Hockey. It's the sound of skates on ice. The distinct smell
of the rink. The fast paced excitement.
The goal celebrations. The “ting” of the puck on the goal post. The camaraderie.
The passion of the players.
But most important? The fans.
We, the fans, are what bring the excitement and passion. We
bring the loud roars when our team scores. We bring the encouraging (and
sometimes, to our opponents, not so encouraging) chants and make them circle
around the arena. We, the fans, ARE hockey.
It's one thing to be a hockey fan, but quite another to
be a female hockey fan.
Yes, all of the above certainly applies to us, the female
fans. Being part of something bigger than us is truly a miraculous thing, but
it also comes with an unwanted stigma....
Puck Bunny.
Now, being a female hockey fan myself, I know
this term all too well. If you are new to it, let me explain.
A puck bunny is a term described by Jeanne Biggs from The
Minaret Online as “…a woman who
only watches hockey to look at the attractive players with the hopes of
sleeping with them.” Yes, there are women who
fit into this category, but the term is used at most times to describe the
female hockey fan base as a whole. Being a female fan isn’t always the easiest.
In more ways than one, females tend to be disrespected much more than male
fans. It's hard to state your opinion as
a female fan without coming under fire from male fans, and that's why I have
created this site!
Grinder Grrl is
a safe community for female hockey fans to come together and discuss games,
trades, teams, and anything hockey. Any female fan can send in topics they want
to discuss, and, depending on the content, will be posted for all to politely
discuss! A unique aspect of hockey is that we have our own lingo. Now, if you are familiar
with the terms used
by players and fans alike, you probably understand what a "Grinder" is. For
those who don't, Grinder is defined as:
Grinder
(noun): a player
that populates the lower lines or lower pairings. Has hands of stone, but is
physical and works hard when he’s out on the ice. Usually beloved by the rest
of the team (Schoeninger, thehockeywriters.com).
Women are powerful and strong beings who have, and are still, overcoming insurmountable obstacles to have equality. Because of this, "Girl" is spelt as "Grrl" to affirm that power and strength!
We as
female hockey fans get different treatment than any other fan. By creating this
community we can not only create a better reputation for female hockey fans,
but we have a place to come together and support eachother!
My hope is
this community of passionate female hockey fans can come together and share our
thoughts and express our opinions in a positive environment!
So with
that being said, don't forget to...
Keep Grinding!
-Grinder Grrl ;)
References
Baker, A. (2015, January 08). 10 Reasons Hockey is the Greatest Sport on Earth. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://thehockeywriters.com/10-reasons-hockey-is-the-greatest-sport-on-earth/
Biggs, J. (2015, November 11). Ice Hockey Isn’t Just For The Guys. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from https://theminaretonline.com/2015/11/11/ice-hockey-isnt-just-for-the-guys/
Schoeninger, B. (2016, August 19). Hockey Player Lingo: The Ultimate Dictionary. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://thehockeywriters.com/how-to-talk-like-a-hockey-player/
Photo References
Marsico, N. A. (2015, March 26). 15 Things You'll Hear Non-Hockey Fans Say During A Game. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/2015/03/26/15-things-youll-hear-non-hockey-fans-say-during-a-game/
Saba, L. (2014, March 17). How to sell hockey to women: Stop trying to sell hockey to women. Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2014/3/17/5503416/how-to-sell-hockey-to-women-stop-trying-to-sell-hockey-to-women
Spain, S. (2013, January 30). A 'Girl's Guide' to the hockey galaxy? My prayers have been answered! Retrieved August 30, 2016, from http://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/8892176/espnw-girl-guide-hockey-galaxy-my-prayers-answered
