Empowering girls through hockey: Goldeneyes host two-day camp in Surrey
Published 7:58 am Wednesday, August 19, 2026
A hockey arena in North Surrey was buzzing with excitement Tuesday (Aug. 18) as young girls learned hockey skills from some of the pros of the Vancouver Goldeneyes.
The two-day camp was for girls in four age groups (U9, U11, U13 and U15) at the North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex, where they learned hockey skills from Vancouver Goldeneyes’ Gabby Rosenthal, Surrey’s Jenn Gardiner, Goldeneyes captain Ashton Bell, and Richmond native and Delta Hockey Academy alum Katie Chan, alongside head coach Cara Gardner Morey.
Gardiner said this the first taste that many have of getting to wear the “Goldeneyes logo proudly on their chests.”
“So it’s kind of a foreshadowing of the future of where they might be a Goldeneye one day, and they all would aspire to be a part of our team. And I think it’s cool to pave the way here in Vancouver and be a part of the inaugural season. This year, hopefully, we’ll make a playoff push as well and continue to show these girls what Vancouver hockey is all about,” Gardiner said.
Rosenthal and Gardiner both commented on the kids’ excitement and how many of them had smiles plastered to their faces throughout the camp.
Rosenthal added, “All the kids were super excited and smiley and happy. I think it’s great to see kids smile and have fun in the sport that we love.”
Giving back and teaching the next generation of female hockey players is important to Rosenthal.
“Anytime you get the opportunity to give back is super special and kind of paying it forward,” she said. “I think as a young kid, you remember those moments that you had with people you looked up to. So there’s a lot of those moments I had. So I think it’s great to kind of give that back to the young kids out there.”
Rosenthal said she has seen firsthand how having a professional team in Vancouver has made a difference in the community.
“I think having a team in the community where you live is so special, and things you can look up to and dream of when you’re that age. And I think having that role model is amazing. So I think we are super thankful and blessed to be in that position for them, and to carry that forward and hopefully inspire the community.”
The camp was $300 and included two-and-a-half hours of ice time and off-ice training, along with a camp jersey and T-shirt.
The Goldeneyes are part of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which has grown to 12 teams and is set to drop the puck on a new season sometime later this fall.
The professional women’s hockey league (PWHL) is hosting more than 30 summer hockey camps in cities across Canada and the United States.