Breaking the Ice:
A girl’s journey in the male-dominated hockey world
Lacey DiMaulo quickly realized that being the only girl on a boys hockey team came with its own set of challenges.
By Brooke Palin
PHOTO: Richard Lafortune
Lacey DiMaulo says she faced discrimination at a young age while she grew up playing hockey on co-ed teams. Despite this disparity, she continued to play to the best of her ability and now is a graduate from St. Francis Xavier University, where she fulfilled her hockey dreams and played her last years as a forward for the women’s varsity team.
​
DiMaulo’s passion for the game first began just before her teenage years for the High River Flyers. She played alongside her brother growing up before she switched to the all-girls program, and she explains that hockey has shaped her into the person she is today.
“It is a sport that consumes your life and naturally becomes a part of you. The sport of hockey taught me how to be competitive, a loyal friend and a leader. Lastly, it made me face a lot of adversity and increased my self-determination.”
​
These lessons stemmed from playing in an all-boys league where players and coaches never treated her like another player on the team but as “just a girl.”
In her three seasons with the X-Women, DiMaulo played 61 games for the team.
PHOTO COURTESY: Lacey DiMaulo
DiMaulo explains that when she was trying out for the boys AA hockey team in Okotoks, Alta., there was already a decreased chance to make the team due to the coach being “not fond” of the idea of having a girl on the roster. At this time in her life, there was also no offering of a peewee AA girls team in the area.
“During every tryout I hid my ponytail in my equipment, and nobody knew I was a girl until the last tryout when I had taken my helmet off in front of everyone. It was crazy how everything changed when the coaches – and especially players – knew I was a girl.”
DiMaulo made it to the last round of cuts that season for the AA boys’ team however she did not make the team as the coaches told her she “didn’t have the body of a boy.”
She explains the excuse given from the coach was just that – an excuse, as her talent level was just as good as any other player regardless of her gender.
Even though DiMaulo didn’t make the AA team that year, she would still play with and against boys. Being the only girl on the ice can be intimidating, but even more so when a female player must constantly have to keep her head up to make sure they do not have an opposing player specifically out to get her.
Being the only girl on her team posed all sorts of challenges for DiMaulo.
PHOTO COURTESY: Lacey DiMaulo
“Players on the other teams would essentially target me knowing I was a girl to ‘scare’ me from wanting to play in the same league as them.”
Even after DiMaulo was able to switch to a female AAA program, she continued to notice the disadvantages females had in the sport.
“The boys’ team had the earlier ice time ahead of us because it was more convenient for them. Their locker room was twice the size of ours and much nicer, and the boys’ team was gifted all matching gear, where we did not have the proper funds.”
​
Outside of all the internal disadvantages, DiMaulo says that during high school, AAA is as high as a female can reach in hockey, however males have the opportunity to play in the Western Hockey League (WHL) or Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) where there are paid opportunities.
“There aren’t an immense amount of opportunities outside of university other than playing overseas or in the professional women’s league. A lot of athletes retire after university level either because they are not good enough to proceed or they know they cannot make a living solely playing professional hockey like male athletes can, so they pursue a career in their specific university studies instead.”
DiMaulo believes the best way for making women’s hockey more equal is by allowing female players to receive equal payments as a men’s team.
“In my opinion, allowing females to be able to make a living out of the sport just as males have the ability to do would make females have a completely different outlook on female sport for those wanting to make a career out of it. I feel it would increase the competitiveness and drive in women’s hockey.”
Women’s hockey does continue to rise in popularity and DiMaulo hopes young girls continue to live out their hockey dreams and to never let the fear discourage a player from chasing what they want.
Hockey has always been a major part of DiMaulo's life.
PHOTO COURTESY: Lacey DiMaulo
“Gender disparities should never hinder your ability to do something you’re interested in. If anything, you can prove those disparities wrong by leading the way for other young girls your age that feel the same way.”
