Emotional Cheryl Pounder reacts to Jessica Campbell’s historic hire

Emotional Cheryl Pounder reacts to Jessica Campbell’s historic hire

the Seattle Kraken have hired Jessica Campbell as the first full-time female assistant coach in NHL history this is huge it isn’t the first time Campbell has made history in 2022 the Kraken hired Campbell as an assistant coach for their AHL affiliate of the Coachella Valley Thunderbirds where she became the first woman behind the Ben I’m humbled obviously to be in this position and you speak to the word first to be the first but that’s never really where my focus is it’s always on the work it’s on the impact it’s it’s on the job and and you know there’s there’s a lot to this game into this job and so I’m never taking for granted but I think the biggest thing is it I’m reminded often and it just puts a lot of meaning into the work and I know that if the team has success and that my impact um is a good one then then could potentially open up doors for others absolutely and joined Now by our own women’s hockey Trailblazer Cheryl pounder Cheryl the Kraken H hiring Jessica Campbell is a historic hiring put it into context for us well Germaine it is so difficult to really do I want a fist pump right to the High Heavens right now and it’s interesting I was coming out of a rink this morning hard to believe right in the off season and I’m coming out of an arena and it was high performance and it was filled with men women boys and girls and then I got the news and it’s interesting I reflected back to when I was a little girl and I reflected back to my mom to be honest with you my mom was my coach when I was very very young and a lot of people don’t know that she grew up in a hockey family her father was the GM of the Montreal Junior Canadians she used to hide in one of the rooms or on the stairs when the likes of Jean Bello or Scotti Bowman would come over and she would listen to them and she would listen to them and she would hear them and she would find ways to look at the game differently she would go to The Forum she would watch and then finally one day when I was pretty young and wanted to play the game she said Cheryl I’m going to coach you at a time when women were not coaching but she didn’t have the skill set to execute because she’d never played but she was absolutely brilliant because she was a student of the game and she had been listening and watching for so many years so she went out and she got someone to help her she went out and the other coach of my team was going to be Scott lon’s father Yes the coach Scott lton the Philadelphia Flyers Captain you know him well his father was my coach as well so he would execute those skills and together we would win provincial championships and so when I think of my mother I think women have been in the Rings for a very very long time and for someone like Jessica Campbell to come along through the ranks to play as a young girl to excel at all all levels to be a product of the national team to play in the cwl to be a world-class skating coach to get to backto back cder Cup finals with Coachella to work alongside the next coach of the Seattle Kraken who said to her you know what we want you we want you because your relationships we want you because of your details because of your hockey mind so today it all comes full circle Germain from sitting in the rink earlier this morning to reflecting about my mom because women have been in The Rinks but once they get the opportunity they are establishing themselves at the table and she will do a marvelous job I am thrilled Cheryl that story gives me goosebumps thank you for sharing that is simply incredible and to think what you’ve accomplished wow that was Full Circle as well now to the next question do you think this hiring will lead to other organizations following in the Krakens footsteps absolutely because I think of one word and Campbell said it herself impact impact is cascading and it takes just one and the magnitude of that right now she is the first just think about that for a second she is the first and she is the first because she’s been given opportunity and as these women get more platforms whether it’s in the NCAA whether it’s in the junior ranks whether it’s in the AHL they’re going to have the opportunity to receive that kind of mentorship to show their skill sets and their brilliant hockey mind so yeah impact starts with one but it Cascades to many so I truly believe that we will start to see it open up the window but it is always going to be about to me the best person for the job and as women get to the floor get to the ceiling and find ways to get that mentorship and grow within the game yes they are going to have a seat and they’re going to be listened to and they’re going to be fighting for those same jobs but to me it all comes down to are you the best available and right now the crack have said Jessica Campbell you are well Cheryl you were the best guest for this in addition to all you did on the ice the kids today know you as a Trailblazer for becoming the first female voice in the EA Sports NHL games Cheryl pounder thanks for this

The Seattle Kraken filled out their coaching staff on Wednesday, adding Bob Woods and Jessica Campbell as assistant coaches. Campbell becomes first woman to be named an assistant, associate or head coach in NHL history. TSN’s Cheryl Pounder joins SportsCentre to discuss the importance of this move.