In the 1990s, Jennifer Soulliere and other girls interested in playing hockey often found themselves part of boys’ teams, dressing separately and feeling isolated. Soulliere, a native of LaSalle, Ontario, previously known as Hitchcock in her hockey career, excelled as a skilled goal-scorer in the NCAA and later in a European professional league.
As trailblazers like Soulliere and Meghan Agosta paved the way for local girls in the male-dominated sport, hockey’s popularity surged in Windsor-Essex and beyond. Three decades ago, the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) had a record 9,626 registered players. Fast forward to the present, registrations have skyrocketed to an all-time high of 41,019 players in the 2024-2025 season, with Windsor and Essex County alone boasting 2,245 registered players last season, the highest in over a decade.
The rise of girls’ hockey coincides with the flourishing Professional Women’s Hockey League, providing unprecedented visibility to the women’s game. Candice Chevalier, head coach of the under-15 AA Windsor Wildcats, expresses excitement over the explosive growth of girls’ hockey, particularly with the PWHL gaining prominence.
In the early 2000s, watching elite women’s hockey was limited to the Olympics every four years for girls like Chevalier. However, the current generation can witness professional women’s hockey regularly, reflecting the broader surge in women’s professional sports supported by increased acceptance and respect for female athletes.
Bill Atkinson, formerly Soulliere’s coach and now president of the South County Predators Girls Hockey Association, notes the shift towards equality in sports, emphasizing the equal opportunities now available to girls in hockey and other physical activities.
The expansion of girls’ hockey has not been without obstacles, including ridicule and skepticism faced by female players over the years. Despite this, local associations have experienced consistent growth, with the Sun Parlour Female Hockey Association and the Lightning girls hockey program witnessing remarkable increases in player numbers since their inception.
The positive impact of the PWHL in attracting more players and changing perceptions about women’s hockey is evident, with the league contributing to the overall growth and development of the sport. Players like Olivia Versnel and Alyssa Middleton highlight the joy of making new friends, learning new skills, and the acceptance of female athletes in hockey.
For Soulliere, the evolution of the women’s game means her daughter can now start playing with girls from the beginning, fostering a sense of inclusivity and fun in the sport from an early age. The future looks promising as more girls embrace hockey, shaping their identities and building valuable life skills through the game.