First girls minor hockey league to begin in Edmonton

Posted August 2, 2023 3:36 pm.
Last Updated August 2, 2023 7:26 pm.
For the first time in Edmonton minor hockey history, girls are getting the chance to compete against other girls in our city’s first compete and the players are overwhelmed with excitement for tryouts this fall.
Girls playing minor hockey in Edmonton are going to be apart of history. Hockey Edmonton announces the Edmonton Female Hockey Alliance, a collection of all female teams across the city. The alliance is the largest female association in the history of female hockey in the city.
“I think it’s awesome that we’re getting more elite chances to play at a higher level and maybe take it to a career or college or something like that,” said Jocelyn Skye, a U-13 minor hockey player.
For competitive hockey players like Skye, the announcement of the Edmonton Female Hockey Alliance is a game-changer.
“There aren’t too many women’s teams, so they usually get stuck playing mixed and usually there is only one or two girls. So, it’s not exactly easy to connect with them,” said Anastasia Fedorak, another U-13 player.
Wednesday, Hockey Edmonton revealing the logos for three divisions: the Edmonton Ice, Storm and Flurries. The alliance is a standalone organization playing in the Edmonton Federated Hockey League. Each category will cater to specific skill levels — from introductory to elite level.

Minor girls hockey announced outside Rogers Place in Edmonton. (Photo Credit: Adam Ziccarelli, CityNews)
“You know investing in female athletes, not just in their exceptional development, but helping those female athletes become incredible players, incredible teammates, incredible community members, incredible citizens and really building great people,” said Aimee Skye, chair of the Female Hockey Committee.
The first season will include an all-female under-13 division, along with an elite tier for U-11s and U-9s, in the hope of drawing out some of the best players across the city.
For players like Jocelyn Skye, it’s just the beginning of a long journey in women’s hockey.
“When we look up to women, we want to be those girls and then when we are those girls, other people look up to us and there’s just generations more to come,” she said.