From Alberta to Michigan:
A young female hockey player's D1 dream comes true
From the small town of Okotoks to the bright lights of Michigan, Madison Pott's passion for hockey has taken her on an incredible journey.
By Madison Freeman
Madison Pott knew she wanted to play hockey for as long as she can remember, having learned how to skate before she could even walk. Now a D1 athlete at Lake Superior State University in Michigan, she often reminisces on the challenges it took to get her to where she is.
An Okotoks, Alta. native, Pott says playing hockey has been the best decision she has ever made in her life, inspired by her grandfather who has supported her throughout her whole career.
“Growing up in a hockey town and environment sparked my hockey interest. It was cool to have a group of friends you share the same passion with and to create so many opportunities to meet so many people.”
Pott was recruited by the Lake Superior State University women’s hockey team in 2021 and is currently playing her second season with the team. The LSSU women’s hockey team is a division one team, which is a part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association - the National Governing Body for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States.
Pott says her hockey journey was not always the easiest, as she struggled with her size throughout the years. Joining an all-girls team in her second year of atom, her size became an obstacle.
Pott plays as a forward for the Lake Superior State University Lakers.
PHOTO: @lakestatewomenshockey
“As I tried out for different teams it became apparent that I was one of the smaller players. I would hear from coaches, 'I'm sorry we’re not going to take you – your size is a big factor in the game.’ I wanted to prove that I could play big even though I was half my opponent’s size.”
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She says despite being told the same thing numerous times, it only inspired her to push harder for what she wanted to achieve in the sport.
“I was placed in a position that I couldn’t change physically,” says Pott. “I wanted to prove to myself that I could make the higher teams and I worked my butt off for it.”
A 2012 study focused on body size in young female athletes. ‘Body Size, Coping Strategies, and Mental Health in Adolescent Female Athletes’ took a look at the role that sports-related body size issues play in a young female athlete's life.
“Given the documented associations between body size/physique and athletic selection/performance, female athletes may be particularly sensitive to pubertal changes in size/physique,” says the study.
“Although sport participants generally present a more positive body image than non-sport participants and participation in sports programs may result in improvements in body image, an inappropriate body size/physique for athletic success may predispose athletes to mental health problems.”
Although size was an issue Pott faced, female-focused and funded hockey gave her the opportunity to achieve the success she so badly hoped to achieve.
After 12 years of playing hockey, Pott had the opportunity to put her name “into the world” of NCSA (Next College Student Athlete), a college recruiting organization.
“I signed up and was just hoping for something. I heard from a couple of schools and then coach Matt Parker (at LSSU) reached out to me. The school was in Michigan, 3,000 kilometres away from home – giving me the option of playing hockey in the U.S. and (majoring) in kinesiology.”
Women-based hockey gave Pott the opportunity to pursue her dreams, something that was not always an option for young female athletes.
“There wasn’t a girls’ league to join when I first started hockey. When I (ultimately) switched over to women’s hockey, we were in a great league and we were treated well and had fair ice time.”
Pott, however, is not shy in acknowledging the differences she noticed once joining an all-girls team.
“Throughout my younger years, we had to go into the tiny dressing room because the boys were in the bigger room, and we had different rooms to change in.”
She says that she first felt emotionally impacted by the differences when she was mature enough to acknowledge them, such as being 14 and noticing the attendance differences between male and female hockey games.
“My friend and I went to the Winsport rinks in Calgary to watch the women's Canadian national team play. The rink next door was the men's team having an exhibition game and the rink was packed compared to the women's side. It blew my mind to see the number of fans the women's team had during a real game, it was really sad.”
In her career with the Lakers so far, Pott has scored 47 points in 54 games.
PHOTO COURTESY: Madison Pott
Pott says there are many ways in which female leaders, sports organizations, media, and others in the world of sport can make it fair for both female and male athletes alike.
“Sports organizations can promote different camps and organizations to promote women in sports – supporting different games, attending, making signs, and merchandise would be a big step in promoting (these games.) With different camps bringing in big supporters, such as Olympians with the sport and different influencers, the media can spread awareness throughout the community. The creation of bottle drives to create funds for each organization with women in sports. Each option gives the benefit of helping and promoting gender equality with athletes.”
Pott wants young female athletes to know that despite the differences and disparities that still remain, young girls looking to get into sports should not be discouraged as equity issues are slowly being addressed.
“Having the courage to join (a sport) and make a difference on the team you join is amazing. The media is a negative source that exemplifies the women versus men stereotype, but it's not true. Don't let that stop young girls from doing what they're passionate about – women can use the talent they withhold to show how tough they are and that they can do anything a man can do.”
Pott looks forward to continuing her season with the Lake Superior State University Lakers and hopes to see further change within the female hockey community.
“Hockey created an impact for me far greater than the ice. It didn't matter the score or the points I got, it truly became something I feel.”
