The National Hockey League took a historic step toward gender equity this week as Jessica Campbell became the first woman to coach in an NHL regular season game. Campbell, an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken, made her debut behind the bench in the Kraken’s season opener last night. This milestone represents a significant breakthrough in one of the last remaining all-male coaching environments in professional sports. While women have made inroads as coaches in the NBA, NFL and MLB in recent years, the NHL has remained a stubborn holdout – until now.
Challenging Gender Stereotypes
As noted by Digit Murphy, United Women’s Sports executive, former Brown University Women’s Ice Hockey Coach, and Cornell Hall of Famer, “This historic day, with Coach Campbell on the bench, fills me with pride—but it also makes me question what has taken so long and why women leaders remain underrepresented in men’s sports. The playing field is still uneven, and it begs the question: ‘Why aren’t there more Jessica Campbells?’ This moment is a reminder of the progress yet to be made and the need for more opportunities for women to step into leadership roles across all levels of sports.”