In 2019, I pushed and grew the narrative and importance on Females in Sports and centralized it around Female Ice Hockey and Ringette. With over 40 yrs of experience, I continue to play and coach hockey both recreationally and professionally at the youth and adult level.
Growing up, we had female leaders who paved the way in playing and coaching but there were never enough opportunities locally to continue to grow the sport for female adults at both the recreational and high-performance level for Seniors. That has now changed for our lower mainland adult female athletes (beginner to advanced). Former Coach Christine Gardiner showed me to have opportunity is to create opportunity; and that is what I am doing.
I provide opportunities with my Annual Summer Weekend Warriors Women’s Hockey Camp, and through coaching Women’s BC 55+ Games and Canada Games (Zone 3)
I am a Volunteer Head Coach for the BC’s Zone 3 area (Lower Mainland) and entered the ladies 55+ and now 60+ hockey teams into the BC Provincial 55+ Sr. Games and subsequent National Sr. Games.
(Gretchen) …especially the camp, which celebrated us as women hockey players and covered skating, skills, fitness, and nutrition kept me playing and got me back to a level where I feel competitive with peers my age again. Debbie is awesome!
(Christine) From the start Debbie never hesitated when approached to design and instruct skill development sessions and camps specifically for our program. She works tirelessly to get ice times that are cost effective, promotes and recruits other knowledgeable female coaching staff and continues to be a volunteer coach. Her leadership, dedication and support of female hockey inspires not only our youth but those of us that have continued to play or started to play as adults.