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Between a packed academic term, finishing atop the Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) regular season standings, and just trying to make it by as a student, you couldn鈥檛 blame athletes on the Axewomen club hockey team for not adding more to their plates. But after experiencing firsthand how important it is to break down barriers for kids to access sports, these student athletes are eager to help youth in their community get into the game.

Since 2021, Acadia students from Axewomen hockey have been volunteering their time to coach kids in Canning Recreation鈥檚 Skating Club program, which teaches the fundamentals of being on the ice. And in 2024 they helped develop the IceBreakers program, which digs deeper into hockey skill development.

鈥淭o think that these players would come out to a cold rink on a Saturday evening to run a program for kids in the valley. It鈥檚 amazing,鈥� says Dr. Johannes Wheeldon (Law & Society and IceBreakers Head Coach). 鈥淭here are many other places they could be. We are lucky to have young people like this in our community.鈥�

鈥淭hey were super keen to come onboard and help us out,鈥� says Jennie Sawler, Director of Canning Recreation. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been running the program for us very successfully!鈥�

Accessing fun

If you鈥檝e ever thought about signing up for hockey, you may have balked at the significant barriers to entry鈥攂oth in terms of cash and commitment. While some kids want to be the next NHL great, a lot of them want to get involved in sport just for the love of the game.

Enter the Canning Skating Club and IceBreakers programs. 鈥淭he intention is to provide an alternative to more formal鈥攁nd more expensive鈥攕kating programs that may not be accessible to families,鈥� says Jennie. 鈥淲hen designing the program, we equated it to going to meet up with your friends to play pond hockey. It鈥檚 not meant to be competitive, but fun, child-led and child-focused.鈥�

And they bring an element of fun to it鈥攖eaching the kids through games rather than drills鈥攖hat makes it possible for all kids to succeed, no matter what level of experience they come in with.

Caroline Steeves (Axewomen Hockey & fourth year, Kinesiology), who has been volunteering with Canning Rec since 2021, says that a moment from Skating Club that stuck with her was watching a young girl who had stepped onto the ice for the very first time and couldn鈥檛 stand up without holding onto something.

鈥淪he kept falling, but she never gave up,鈥� Caroline recalls. 鈥淲eek after week, she kept trying, always smiling and determined to get better. We would practice by doing dance moves, practicing big pushes, making animal noises, and holding hands to support each other. By the end of the program, she wasn鈥檛 just standing on ice she was skating full laps around the rink with so much joy and confidence. Seeing that transformation was incredible and reminded me why I love coaching.鈥�

鈥淪trong women leaders in sport鈥�

While the young boys who enter the program have plenty of role models (looking at you, pride of Nova Scotia, Sydney Crosby), that鈥檚 not the case for girls who dream of lacing up and hitting the ice.

While the financial and commitment pieces are undoubtedly significant, an important part of access is representation, something that has been historically鈥攁nd is still鈥攄eeply lacking in sport. 鈥淧rofessional athletics are highly focused on male athletes, and this focus can often lower young girls鈥� expectations of what their passion can lead them to,鈥� explains Kelly Legge (Axewomen Hockey & third year, Sociology and Women鈥檚 Studies). 鈥淏ut strong women leaders in sport pave the way for future generations, proving to young athletes that they belong, that they have a voice, and they too can break barriers.鈥�

Dahlia Dawe (Axewomen Hockey & second year, Kinesiology) recalls that the only time she saw women play hockey when she was younger was once every four years at the winter Olympics. Meanwhile, 鈥渢he NHL provided top male players with recognition and opportunities that women were often denied.鈥�

With recent calls for increased recognition of women in sport, and the creation of the PWHL, Dahlia says 鈥渟eeing women finally being represented and taken seriously in professional hockey has inspired me to help build the dreams of young girls in my community. I want them to know they can reach for the stars, encouraging them to continue playing the sport they love, and now, have a future in hockey.鈥�

For Kelly, it was 鈥渆ssential鈥� for her to see women in sports when she was growing up, 鈥渆specially in a rural area where there were few female representations. It proves that women can do anything men can do.鈥�

Caroline, who is Co-President of Acadia Women鈥檚 Hockey says, 鈥渟eeing women in leadership roles within sport has given me the confidence to step into leadership positions myself. Watching female leaders pave the way has reinforced my belief that I, too, can make an impact both on and off the ice.鈥�

And now, these athletes are becoming part of an important legacy inspiring future generations of women in sport. For Dahlia, leading by example and breaking down gender barriers in hockey has been 鈥渋ncredibly fulfilling.鈥�

The experience has taught Kelly that 鈥渁 leader passes down their knowledge to the next generation.鈥�

Similarly, Caroline says 鈥淭eaching kids how to skate gave me confidence and enjoyment, as I learned how to communicate effectively, provide encouragement, and create a positive learning environment. It taught me the importance of leading by example, fostering teamwork, and supporting my teammates both on and off the ice. Through these experiences, I have grown into a more confident and capable leader.鈥�

The experience of working with the kids through Canning Rec has become an essential ingredient for the volunteers' time at Acadia.

鈥淎lthough this was my first year volunteering,鈥� says Kelly, 鈥淚 am so grateful to have been involved in the hockey learning process for the kids. I cannot wait to come back next season and hopefully continue being part of this amazing program.鈥�

Caroline has loved seeing the kids she teaches come out to her home games full of excitement and equipped with handmade signs cheering the Axewomen on to victory. 鈥淭he canning community is amazing to be a part of, and I am so thankful the opportunity to teach skating came to me 4 years ago,鈥� she says. 鈥淪eeing the kids in and out of the rink and being engaged within the community has truly made my time at Acadia feel like home.鈥�