Last week, the Hockey Hall of Fame had it’s latest induction ceremony. How many women were inducted? ZERO.
Last month, the International Ice Hockey Federation added three accomplished hockey pioneers to it’s walls in Cammi Granato, Angela James and Geraldine Heaney.
And yet the doors to the Hall of Fame remain locked to us women.
While there are many reasons we haven’t made into onto the walls of the Hall quite yet, I want to explore one that is rarely addressed by the mainstream media.
No Money = No Plaques
Our contribution to the game of hockey is under-valued because we don’t get paid.
Women’s hockey players cannot make a living playing the game that they love. There are a number of former world-class players who have made their living in hockey after their playing days were done, but there has never been a female hockey player who has made a comfortable living playing on the rink.
When something is being done on a volunteer basis, we tend to under-value those efforts. Whether right or wrong, we equate value with price. So despite the fact that elite women’s players are playing (and succeeding) at the highest level possible on the world stage, the fact that they are playing for “free” leads people to question what the players’ efforts are really worth.
If we look at the NHL as an example, we typically think that the players who are being paid more are more valuable as players. We all know that this is not always the case, but that is the perception that exists.
Being paid increases legitimacy of a sport and its athletes.
And since women’s hockey players make NOTHING - and our legitimacy is questioned.
People like to hear about our successes on the world stage, but seem reluctant to offer their support (with either their attendance or their checkbooks). Despite our tremendous growth and success, we are still viewed as a 2nd (or even third) tier sport by the mainstream media.
Gandhi once said that there are 4 stages in the battle for acceptance, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.”
I believe that we are still very much in the 2nd stage in terms of our inclusion in HHOF.
We will be knocking on the 3rd door soon, but it will take some time for it to be opened.
Just my two cents,
Kim
