Color of Hockey: Jr. Sharks girls team model of inclusion, diversity

“They really liked them,” said Liv, a 15-year-old forward. “My teammates, they made me feel so welcome and I found, like, my first friends when I came here. I didn’t know anyone, and they all made me feel like I was a part of them directly, like, after my first tryout.”

Grewal said the team’s diversity occurred naturally because the players mirror the population of the Bay Area.

“I think it’s something that’s awesome,” he said. “It’s something we encourage. We want them to be organically who they are, be proud of what they represent, the cultures they come from when they come to the rink and get a chance to be part of a team and they get a chance to be Sharks together. I think that unites them. It really bonds them as a group.”

Athena Cho, a 16-year-old Sharks forward, said opposing teams sometimes do double takes when they first see her team.

“Even when we’re warming up, all these people see us and they’re, like, ‘What are these girls doing here?’” she said. “We don’t look like a typical hockey team, so I just like to show them that anyone can play the sport and it doesn’t really matter where you’re from or what you look like.”

Several of the Jr. Sharks say they hope to play collegiate hockey and inspire other girls along the way.

“My number one goal is to play Division I hockey in the NCAA and just show young South Asian girls what it’s about,” Siya said. “And I think girls would really look up to that, and there so many South Asian girls that I would love to join the game.”