Picture a hockey player: he’s probably wearing a dark blue jersey with a capital letter S on the front. While the Seattle Kraken dominate our minds, women’s teams are benched in our imaginations. At Shorewood, there are several girls who participate in hockey outside of school.
Hockey isn’t offered at Shorewood for boys or girls, so players must look elsewhere to participate in the sport. “I go up to Canada almost every week because of games,” said freshman Mina Lavigne, who’s played hockey for four years. Originally playing for a non-competitive “C-team”, Lavigne was soon pulled up to a competitive A2 team for her speed.
Many female hockey players choose to play under the Redhawks, a league that plays recreational games, and rep, which is competitive. Washington has become a great place for girls to play hockey, but the sport is still dominated by men.
Freshman Lucy Ballard, who watched her brother play hockey growing up, competes on a boys team. “When you’re a girl joining a boys team, it’s because you want to get better and be more competitive,” she said. “Currently in hockey, the only leagues that are checking, which is really physical, is a boy’s rep (a competitive travel team).”
In hockey, different rules are in play for each gender. For instance, checking–defensively shoving someone’s upper body–only occurs in men’s hockey. Millie Bennett, a junior who has played hockey since age 8, isn’t personally affected by this. “I don’t think girls need those types of rules,” she said.
Women’s strategy is very different from men’s, as they focus on puck possession and speed rather than direct attacks. Men rely on physical strength more than women do, making the game extremely different from each other. Women pass to each other and have to work together more often because of their minimal physical contact.
Lots of girls play hockey, but it is only recently that more professional female hockey teams have begun to form. The Seattle Torrent is a professional team that began playing during the 2025-2026 season. “It’s really cool that [women’s hockey] is expanding,” Bennett said.
People have always underestimated the potential women have in athletic fields, but now, successful junior and professional players are beginning to prove them wrong.
A lot of these smaller hockey communities are extremely tight-knit. “After age 16, there are a lot less [people] because a lot of them quit,” said Ballard. “The girl’s hockey community in our area is so small, so I know a lot of people.”
Playing an overlooked sport enables people to persevere and expand their interests. Lavigne feels empowered by her community while representing girls’ hockey. “I feel like showing that girls can play this sport is so unique,” said Lavigne. “It’s special because we share the same passion. We share the same goal.”
