Important stepping stone

Dream Gap Tour offers opportunity in women’s pro game

TRURO - Like a speedy forward rushing the puck through the neutral zone and about to attack the opposition’s goal, the Secret Dream Gap Tour in Truro is quickly approaching and building momentum.

The first-ever women’s professional hockey event in Atlantic Canada was announced in late August and will be held at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre (RECC) Nov. 12 and 13. It’s being put on by the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA).

Alexis Crossley knows a thing or two about the female professional game as well as Nova Scotia venues. The Cole Harbour native followed up an NCAA career, split between the University of New Hampshire and Boston University, with a season in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) with the Worcester (Massachusetts) Blades. The CWHL discontinued operations in May of 2019.

“There is an appetite for women’s hockey in Nova Scotia and we think in Truro specifically,” said Crossley, marketing and events consultant for the PWHPA.

“It works out perfectly for the PWHPA to be that first professional women’s game here.”

Still living in the Boston area, Crossley's role with PWHPA included a recent visit to Truro in preparation for the event. She said there were good conversations between PWHPA operations consultant Jayna Hefford, the four-time Olympic gold medalist for Team Canada’s female hockey team, and RECC general manager Matt Moore, after the unfortunate postponing and eventual cancellation of the World Women’s Hockey Championship which Truro was to co-host with Halifax.

“What a fantastic facility,” Crossley said. “Not only are the amenities fantastic, but the staff we’ve been working with, doing all the operational planning and coordination, has been exceptional.

“We’ve played in Madison Square Garden (New York), the Enterprise Centre (St. Louis), the United Centre (Chicago) and are excited to bring our hockey to Atlantic Canada. The RECC is a perfect size to host; we hope we can sell out and have great crowds.”

“Hosting the PWHPA Dream Gap Tour is much more than just an event opportunity for our team,” Moore said. “It’s about demonstrating our commitment to the players, social wellbeing for our community, and our unwavering promise to support equality in sport.”

The word ‘gap’ in the title of the event indicates the showcase tour is geared towards something bigger down the road. Crossley talked about the PWHPA’S vision.

“For this season, we’re going to continue with the Dream Gap Tour in various markets in North America. Those are in the works and set to be announced over the next weeks and months,” she said. “After that, the ultimate goal is to close that ‘Dream Gap’ to where little girls can dream of playing professional hockey for a living just like little boys can.”

She said time will tell what that will eventually look like, but it’s about women making a liveable wage in a league with adequate resources, facilities, and support staff.

“Exactly what you would expect in a professional environment,” she said. “That is what we’re working towards.”

Players are currently working out in the five regional training hubs – Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Minneapolis/st. Paul and Boston. From the training hubs, rosters will be finalized and four of the teams (exception - Minneapolis/st. Paul) will be in Truro to play in the showcase event.

Crossley talked about other goals of the tour, along with bridging the gap to a league.

“It’s allowing smaller communities and that next generation to be able to see their role models play in person which, in Atlantic Canada specifically, we don’t have the opportunity to see the women’s game as often as we would like,” she said.

“With that too, I think it’s an opportunity for our players to showcase their expertise and talents, in a part of the world many have never been to. As well, for them, it’s just getting a chance to compete again.”

Crossley talked about the female game growing since she grew up playing only with boys.

“I ended up going away to Minnesota, Shattuck St. Mary’s, just to play elite-level hockey with other girls. Since then, which was in 2008, girls’ hockey has grown exponentially at the grassroots level. You have all girls’ teams in various communities across Atlantic Canada.”

She credited Hockey Nova Scotia for its support of the female game but said the challenge is to keep girls playing and that aligns with the PWHPA’S goals.

“They’re getting more opportunities every single day but keeping them in hockey can be hard unless they can dream about doing it for a living like the boys can,” she said.

For tickets, visit the RECC website ratheastlinkcomunitycentre.ca.