PEORIA — Shannon Szabados will make history the first time she appears in a game for the Peoria Rivermen, one of the oldest, continuously operating pro franchises in minor league hockey.
No big deal to the two-time gold medal winner and goaltender from the Canada Olympic women's team, who signed with Peoria this fall.
"So I better make it a good one?" said Szabados, joking about that inevitable game that will make her the first female ever to play for the 35-year Peoria franchise. "Hopefully I'll get a lot of those games this year.
"I started playing hockey when I was 5, and I've always played on guys' teams. So every level I go to it's 'You're the first girl to do this.' I was the first girl to play Midget AAA, first girl in my junior A league, first girl to play in the Western Hockey League.
"I get that I'm a girl. But to me, I'm just another player on the ice. I had a little talk with (Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel) the other day, and he asked me, 'Is it OK if when I (address the team) and say guys, or should I say guys and girl or what? ... I told him don't say girl, that will offend me. Once we're in that locker room and on the ice, I'm just one of the boys.
- Peoria Journal Star
Google her. She's not to shabby. Peoria sharps approve
No big deal to the two-time gold medal winner and goaltender from the Canada Olympic women's team, who signed with Peoria this fall.
"So I better make it a good one?" said Szabados, joking about that inevitable game that will make her the first female ever to play for the 35-year Peoria franchise. "Hopefully I'll get a lot of those games this year.
"I started playing hockey when I was 5, and I've always played on guys' teams. So every level I go to it's 'You're the first girl to do this.' I was the first girl to play Midget AAA, first girl in my junior A league, first girl to play in the Western Hockey League.
"I get that I'm a girl. But to me, I'm just another player on the ice. I had a little talk with (Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel) the other day, and he asked me, 'Is it OK if when I (address the team) and say guys, or should I say guys and girl or what? ... I told him don't say girl, that will offend me. Once we're in that locker room and on the ice, I'm just one of the boys.
- Peoria Journal Star
Google her. She's not to shabby. Peoria sharps approve
Canda's women's national hockey teams regularly gets destroyed by 15 year old boys teams. Who gives a shit about these dumb pr moves.