‘Detrimental to the growth of female hockey in Manitoba’

A Manitoba high school hockey player faces exclusion from her Grade 12 season due to a new rule from Hockey Manitoba, which bans players from competing in both the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League (MWHSHL) and a U18 AAA team. The 17-year-old, who played for both her high school team and an AAA club in the MWHSHL, is disappointed by the decision.

The restriction allegedly targets team commitment, roster integrity, and player workload, but the player insists there was no burnout or academic impact. The new rule has also eliminated a $2,000 scholarship opportunity for the player. Six high school programs, including Westwood, Churchill, Warren, Portage, Beausejour, and Léo-Rémillard, have folded since the ban took effect.

Of those, four closed due to the new policy. The MWHSHL president, Kyle Ridler, expressed concern over the loss of six teams and fears further participation restrictions would hinder female hockey growth in Manitoba. Hockey Manitoba CEO Trevor Buhnai acknowledged the disappointment and stated that the decision was made to balance high school hockey, growth in women's and girls' hockey, and workload concerns. Buhnai promised to review the policy's impact following the 2026-27 season.