A sculpture commemorating the PWHL’s 2024 inaugural season was on display at the Ottawa Charge’s home games on Feb. 20 and Feb. 22.
The Inaugural Six by Canadian artist Briony Douglas had a striking presence between TD Place’s Gates 1 and 2, standing four feet tall and six feet wide.
The multicoloured art piece is a goalie mask composed of over 100 hockey sticks used by players from all six teams in the league’s first season.
“Each stick tells a story – of the goals scored, the battles fought on and off the ice, and the passion these athletes pour into every game,” Douglas said in a press release.
Charge captain Brianne Jenner said the sculpture captures a significant moment in women’s hockey.
“What happened last year was historic,” she said. “I think it’s so cool that there’s a piece of art that can commemorate what an amazing season it was.”
Jenner, who found one of her sticks on the side of the sculpture, said she liked the way the sculpture represents the stories of the inaugural season.
“I think it’s really powerful. It’s a simple design that is also at the same time so complex, because it tells a story, and each piece is really important to make it come together,” she said.
Jenner said her favourite memories from the inaugural season are the team’s sold-out home opener at TD Place, the team’s first goal and her niece seeing her first professional women’s hockey game.
For Charge goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer, nothing tops the team’s first game.
“I’ve never had that feeling on the ice before. I teared up before the game started, I had chills throughout the game, and there was just so much emotion and passion behind every cheer,” she said. “It was like everyone had the same understanding that day, and it was like, ‘Wow, we’re finally here.’”
In the league’s first season, Jenner said players wanted to showcase “the entertainment level” and “the speed” of the women’s game to attract fans.
“We knew it was an opportunity to showcase our game,” Maschmeyer said. “We always knew we had the product.”
With several women’s hockey attendance records shattered, Jenner said “the way the fans embraced the league” was the highlight of the inaugural season.
“I think it’s just so impressive, and something that I wouldn’t say surprised us, but I think it was just so reassuring and amazing to see how many people out there love women’s hockey,” Jenner said.
Maschmeyer said this is especially true of Ottawa fans.
“They’re just so loyal and so much fun, and I really, really enjoy playing in front of them,” she said. “We have the best fans, and they just show up every single night for us.”
The stories of the players represented in the sculpture’s sticks also “honour” the players who came before them, Jenner said.
While both players have the opportunity to play professionally in front of thousands of passionate fans, Maschmeyer said they wouldn’t have the PWHL without the women’s hockey players that came before.
“Us current players, we also represent the trailblazers before and everyone who invested their time into women’s hockey to get it to where it’s been,” Maschmeyer said.
Featured image by Marissa Meilleur/The Charlatan.
