Vancouver Goldeneyes embracing mentor roles at girls summer hockey camps

Vancouver Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell recognizes the importance of young girls getting the opportunity to play hockey with professional female players. The team's captain has been dedicating a significant portion of her off-season to running camps for young girls. Bell explained that she did not have many such opportunities when she was growing up, noting that it is especially meaningful to see women's hockey grow and flourish.

Bell participated in a camp near her hometown of Deloraine, B.C., where she coached 80 girls in various skills and drills. Teammate Katie Chan, who grew up in Richmond, B.C., echoed Bell's sentiment, emphasizing the special nature of being able to interact with the girls she played against or alongside. Coach Jenn Gardiner highlighted how women's hockey is now more accessible than ever, with young girls growing up in a world where women's hockey is a normal part of the sport.

Gardiner, along with her teammates, sees themselves as role models for these young girls, something they take pride in. The Goldeneyes will not be playing any games for six months due to the league's expansion, but this hiatus is fueling the team's determination to return stronger. The league is set to expand from six teams to 12, with new teams joining in Las Vegas, San Jose, Detroit, and Hamilton.

Vancouver has remained relatively unchanged, retaining most of their key players. A notable change will be in the coaching staff, as the Goldeneyes parted ways with head coach Brian Idalski and welcomed Cara Gardner Morey to the role, who returned to coaching after a successful career as a general manager.