Why Women’s Hockey? Why Czechia? Why Now?

“Czechia’s Women’s National Team wins historic first Bronze Medal at the 2022 World Championships”

The story of this blog honestly begins back in October of 2015, when I was a 23-year-old graduate student at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont, U.S.A. (For those more familiar with Czech geography, Northfield, Vermont, is similar to a town like Železný Brod in Jablonec – a small town of 6,000, nestled in the hills, with a small river cutting through…)

Hockey had been my favorite sport since childhood. Despite various factors preventing me from playing beyond the rec league level, my love for the game only deepened over time. It was by chance that a work colleague mentioned he was considering starting an all-women’s club team at our college. This was an opportunity for many girls at our small university who had played growing up but hadn’t made it to, or didn't get the chance at the NCAA level.

Coaching? Girls?

Honestly, the idea had never crossed my mind. As a goalie, I was passionate about goaltending but had never considered coaching, especially since I hadn’t played at a high enough level to feel credible to the players I would be mentoring. However, the idea of a club-level team intrigued me. It was a chance to work with players of varying skill levels and backgrounds, all united by their love for the game.

I took the chance.

Norwich University Women’s Club Ice Hockey ‘2016

For two years, while completing my degree, I served as an Assistant Coach for 15-20 young women who wanted nothing more than to play hockey. I had no coaching certificates, no background, and no formal training except for what I had learned as a young player. During those two years, I learned how to conduct drills, work with players as athletes rather than friends, and understand the nuances of the women’s game. My eyes were opened to just how competitive and ambitious women’s hockey truly was.

Growing up, I had always supported women’s sports, but like many young men, I never gave them much thought when there were alternatives on the TV. Even in college, where our school had an excellent Division III NCAA Women’s program, the men’s games drew the crowds and fanfare. Immersing myself exclusively in the women’s game had never been on my radar.

Loudoun Knights - 2024 12U Girls Championship

Eventually, I left the program with two league championships under my belt and moved to Washington, DC, where my real-life career took me. To my surprise, Northern Virginia and the capital region was positioned well for ice hockey, where the sport is well-participated and rapidly growing. Over the past five years, alongside my day job, I have honed my coaching skills and earned the role of Director of Goaltending Development. Most importantly, I helped start the first girls' youth teams at my program, which culminated in a league championship in their first year and the first girls' hockey game in the history of our county.

A few years ago, the PWHPA was formed, a competitive group of women’s players (largely ex-NCAA, PHF, and former CWHL players) based in hubs around the continent, playing tour-style matches in cities across the U.S. and Canada. When I heard the PWHPA was coming to Washington, D.C., my wife and I jumped at the chance to see these players in action. For two consecutive years, we had the unique opportunity to see stars like Hilary Knight, Maddie Rooney, Sarah Nurse, and even Marie-Philip Poulin up close. Meeting these players, many of whom were just sitting in the stands between games, made me realize how crucial it was for professional women’s hockey to have a unified front. These women played hockey the way it should be played – for the love of the game, without the million-dollar contracts and sell-out crowds in packed arenas.

Myself and Marie-Philip Poulin, PWHPA Showcase, Washington D.C. 2022

Fast forward to last Fall, and with it the advent of the PWHL, the first league in our sport's history imagined by women’s players FOR women’s players. The league’s success was impossible to ignore. For the first time, women’s hockey had a destination offering competitive salaries, healthcare, media coverage, and, most importantly, the respect these athletes deserved.

While most PWHL rosters still comprise American and Canadian players, for the first time, European players are venturing across the Atlantic in search of playing time. Parity in women’s hockey has been sparse, mainly due to the unique opportunities available separately in North America and Europe. In the U.S. and Canada, the NCAA has been the pinnacle of high-level play, training facilities, and support. In Europe, the most successful domestic leagues are in countries with a high quality of life, like Sweden and Finland, despite the lack of high salaries.

Now, the landscape has shifted. Players representing leading European nations no longer have to choose between struggling on minimum wage and staying closer to home.

So why Czechia?

As explained on the ‘About’ page, my love for the Czech Republic began unexpectedly at age 16, after a high school geography project. Over the past 16 years, I’ve dedicated a significant part of my life to learning Czech history and culture, following Czech sports, and slowly (very slowly) learning the Czech language. Naturally, this passion has led me to immerse myself in everything Czech women’s hockey. Personally, I’ve become familiar with Czech household names like Kateřina Mrázová, Denisa Křížová, and Klára Peslarová, along with nearly every member of the national team. However, this individual side passion has made me realize how crucial it is for these athletes to have a platform.

As women’s hockey grows and enters arguably the most critical period in its history, the athletes taking risks and making sacrifices for the game today will undoubtedly be seen as pioneers in the future. The history they create daily is happening in youth programs, national teams, and leagues worldwide. These stories of sacrifice and commitment deserve to be told, even if it’s from a small corner of the world where a small nation with a big heart seeks to solidify its place among the elites.

Team Czechia - Bronze Medal Game 2024 IIHF Women’s Worlds - Utica, NY

Czechia is poised to make significant strides at the IIHF level with a national program that, from the outside looking in, has the leadership, culture, coaching, and players needed for success. With legendary support from Head Coach Carla MacLeod and a roster of players who have succeeded in both Europe and North America, the Czechs are an exciting group to follow. Their recent success at the Olympics and World Championships fuels my admittedly biased and overly confident belief that Czechia has a unique chance to be the first European country to topple one of the giants for gold—USA or Canada.

This blog aims to tell those stories. It hopes to give English-speaking audiences, whether in North America or around the world, the chance to understand how these athletes rose to the top, hear their journeys, and bring the women’s hockey community closer together. It aims to show the world that women’s hockey is here to stay…

…and it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

-Preston H.

“For those that come on the journey, thank you. This project is dedicated to all those who came before us…”

“Těm, kteří se na cestu vydají, děkujeme. Tento projekt je věnován všem, kteří tu byli před námi..."