On World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend, the B.C. Hockey League played host to the first-ever all-female officiating crew for a Junior A game
It was just another night on the job for Grace Barlow, Melissa Brunn, Colleen Geddes and Megan Howes, but it marked a historic step forward for women in the officiating world.
The quartet became the first all-female officiating crew in Junior A hockey history on Sunday, Oct. 17, working the Langley Rivermen vs. Surrey Eagles game in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).
All four – Barlow and Howes are referees, Geddes and Brunn are linespersons – are products of the Hockey Canada Officiating Pathway, having worked their way from their local hockey associations through the B.C. high-performance program.
“The success these officials have achieved is a testament to their perseverance and dedication to their craft,” says Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “Yes, it’s a history-making night, but…