Fleet Players Strive To Use Voices To Push Inclusivity In PWHL

NATICK, Mass. — The Fleet started their inaugural season in exciting fashion, but there’s always work to be done off the ice.

Boston was one win away from winning the Walter Cup Finals but fell short in Game 5. Still, fans didn’t waver in their support for the club at Tsongas Center.

The Fleet established a foothold in the New England area as stars like Hilary Knight and Jamie Lee Rattray stood as inspirational figures for young PWHL fans. Rattray is a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, and that was on display during the Fleet’s Pride Night. The forward wore a custom jacket that was auctioned off with proceeds going to Sport A Rainbow. That advocacy was something she hopes to continue to strive for.

“Yeah, I think it’s so important, right? I think you want people to feel comfortable coming to the rink, supporting their favorite team,” Rattray told NESN.com. “I think it’s on us as players to do that in our own dressing room but also for the fans, too. I think it’s so important to make sure everyone wants to come to the rink and be themselves when they come to the rink, right? I think it’s such a great sport, and I think we can continue to push the envelope. I think on the women’s side, we’ve done a really good job of that. I’ve heard a lot of great stories in every dressing room that I’ve gone into. I think we can continue pushing the envelope. Any way we can make our game more inclusive is the most important in my opinion. I’ll always be a good advocate for that. I think it’s really important.”

The PWHL has not established a gender inclusion policy. The league did hire Saroya Tinker in a diversity and inclusion role, but there’s obviously more it can do. However, the players will continue to use their platforms as best as they can.

“I think the two words for me are making it inclusive and available for everyone,” Maude Poulin-Labelle told NESN.com. “I think growing up most of us played on the boys’ team and you were the only girl. And I just think it’s so special to just start and then making it so inclusive, and it’s out there, a lot of people, see it. And then, just going in your own community and making it available for girls to come skate. I didn’t have that as a younger player, to have hometown women’s sports and making it a living. I just think it’s special that now we can do that, and it’s the players’, in a way, job if they want to go out and make an impact on the community. The platform is there. I think that’s what’s so special about it, and that’s what I love about the league and being a player, just having that platform.”

The second PWHL season should follow up the exciting action on the ice, but there also will be more inspiring stories told by the players as the league continues to grow.