YORKTON - Prince Albert’s Kaitlin Willoughby has spent the last several months skating for Toronto in the inaugural season of the Professional Women's Hockey League.
There have been several attempts to get a professional women’s hockey league going, but by far the most successful has been the PWHL effort, one that even surprised players to some extent.
Willoughby said growing up in Prince Albert “professional hockey was never an option,” but after the success of the PWHL in season one, it can be for the next generation of young female hockey play.
“I truly do see this league being successful for years and years to come.”
While noting she had no ‘inside’ information, Willoughby said the success she foresees will hopefully include expansion – with her personal vision being a western division one day with teams in places such as Calgary, Denver, Seattle and Vancouver.
So what has been the difference between the PWHL and previous leagues.
Willoughby said it comes down to being properly financed. That financing allowed players to be paid enough they did not have to work on the side – at least in season.
“It allowed us to put every bit of our energy into the sport,” she said.
The money behind the league start-up also meant teams had the equipment needed, and equally important there were resources to properly promote the on-ice product, said Willoughby.
That portion brought out the fans in big numbers.
“In training camp we heard home games were sold out for the whole season,” said Willoughby. “That was a shock for some of us.”
The big crowds were naturally hugely appreciated.
“We really felt the support from people in Toronto,” said Willoughby. “People just treated us so awesome.”
It all combined to make players ‘feel’ they had achieved something long sought – a truly professional league. “It made us feel like we were true professionals,” said Willoughby.
Getting many PWHL games on television also brought many eyes to the league.
Willoughby said friends she hadn’t seen in years, people she had went to school with, were contacting her to say they were watching.
All the attention, while appreciated, was also somewhat daunting, offered Willoughby.
“There was a little bit of pressure to know how big it was,” she said, adding players recognized they needed “to put on a show” because of all the eyes on us.”
“It was a bit of pressure.”
So now that the season is over, what does Willoughby think about everything that happened in season one?
“I think it’s a lot to take in and reflect on,” she said, adding TO losing to Minnesota in the fifth and deciding game of the semi finals was obviously “not the result we wanted.”
That said Willoughby also conceded there was “a bigger picture” to reflect on which ultimately comes down “to how amazing this league was this year.”
And, Willoughby wants more.
“It has motivated me to want to be part of it again,” she said.
