In early March, the Women of Colour Hockey Collective (WCHC) set up a three‑day hockey clinic in Kingston, Jamaica, welcoming roughly 150 children who had never laced up skates before.
A milestone on the island
Founder Saroya Tinker, who traces her own roots to the Caribbean, described the experience as “emotionally powerful,” emphasizing how the sport can open doors for youth with ancestral ties to the island.
The clinic marked the first time the collective has taken its program abroad, a milestone that follows the rebranding of the Black Girl Hockey Club Canada to WCHC earlier this year, a move designed to broaden its focus on accessibility for women and girls of colour.
Supporting the effort, the Professional Women’s Hockey League contributed mentorship from current and former players, among them Sophie Jaques, a Swiss‑born defender whose father is Jamaican. Jaques stressed the importance of visible role models for children of colour, saying “seeing someone who looks like you succeed on the ice changes the narrative.”
Equipment partner Swift Hockey, a Canadian firm specializing in affordable gear, supplied sticks, goalie pads, balls and apparel. The company’s founder, Zechariah Thomas, is a former minor‑league player and a Jamaican national team member who has spoken openly about using sport to steer young people away from negative pathways.
Thomas recounted his own journey, noting that access to hockey had kept him from the pitfalls that have befallen many peers. The clinic’s curriculum focused on fundamentals such as stick handling and shooting, giving participants a solid foundation.
Beyond the on‑ice instruction, the organizers donated 75 sticks, goalie equipment, balls and T‑shirts to the community, a tangible gesture that underscored the event’s commitment to long‑term inclusion.
The initiative illustrates a growing movement to diversify hockey, blending cultural heritage with grassroots outreach and showing that the sport can thrive far beyond its traditional strongholds.