History made at the Aud, Welsh first female OHL official
Posted Nov 13, 2021 06:34:00 PM.
Kirsten Welsh became the first woman to officiate a regular season Ontario Hockey League game Friday night at the Aud in Kitchener, when the Rangers took on the Owen Sound Attack.
“I'm really trying to show them that I deserve to be here,” Welsh told Kitchener Rangers play-by-play commentator, and CityNews 570's, Mike Farwell. “This is a really cool opportunity for women.”
Welsh played Division 1 hockey, on a scholarship at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh. After graduation, Welsh said she was contacted by Stephen Walkom, of the National Hockey League, to attend an exposure combine for ex-players who want to become referees.
“I never imagined I'd be a referee,” said Welsh. “I didn't really know what my options were after I graduated, I could have gone to Europe or played in the NWHL (National Women's Hockey League), but neither of those were feasible to me.”
Attending the exposure combine Welsh said really opened her eyes up to other parts of the game.
“My love for the game is unbeatable,” Welsh added. “In order to have this become a possibility, it was massive for women everyone. Not just for women players, but for women referees. Now there's a new path created, and the fact they're taking a chance on me, giving me the opportunity, it's truly an incredible feeling.”
Welsh said when the OHL called her to “try out” to become an official in the league, she took that opportunity seriously
“I trained hard,” she added. “Learning the rules in different leagues is really important. Skating comes natural to me because I'm a hockey player, but it's putting in that extra effort to be ready.”
The 24-year-old's first OHL game was in September, 2021, when she officiated a pre-season game between the Mississauga Steelheads and Guelph Storm.
“I got goose bumps when I got that call,” said Welsh. “It was really a dream come true.”
Welsh was also one of four women to officiate at the NHL level for the first time, in the Buffalo Sabres’ pre-season prospects tournament in September 2019.
