writing.
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