As tough as ice

At an age when toddlers are just getting the hang of walking, two-year-old Rowan Hockman was getting the hang of the ice.

Hockman’s weekly figure skating lessons turned into routines and then competitions – a typical story for hundreds of thousands of girls around the world. 

But at age eight, Hockman started pressing her parents to join her brother on the ice. She wanted to play ice hockey and she soon traded her pristine figure skates for durable hockey skates.

Four years later, the 12-year-old’s passion for the puck remains as mighty as ever, competing as a defender on the Utica Jr. Comets Girls AAA team. 

The Jr. Comets organization has a long-standing boys’ program with several AA, AAA, and premier league teams. This is only the second year the Jr. Comets are fielding a girl’s team, reflective of a growing interest in women’s ice hockey. Since 2008, there has been a 43% increase to now more than 93,000 female ice hockey players as tracked by USA Hockey. 

“My ultimate dream is to play for Team USA – that’s been my dream since I started playing hockey,” Hockman said. “It’s honestly developed even more since I watched Team USA play.” 

A fair shot

In one of the most ruthless male-dominated sports today, the journey for female players has been anything but easy. It wasn’t until 1998 when women’s ice hockey appeared in the Winter Olympics for the first time. Ever since, the United States and Canada squads have appeared in all but one Olympic gold medal games. 

The pay discrepancies between women’s and men’s national players that attracted attention in the soccer community in the past decade also have surfaced in ice hockey. 

In 2017, the U.S. women’s ice hockey team boycotted the World Championships saying they weren’t compensated fairly. Players said they receive only a $1,000 monthly stipend during the six months they are fully training for the Olympics, forcing more than half the team to take on second and third jobs. Also at the time, the men’s team was receiving $3.5 million in developmental programs that the women’s team was not afforded. 

The boycott led to negotiations between the players and USA Hockey, resulting in a landmark four-year agreement that increased player compensation to around $70,000 annually, with potential performance bonuses pushing earnings above six figures for winning major tournaments. The deal also ensured equitable support in travel arrangements, insurance coverage and marketing efforts. 

 The International Ice Hockey Federation serves as the governing body during the Winter Olympics and, annually outside Olympic years, runs the Women’s World Championship as the highest-level international women’s hockey tournament. 

In April, Utica hosted the prestigious sporting event at the Utica University Nexus Center. Immersed in the electric experience of top-tier women’s hockey, the Jr. Comets girls were honored to bear international flags at the opening ceremonies before the women they may one day hope to be. 

Stuck at her brother’s hockey game a two-hours drive from the championships, Hockman begged her parents to join her teammates for the opportunity of a lifetime – to witness the U.S. women’s national team face off against the Canadian women’s national team in the gold medal game at her home rink. While the U.S. would lose to Canada 6-5 in overtime, Hockman considers that game “one of the most exciting moments of [her] life.”

Putting in the work

Jr. Comets head coach Eric Gooldy said having the world championships in their hometown sparked a new love for hockey among many young girls.

“If that doesn’t inspire them to be better and go out for something –  to say that it’s within their grasp – then I don’t know what does,” Gooldy said.

With aspirational goals in mind, Jr. Comets players commit themselves to the game. During a typical week of the season, they take part in multiple practices and workouts and then two to six games over the weekend. 

Hockman, who lives in Syracuse and commutes an hour each way to practice, described her busiest day with a smile ear to ear. Her hockey-loving family will drive straight from school to the local rink for her brother’s practice, where Hockman will rip up the ice alongside the boys until it’s time to drive to Utica to join the Jr. Comets. She might not arrive home until 9:30 p.m. 

“There’s challenges, but you have to get past that and overcome those challenges,” Hockman said. “You can’t be scared. You have to keep skating. You have to keep playing.”

Gooldy said the Jr. Comets are committed to playing top-tier hockey, but that comes with its own challenges. Somewhat isolated in upstate New York, the team travels to major metropolitan areas such as Boston and Detroit to play more competitively. The team traveled 2,800 miles this season for tournaments.  

“We try to really level up and go and play the best teams,” Gooldy said. “I really, truly believe that if you don't play the best, you can't beat the best.”

Going pro

The surging interest in women’s ice hockey has elevated the sport to a professional level with the launch of the Professional Women’s Hockey League in 2024.

With six teams in major hockey hubs, the PWHL has offered competitive salaries and benefits to elite women hockey players compared to previous leagues because of secured partnerships with corporations like Bauer, CCM, ESPN and Canadian Tire.

So far the league has attracted an enthusiastic fan base as evidenced by merchandise sales, Canadian television viewership and ticket sales. A record 21,105 fans came to see Montréal face off against Toronto in April comparable to the attendance averages in major NHL cities.

With the PWHL well into its second season and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy next February, the excitement for women’s ice hockey is poised to grow even more. 

Gooldy sees it nearly every day among his Jr. Comets players and is confident that doors will continue to open for girls who want to play the sport.

“Starting today you’re going to have more opportunities than my daughters do at 11 and 13,” Gooldy said. “It's a great time to be a female hockey player.”