The Boston Bruins will host Women in Sports Night, presented by Rapid7, on Tuesday, March 31, during their home game against the Dallas Stars at 7 p.m. at TD Garden.
This year, hosted during Women's History Month, the Bruins' Women in Sports Night aims to recognize individuals and organizations from around the Greater Boston area who are dedicated to empowering women within the sports field. From the athletes pushing the boundaries to bring women's professional sports to the forefront, to the community groups that ensure girls and young women have the opportunity to participate in the sports they love, the Bruins are proud to champion and partner with organizations that strive to create a more inclusive and empowered sports community.
Participants from the Boston Bruins Girls Learn to Play Program will join the Bruins players for pregame arrival walk-ins. The featured players are from partner organizations Waltham Youth Hockey, Andover Hockey Association, Wakefield Youth Hockey and Brookline Youth Hockey. The Boston Bruins Girls Learn to Play program introduces girls between the ages of 5-10 to the fundamentals of the game and helps them develop their skills. Families involved in the program receive a full set of hockey equipment, including skates and personalized fittings, along with four weeks of on-ice instruction from certified coaches and Bruins alumni. For more information on the Boston Bruins Learn to Play program, please click HERE.
During the game, the Bruins will recognize Nancy Schieffelin as the Community All-Star, presented by Massachusetts State Lottery. Schieffelin, dubbed the “founding mother” of U.S. collegiate ice hockey, started the first women’s program in 1964 at Pembroke College — the former women’s college in Brown University, now merged with Brown. A field hockey player for Pembroke, Schieffelin was invited to practice with the men's hockey team and ultimately suited for a scrimmage. With the athletic director's blessing, Schieffelin began recruiting women from her field hockey team, as well as some figure skaters, beginning the Pembroke Pandas. Following her playing career, Schieffelin has continued to use her love of the game to shape the next generation of hockey players. A coach and volunteer with Bruins Partner SCORE Boston, Schieffelin has worked to provide inner-city youth with the opportunity to participate in the sport of hockey.
Members of the Boston Fleet will engage with fans at Loge 20 during the first intermission of Tuesday night’s game. In addition, the team’s Olympic medalists will be recognized during the game.
On March 26, the Bruins hosted a Women in Sports networking event and fireside chat, presented by Rapid7, at TD Garden featuring industry leaders from the Boston Fleet (Julia Boutin, Game Presentation and Fan Experience Manager), Boston Legacy (Jammy Torres Millet, Community Marketing Manager), and The Boston Globe (Tara Sullivan, Sports Columnist), and was moderated by Michaela Johnson, Boston Bruins in-arena host. The fireside chat and networking event was centered around the experience of women in the sports industry, along with integrating a new organization – the Boston Legacy in their debut National Woman’s Soccer League (NWSL) season – in the community.
The Boston Bruins Foundation 50/50 Raffle will benefit Dream Big!, an organization dedicated to helping girls and young women from low-income communities participate in sports by providing them with equipment, sports attire, financial support and leadership training. The 50/50 Raffle will run until March 31 and is available to fans at BostonBruins.com/5050.
As part of the Boston Bruins’ Women in Sports Night, NESN’s coverage of Bruins vs. Stars will highlight the contributions of women across both organizations and throughout the Boston sports community. The broadcast will feature a predominantly female production crew, along with in-game interviews and storytelling elements that celebrate female athletes, leaders and initiatives. USA Women’s Hockey gold medalist Megan Keller will be featured on the broadcast for Tuesday night’s game.
