Valley Hockey Pioneer Adds Her Voice, Experience to Broadcast Team

"Alright, let's go for it," Lyndsey Fry said.
But before she said that, she had to think about the offer. She had to overcome sneaking self doubt. She had to remind herself that for her "no" is never an option.
She also

Fry's opportunity positioned her to become just the fourth woman -- Sherry Ross, New Jersey; Cammi Granato, Los Angeles, and Caley Chelios, Tampa Bay -- to be selected for a radio broadcast role with an NHL team.
President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez emphasizes diversity and inclusion for the Coyotes as the member of the Valley community.
"We are thrilled to have Lyndsey join our talented broadcast team," Gutierrez said. "Lyndsey is a former U.S. Olympian who also played college hockey at Harvard. She is extremely knowledgeable about the game and has earned this opportunity. I'm confident that our fans will enjoy her insight and analysis this season."
Fry, 28, will serve as the
radio color analyst
for Coyotes games during the 2020-21 season. She maintains her additional roles as Coyotes Director of External Engagement, Youth & Women's Hockey, and President of the Arizona Kachinas Girls' Hockey Association.

"This is never really something that I dreamed about doing," Fry said. "But when the opportunity was presented to me, I was immediately interested. I mean, it just wasn't on my radar. Like, I never thought it would be something that would be possible for me.
"I take a lot of pride in being one of the first to ever do anything."
Fry is no stranger to facing adversity in hockey. Raised during a time when the Valley lacked dedicated girls' hockey programs, Fry still managed to play Division I college hockey at Harvard University, graduating in 2015, and for the United States Olympic Team. She won a silver medal in Sochi in 2014.

"I really always strive to be a role model for kids who maybe don't think they're capable," Fry said. "To show them that literally anything is possible. It's not like I have a degree in broadcasting. I worked my butt off to go to Harvard. I worked my butt off to make an Olympic team. All of that opened up the opportunity to get my foot in the door with the Coyotes. So, it's all been a domino effect.
"Some kids get a door slammed in their face, or they get called names for trying to do something different, for trying to pursue a dream that hasn't been traditionally set up for them. Whether that's being a girl playing hockey, playing professional women's hockey, being in a broadcast for the NHL. I mean, it could be anything."
After accepting the position, Fry first reached out to A. J. Mleczko and Kendall Coyne Schofield. Mleczko is a fellow Harvard Hockey alum; Coyne Schofield was a teammate on the 2014 USA Olympic Team. They are dear friends.
"I've talked to both, and am leaning on both," Fry said. "It's really comforting to know that they're telling me I'm going to be just fine -- and not even just fine -- but 'You're going to be great' type of thing. That's super encouraging to hear that from women who I'm not only friends with, but I also look up to."
Fry wants to be a role model for young girls, and all kids. She wants to help them realize anything is possible.

"I want kids to learn at a young age that there are no limits to what they can do," Fry said. "For them to be able to see people like myself, Kendall Coyne Schofield, A. J. Mleczko and Jen Botterill -- all of these other women who are doing amazing things in so many different areas of the sport.
"When they can see that and go, 'Wow, okay, me too. I can do that too.' I think that's going to be life changing for some of these kids, I certainly hope so."
The most exciting part of this new venture for Fry is her soon-to-be colleague, Bob Heethius, who enters his 23rd season on the Coyotes broadcast team and his 16th season as the team's radio play-by-play broadcaster.
"Just knowing that I would be working with "Heeter," that's probably been the best part of all of it," Fry said. "He's just the kindest man. He's so humble, he's so good at what he does and so professional about it."
Heethuis refers to Fry as "partner."
"Heeter has been so welcoming, and so encouraging. He's like, 'You're gonna be great. You know the game better than most people. You've played the game. You've been in the action. So, just talk about what you know and what you love.' I think he's really taking it and putting it into terms that provide a lot of comfort, and also a lot of excitement. It's great to get to go to work and love the person that you're working with.
"I get to go hang out with an awesome human being for three hours and talk about a game we both love. So, I'm super excited about that. Just to develop, to learn and get better alongside him."
Fry, who admittedly loves to talk, is focusing on being succinct. She is also focused on ensuring her other organizational responsibilities continue to get the attention they deserve.
"My other roles aren't going away," Fry said. "My Director of Female Hockey job isn't going away, my President of the Kachinas job isn't going away. So, I'm still working my full-time gig during the day. It's going to be a lot. But I know I can handle it. I'm excited. I think that's just going to be an adjustment."

Fry also is the chair of the Coyotes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
"We're really trying to always think of actionable ways that we can make an impact and make a difference," Fry said. "As they thought about this role, I'm sure there were probably a million men, former NHL guys, that they could have gone to. But it was an active decision to do something different and come to me, and I think that says a lot about the direction of our organization. I think that says a lot about Xavier, his leadership, and what he's trying to do.
"I think we've done a really good job with women's diversity and equity and inclusion and all those things with the Kachinas and all the other initiatives we've had. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. We're really trying to do a lot to ensure that people who haven't always felt welcomed by the hockey community, do feel welcomed in the future."

Lead Photo Credit: Kaci Demarest - Arizona Coyotes // Second Photo Credit: Bruce Bennett - Getty Images // Third Photo Credit: Kaci Demarest - Arizona Coyotes // Footer Photo Credit: Kaci Demarest - Arizona Coyotes