The Fearless, Frozen Females of Hockey

Having won the Clarkson Cup for the first time in franchise history, it has only increased the importance of the role of the Toronto Furies as outstanding hockey humanitarians. From participating in the Furious Hockey Tournament (hosted by Deirdre Norman) to the Toronto Pride Parade, the Furies have proven to be remarkable ambassadors for women’s hockey in Canada’s largest metropolis. Once news spread about the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Ice Bucket Challenge, it did not take long for videos to appear on social media featuring numerous Furies players proudly participating. Having become a pop culture phenomenon during the summer of 2014, the objective is to promote awareness of the disease while raising proceeds towards research. While the origins are unclear (Sports Illustrated acknowledged former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates as the one who helped make it popular), the on-air personalities from Golf Channel’s Morning Drive participated in a live challenge...

A remarkable example of team spirit and community outreach came when players from the Clarkson Cup champion Toronto Furies participated in Toronto ’s Annual Pride Parade. Taking into account that the event brings over 1 million spectators to the parade route, it has become one of the largest of its kind, becoming a signature event for Canada ’s largest city. Considering that the CWHL is a proud partner with the You Can Play Project , founded by Patrick Burke, the son of CWHL Board Member Brian Burke, it is a group that looks to eliminate homophobia from the locker room. Patrick’s brother Brendan had come out in November 2009 and sadly lost his life in an auto accident a few months later. You Can Play! is a unique way to also honor his life. In the last few months, the CWHL has seen several of its players show remarkable courage with their own public admissions. Living legends such as Caitlin Cahow, Jayna Hefford and Charline Labonte (who have 11 combined Winter Games appeara...