The sport of hockey is ingrained in Canadian society. In the early 20th century, the sport served as a game that gave Canadians an enjoyable pastime. Ice hockey was first played by Canadian women in the late 1880s, and they worked hard to make the sport a part of Canadian society. The history of women's hockey, however, got less attention in academics and in the prevalence of hockey scholarships. The research topic is followed by an analysis of the Preston Rivulettes hockey team's accomplishments and the development of ice hockey in Canada. Did the Preston Rivullettes women leave a legacy in the history of Canadian hockey playing? Indeed from the records, it is evident that the Preston Rivullettes women hockey team achieved great success in the Canadian women hockey leagues, an act which shaped the history of hockey playing in Canada.
Governance of Women’s Hockey in Canada
By the time the Rivulettes stepped to play ice hockey as an organized team, hockey playing by women had already been established and had been played for over forty years. It was not until the 1920s that hockey playing among women flourished in Ontario and attracted many women participants (Demers et al., 46). Leagues were formed across the nation increasing the number of people who were interested in hockey playing. The need to create organized leagues became a vital obligation as more women continued to join hockey playing. Hockey Association in Ontario abbreviated as (LOHA) was then created to supervise the progress of hockey among women. LOHA organized leagues in the region from 1922 to 1940. Being the first provincial body governing women hockey, the LOHA united with the Ontario Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. LOHA ended being the most influential women organization in Preston in the 1920s (Paikin & Steve 22). The consistent massive number of women teams signed under LOHA burner portrays its acceptance as the voice and administrator for women hockey teams in the region.
Rise of Rivulettes women Hockey Team
The Rivulettes won more than 95 percent of their games a success which is matched by only Edmonton Graduates basketball team. The players of this team were skillful, aggressive, and physically powerful and had great inspiration. Through their determination, they achieved a prominent public position. However, they had several challenges including the global economic crisis which diminished sports opportunities. The disaster caused financial struggle and family hardships and uncertainty in the whole country. The experience of the local situation in Preston shaped the way women participated and played sports. The great achievement of the Rivulettes during the 1930s helped boost peoples’ morale during the crisis (Adams & Carly 28). The success of the Rivulette became a signifier of civic identity among the people of Preston.
The Rivulettes women embraced what was perceived to be a masculine cultural terrain. Their inspiration helped them overcome the financial constraints they underwent. They established female hockey legacy in Canada and offered a history of women's social status including sport, work, and social work in different towns in the country.
In 1931, the Rivulettes entered an intermediate-level league under the Ladies Ontario Hockey Association, but they were not able to play regular league games by the other teams since they had fixed schedules (Alexander & Marion 36). LOHA granted the Rivulettes a qualification game against the Grimsby Peaches to earn a place in the LOHA play-offs. They defeated the Grimsby in the two-game series getting into second round of the tournament. In this stage, they played against the Port Dover Sailorrettes where they won and advanced to the semifinals. They continued with their excellent form, and in the finals, they defeated Pembroke and claimed the LOHA intermediate championship in 1931. Throughout the 1930s Rivulettes played league games across the country and enjoyed the great achievement.
Decline and Demise of Women Hokey in Ontario
Dominion Women’s Amateur Hockey Association was formed to regulate dominion Championship series among women’s great teams across the country. Preston Rivulette traveled to Edmonton to challenge the west champions. They lost the game a defeat which marked the first-ever loss in three seasons. In 1939 Canadian women hockey teams were invited to attend a ten-day barnstorming exhibition tour in the U.S. Despite the Riverettes national record, they were not invited to participate in the event leaving so many questions to the players as well as to the people of Preston.
In the later 1930s, the Rivulettes achieved national success and were celebrated across the whole nation. They struggled at some point, but they focused on their vision an act which made them flourished throughout the 1930s up to early 1940s. The future of the women hockey got miserable in 1940 and women participation in the game declined drastically (Wong & John 17). LOHA was terminated in 1941 upon merging with a Women’s Amateur Federation (WAAF).
It is clear that the Preston Rivulletes and Women's Hockey in Canada was growing significantly in the 1920s. Ignorance among members who managed the development of women hockey contributed to the significant decline of female participants in the game. The significance of the game in the country is no longer felt by the people, and proper regulatory measures should be put in place to re-establish women hockey in the country.
Works Cited
Adams, Carly. Queens of the Ice: They Were Fast, They Were Fierce, They Were Teenage Girls. Toronto: Lorimer, 2011. Print.
Alexander, Marion. Field Hockey Research at the 1979 I.f.w.h.a. Tournament, Vancouver, B.c., Canada. Vancouver?: Canadian Women's Field Hockey Association, 1981. Print.
Demers, Guylaine, Lorraine Greaves, Sandra L. Kirby, and Marion Lay. Playing It Forward: 50 Years of Women and Sport in Canada = Pour Celles Qui Suivront: 50 Ans D'histoire De Femmes En Sports Au Canada. , 2013. Print.
Paikin, Steve. The New Game: How Hockey Saved Itself. Toronto, Ontario: Viking: Canada, 2007. Print.
Wong, John C.-K. Coast to Coast: Hockey in Canada to the Second World War. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Print.
