Blake Bolden, a woman from Cleveland, Ohio, breaks barriers for women of colour. Bolden becomes the first woman of colour and the second woman in history to become a scout in the National Hockey League. Bolden has a background in hockey. She is a former defender for the Boston Pride of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL). Bolden, already well-known in her community, has become an inspiration to all women as she secured a deal with the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL as one of their scouts.
The world of scouting in the NHL has come a long way. A positive movement towards equality is ideal for change as we strive for diversity in such a male-oriented profession. Once Bolden signed with the LA Kings as a scout, she delivered a strong statement. The colour of your skin and your gender does not matter. It is all about how you can adapt as a female in the public eye of the NHL.
An interview with Bolden underscores that women of colour are capable of anything as our society becomes more diverse in the hockey world. One special man that impacted her life is Willie O’Ree. He was the first Black person to play in the NHL in 1958. O’Ree was determined to make a change. He was someone Bolden could connect to as they shared so many similarities.
Isn’t it crazy that Bolden being named the first woman of colour and second woman in NHL history to become a scout in the NHL breaks headlines? Women are finally starting to make their mark as part of the NHL. Shouldn’t a success story such as Bolden’s become normalized in today’s society?
Regan Boucher
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Sport, Not Games ⚽ 