“You’re going to have to put in that extra mile. You’re going to have to go the longer route potentially to get somewhere,” said Jessica Campbell after she opened the door to success. For the greatest of all times, Campbell is the first and only female coach behind a bench in the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds and the NHL with the Seattle Kraken! Now this is nothing short of inspiring to see a woman paving her way in a sport that is mainly male dominant, isn’t it?
Remember the day the Kraken hired her? Dan Bylsma, ex-coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and current head coach of the Kraken, first met her at the Worlds, and when he took charge, he asked Campbell to join him as the Kraken’s assistant coach. Well, that was that! A moment that changed the perception of professional hockey at all levels was when Campbell created history, leaving everyone in awe. The first full-time female coach entered the NHL during the Kraken’s home opener against the St. Louis Blues in October—wow! That must have been surreal.
Recently, Kraken’s officials shared a video featuring the journey of Campbell. Piper Shaw—host for WhereTheMagicHappensPod sat down with Campbell to reflect on her journey thus far. “And so it was kind of like, I want to be the first female hockey player in the NHL type of thought. So I definitely didn’t imagine this. I didn’t imagine coaching,” she said as soon as she looked back on the times when she was a young girl, dreaming of being at the top of the sport!
Hailing from the small town of rural Saskatchewan, Campbell grew up in a family that revered hockey as a way of life. Her entire childhood reflected the quintessential Canadian hockey family, where the rink was always a part of their lives. And she reminisced about when she started playing the sport, “I loved also keeping up with the boys. I was always the only girl on every boys team that I played on until I was about 16 years old.” This highlighted her determination as she went on to thrive in an environment where she was often the only girl! And perhaps, she was pushing herself to raise her bar in the game.
And, then, after playing professionally in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, came a turning point in her career when Brent Seabrook, the Stanley Cup champ, Olympic medalist, and a household name in her family, approached her to help him get back to his skates! And her reply? Well, she said, “OK, I can do this,” after she saw the legend valuing her worth and putting faith and trust in her, she couldn’t turn him down and helped him at that point in his career where he wanted to rehab his skating after coming back from surgery. But in case you think she stopped there, you’ve got it wrong. Campbell looked up to her career and continued to carve her own path in it.
Among those enamored with Jessica Campbell: Kylie Kelce, Kate Hudson
Her role models since childhood? Manon Rhéaume, whom she saw thrilling with her goaltending skills, and Cassie Campbell—looking at whom she had always aspired to be the next Campbell in the league! “To go out and to play for my country every single day, it was the best feeling in the world. I looked up to Cassie Campbell all through my career as a player. But I always wanted to be the next Campbell to wear the Maple Leaf,” she recalled.
But when it came to receiving the limelight she deserved? Kylie Kelce made the sweetest confession! “She’s kind and really caring, so she’s the type of person you can root for,” The ‘Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce‘ podcast fame and host said in an episode last year while talking to ‘Running Point’ protagonist and one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Kate Hudson. She emphasized how young girls now have a role model whom they can call the type of person they truly wish to be inspired by.
Kelce even highlighted the paramount importance of the fight for gender equality in sports. For her, one female coach is a great start, but the industry needs more! “We’re in a generational shift—not just appreciating women playing sports, but also embracing them within the sports world,” she proudly stated. While Kelce keeps her focus on supporting women in leadership roles, Campbell desires upon achieving the ultimate dream— “Oh, I absolutely want to win a Stanley Cup.”
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