To that end, Pennal launched the National Hockey League Coaches Association’s Women’s Coaching Development Program on March 8, 2020, an organization that has had an impact by allowing women to network, get opportunities, see what’s possible – and introduce the NHL to potential recruits available.
It all culminated in what happened Wednesday — and what Seattle’s bench will look like in the 2024-25 season.
“I’m obviously honored to be in this position,” Campbell said. “You speak first, you’re first. But that’s never really what I’ve focused on. I’m always focused on the work, on the impact, on the work. … But I think the biggest thing is that I’m reminded of it often, and it gives a lot of meaning to the job, (is) that I know that if the team is successful and I’m having a positive impact, it could potentially open doors for other people and open their eyes to think differently.”
“But I try to keep my eyes on what matters every day, to be in the present, to be in the moment, to stay in the trenches with the players, and while I’m honored to be the first, I don’t want to be the only one. And honestly, I don’t feel like I’m the only one in this organization.”
It’s something special, she said. She’s not the only one. Not in Seattle, not in the NHL. Not anymore.
But now Campbell will become the most visible woman in the NHL, standing behind the bench every game day with the Kraken.
It’s important. It makes sense.
“I just believe that anything is possible,” Campbell said. “I had the courage, maybe naively, to believe that it could be possible. And even though I didn’t see it, I believed that I could do it. I think with that inner belief, no matter what, in sports, in life, you can create anything you believe in.”
“I think what’s special and what’s exciting about being in Seattle is that whether it’s a young girl or a young boy’s first game in the NHL, they’ll never see anything different than what they can become. I’m happy to be able to play that role.”
News Source : www.nhl.com
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