PWHL star in Winnipeg for Scotiabank Girls Hockey Fest
Posted March 22, 2025 5:32 pm.
Last Updated March 23, 2025 11:49 am.
The Scotiabank Girls Hockey Fest returned to Winnipeg on Saturday.
With the growth of the women’s game, this year’s event at the Hockey for All Centre was bigger than ever, providing an opportunity for girls to hone their skills, be inspired to chase their dreams, and even learn from a PWHL player.
“This event has been great. Getting here last night, obviously, I was super excited to be here. But the girls have been phenomenal, and I love growing the game. So, once this opportunity came up, I was like, ‘I want to grab it, I want to go, and I just want to impact the younger generation,’” said Jessica DiGirolamo, Boston Fleet, PWHL.
“Being part of a team really shows that when we work together, we can achieve more. This opportunity that we have to bring them together as a team in a safe and fun environment to learn skills is exactly what we want for them,” said Antia D’Ottavio, volunteer.
The one-day clinic is in its 17th year, but over time, attendance has steadily grown. This year, 250 girls aged seven to 14 participated. With the PWHL’s rise in popularity, the excitement surrounding the women’s game is clearly reaching the younger generation.
“During this panel, I mean, the kids are asking questions and specifics about the PWHL, and I think it’s amazing. And they’re wearing patches for their respective teams that they love,” said DiGirolamo. “We had some Boston Fleet fans, which was great, but I do think the league is growing, and it’s heading in a direction that we all want to see.”
“It was really fun because I’ve never seen a PWHL player before,” said Willow Pickard, a participant in the seven to nine age group.
The girls were broken up into different age groups, with each group having a chance for skills training on the ice, as well as a classroom session with a panel.
