Exploring the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and women of colour in competitive ice hockey

At competitive levels in sport, women who are Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) are underrepresented, and an examination of the reasons for this reveals ongoing experiences of microaggressions, stereotypes and discrimination (McKegney et al., 2021; Sandrin & Palys, 2022; Eke et al., 2024). Research and current statistics show that factors impacting these experiences include a lack of anti-racism training for coaches and people in positions of authority, few BIPOC people in decision making areas and coaching roles, negative media portrayals, and an underrepresentation of women and BIPOC athletes in professional sports (Canning, 2025; Joseph & McKenzie, 2022; Spain, 2024; Eke et al., 2024). Given current exclusionary practices within hockey culture towards women and BIPOC groups, research centering on understanding how they navigate the sport is needed (Norman et al., 2022; Szto, 2020). My work aimed to contribute to this body of work using an intersectional approach to highlight voices of BIPOC women who navigate multiple identities simultaneously. Through this intersectional lens, I posed the following research questions: 1. How do BIPOC women recall navigating and managing their experiences as competitive ice hockey players? 2. What ideas do BIPOC women who played competitive ice hockey have that could create a more positive and equitable experience? My research methods included individual semi-structured interviews with 10 participants and the goal of exploring their lived experiences as competitive ice hockey players (Smith & Sparkes, 2016). This data was analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. My aim in carrying out this research was to highlight how BIPOC women managed experiences of discrimination and marginalization as competitive hockey players, provide a platform to learn about their ideas for change, and create work that serves as a representation for future girls in the sport.