By @MichaelCaples –
The women’s hockey world already joined forces in a boycott of professional leagues.
Now, they have formed a players’ association.
It was announced today that articles of incorporation were officially filed to establish the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA), which will “serve as a vehicle dedicated to promoting and supporting the creation of a single, viable women’s professional league in North America.”
On May 2, more than 200 of the top female hockey players jointly announced that they would sit out the upcoming season to work together on building a sustainable league. That came on the heels of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League – one of two major professional leagues – closing its doors.
“We are fortunate to be ambassadors of this beautiful game, and it is our responsibility to make sure the next generation of players have more opportunities than we had,” said Kendall Coyne Schofield, who won an Olympic Gold Medal with Team USA in 2018. “It’s time to stand together and work to create a viable league that will allow us to enjoy the benefits of our hard work.”
The press release states that the PWHPA will seek to find a league that can provide financial and infrastructure resources to players, protect and support their rights and talents, provide health insurance and work with companies, business leaders and sports professionals worldwide who have voiced support for women’s hockey.
“We are prepared to stop playing for a year—which is crushing to even think about—because we know how important a sustainable league will be to the future of women’s sports,” said Canadian Shannon Szabados, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist. “We know we can make this work, and we want the chance to try.”