About Us

Women’s Hockey Life (WHL) focuses on highlighting, promoting and supporting women’s hockey around the world at every level.

From youth and university hockey, to the pros and the beer league heroes—we cover it all.

We provide a one-stop resource for hockey players, parents, coaches, fans, and others involved in women’s hockey. We pride ourselves on delivering content with information, entertainment, advice, motivation and more from hundreds of contributors—if you have something to say about women’s hockey, we want to share it!

Our team is dedicated to enriching the lives of those in the women’s hockey community by providing resources to live your hockey dreams to the fullest.

The Team

Connect with
Hawk!

JACLYN HAWKINS

President & Founder

Superwoman status is an understatement for our fearless leader as she navigates building a women’s hockey empire while raising toddler twins in Ottawa, Ontario.

Hawk is the reason we’re all here in our own little corner of the Internet. The idea for Women’s Hockey Life began over a slice of pizza in Switzerland—it’s where she decided how she’d stay involved in women’s hockey after retiring from a successful playing career with the University of Connecticut Huskies in the NCAA D1, Boston Blades of the CWHL, ZSC Lions in Switzerland, and even a stint with Hockey Canada, as well as an accomplished coaching career.

Fast forward 10+ years and Hawk has created and runs the leading women’s hockey website and community, along with multiple branches under WHL, to help give other women the opportunities she had (without the mistakes she made).

Maddy

Connect with
Maddy!

MADDY MILLAR

Graphic Designer

WHL is lookin’ sharp thanks to our graphic designer, Maddy. From social media and website content to more intricate marketing materials, Mads is our go-to designer.

Growing up in Newmarket, ON, Maddy played for the Aurora Panthers. While playing junior hockey in the PWHL, she was offered an opportunity to play ACHA D1 hockey at Lindenwood University-Belleville. Maddy majored in Mass Communications and jumped on board with WHL in 2018 to continue her passion for the game off the ice.

When she’s not playing hockey or designing for WHL, you can find her hiking, playing other sports, travelling or kicking back with friends and family.

Connect with
Mark!

Mark Staffieri

Senior Writer

Having first written for WHL in 2012, Mark is highly dedicated to the growth of the game. With an extensive amount of articles to his credit, his focus covers a wide spectrum, including university, professional and international hockey.

Currently based in Canada’s Capital Region, Mark, a graduate of Toronto’s York University, holds a wealth of experience. Including Bleacher Report (2012-13) and the CWHL (2012-15), he was part of Hockey Canada’s team of writers that covered the 2013 IIHF Women’s Worlds.

When not composing features for WHL, Mark, an avid baseball fan and supporter of the Blue Jays, remains occupied with other unique endeavors. Having also covered WWCFL football for Canada Football Chat, Mark is a Master Editor on Wikipedia, and publishes a blog featuring custom hockey cards.

Connect with
Rochelle!

Rochelle Richard

Digital Marketing & Content Manager

Rochelle is passionate about empowering women in sports, with a special focus on women’s hockey. With a strong background in Sports Business, she brings a unique blend of creativity and strategy to her work. Rochelle loves crafting content that truly connects with people and drives results. She’s driven by her passion for storytelling and her commitment to empowering women to lead and make a difference in their communities.

She’s also deeply committed to telling impactful stories. Rochelle has written extensively about women’s hockey, including creating our Female PowerHouse Spotlights—a series dedicated to celebrating female athletes making waves in a male-dominated sports world. Through her work, she strives to amplify the voices of women in hockey and inspire the next generation of athletes to break barriers both on and off the ice.

Connect with
Lori!

Lori Bolliger

Sports Photographer

Lori is a sports photographer dedicated to elevating women’s sports through her powerful imagery. A 2018 graduate of Sheridan College with an Honours Bachelor of Photography, she returned to school later in life. Lori’s love for hockey began at age 10, playing on teams with women twice her age due to a lack of players, and it has remained a big part of her life.

After graduation, she started shooting for the Toronto Furies of the CWHL, where she saw firsthand the struggles of professional female hockey players who worked full-time jobs to support their passion. This experience deepened her commitment to showcasing the skill, dedication, and talent of female athletes.

Lori has worked with several organizations, including Team Canada, Hockey Canada, the PWHL, PWHPA, PHF and others, photographing women’s hockey at various levels. She is also the team photographer for the Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins U22 elite.

Before pursuing photography, Lori had a career in Marketing and Advertising and later became a stay-at-home mom to her two grown children. Outside of photography, she enjoys playing on three women’s recreational hockey teams, travelling and exploring the outdoors.

Nancy Shields

Sports Photographer

Hockey has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started playing when I was eight, and at 16, I found my true calling as a goalie. That role took me all over Alberta and British Columbia, from competing in Jr. A in Wainwright to earning a silver medal at the BC Sr. A Provincials. Along the way, I also had the incredible opportunity to attend several development camps with colleges in Alberta, where I grew as not only a player but a person and fell even more in love with the game.

I was lucky to grow up with a dad who not only had a deep love for hockey but also a passion for growing the game. He was involved with Hockey Alberta and helped start the girls’ hockey program in Camrose, Alberta. He always taught me the importance of supporting women’s sports and making a difference in our own community, and that’s a lesson I still carry with me today.

Photography has been another big passion of mine for the past 18 years. I’ve spent most of my career capturing the beauty of tourism and adventure, but lately, I’ve found so much joy in combining my love for hockey with my photography. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of capturing the intensity, emotion, and fast-paced action of the game through my lens.

Covering women’s hockey means so much to me because it’s about more than just the sport—it’s about celebrating the incredible talent, drive, and resilience of these athletes. Women’s hockey deserves to be seen and supported, and I’m excited to help share those stories and inspire future generations.

Internships With Women’s Hockey Life

Are you looking to build your resume and gain real life working experience or university credit? Thinking about switching careers and need some entry-level exposure? Or maybe you’re just a big fan of women’s hockey and are looking to volunteer your time and expertise. Regardless of your reasoning, whether you need school credit, experience, or want to volunteer, let’s chat!

Shoot us an email at [email protected] with your resume and to inquire about openings.

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