Two years ago, in 2015, the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) announced its inaugural season and the teams quickly filled up with some of the world’s best female hockey talent.
As of 2017 though, salaries ranged from a lowly US$1,500 per year to a more respectable US$70,000 per year, so making ends meet just with hockey wasn’t that easy, forcing most of the athletes to work full or part-time jobs to support themselves. Nonetheless, the love of the game has kept the women on the ice.
From big names like Boston Pride’s Hilary Knight and the Olympic silver medallist, Gigi Marvin, to the goalie, Brittany Ott who doubles as an EMT, the women of the NWHL are not only powerful ice hockey players but also strong members of their communities.
The following is a glimpse into the lives the members of the Boston Pride lead on and off the ice.
Brittany Ott
Brittany Ott makes a save as Boston Pride's goalie
Brittany Ott is the starting goalie for the Boston Pride and was the 2016 NWHL Goaltender of the Year. Prior to joining the Boston Pride, Ott played for the Boston Blades of the CWHL, where she was a member of the 2015 Clarkson Cup championship team.
“However ugly or pretty as it may be, you’ve gotta fight for that puck and make that save. I don’t want to be a crazy goalie, and I don’t want to be too relaxed either so that I’m not focused – so you have to find that balance.”
Off the ice, Ott works as an EMT for Fallon Ambulance Service based in Quincy, Massachusetts. “The reaction at Fallon when people find out I play hockey is generally, ‘Really, you play hockey?’ So people are generally really intrigued. I’ve had a couple co-workers come support us at games, which has been awesome.”
Her name is one that transcends the NWHL. She plays forward for the Boston Pride and was the NWHL’s leading scorer in 2015-2016. Unlike many players in the league, Hilary Knight is a full-time professional athlete who's able to support herself through hockey.
“On Boston Pride, our one common goal is the Isobel Cup (the trophy is named after Lord Stanley’s (of the NHL Stanley Cup) daughter, Lady Isobel – one of the first women to play hockey), so the best part is coming to the rink every day and just working hard and getting better.
“We come from such different backgrounds because some people aren’t on the national team and they need to supplement their professional salary with another source of income. Having a professional ice hockey career not as our first main job is definitely a challenge, and hopefully that changes as we move forward.”
Jordan Smelker is a forward for the Boston Pride and helped the team win the 2016 Isobel Cup. Before her time in the NWHL, Jordan spent two years playing for the CWHL’s Boston Blades, capturing the Clarkson Cup in 2015.
“I want to be a part of this growth of the professional league. I want to help in any way I can to continue this league and to continue that opportunity for girls who will be graduating in the future.”
When Smelker is not on the ice, she works at Haemonetics in Braintree, Massachusetts as a biomedical engineer. In the lab, Jordan works on research and development for blood management solutions.
Gigi Marvin plays defence for the Boston Pride. Her decorated hockey career includes two Olympic silver medals with Team USA in 2014 and 2010 at the games in Sochi, Russia and Vancouver, Canada. In addition to her Olympic hardware, Marvin is a two-time NWHL All-Star and was the 2016 NWHL Defensive Player of the Year.
“When you step on the ice and when we’re with our team-mates in the locker room, I have had the most fun all year… we just love to compete on the ice.”
Off the ice, Marvin is an active member of her church, the Community of Faith Christian Fellowship. “This community just means a lot in the sense of just really showing me how to rejoice with others, but also how to encourage when we’re down and that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.”
As a new league, the NWHL faces the challenge of reaching new audiences to grow its fan base. To promote women’s hockey and the league, many of the athletes allocate some their time to serve as NWHL ambassadors.
Playing in events like Red Bull Open Ice gives the NWHL and its player’s exposure, putting them in front of media outlets and spectators who may not normally see the game.
