Girls’ hockey on the rise: Ready, Set, Skate kicks off in Surrey

Published 4:09 pm Saturday, April 11, 2026

Fifty young girls hit the ice Saturday for the first session of the Ready, Set, Skate hockey program, and many were excited but also nervous, said Surrey Female Ice Hockey Association president Lara Nedila.

“There are a few out there that are just getting ready to skate, but the program’s great. They split them into groups, so if you have been on the ice before, you’re with a group that can skate, and if you’re just learning, we have some of our own players out there working with the little ones to help them get their skates going,” Nedila said.

The program is designed for girls aged 5-12 in partnership with the Vancouver Goldeneyes and the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Hockey Canada, and Bauer Hockey.

It is “designed to give beginners an unforgettable first hockey experience—full of fun, learning, and excitement,” reads a PWHL description of the event.

Sessions for the eight-week program are every Saturday for an hour at Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex, except for the May long weekend.

Of the 50 girls participating, 23 are from Surrey, and Nedila hopes to see them on the ice with the Surrey Female Ice Hockey Association next season.

Tania Richards, Vancouver Goldeneyes Director of Business Operations, said the Goldeneyes is also partnering with the Tri-Cities Female Ice Hockey Association for this season’s Ready, Set, Skate.

“The program is designed to be a low-barrier entry to hockey,” Richards said.

The cost was $395 and includes full protective gear (helmet, gloves, pads & more), a Vancouver Goldeneyes-branded practice jersey & equipment bag, and two tickets to a Goldeneyes home game.

“This program is a collaboration, and an opportunity for us to support and work directly with minor hockey associations so that impact can be felt at the local grassroots level. This program also connects families new to the sport directly with minor hockey associations, equipping them with a clear pathway for continuing on in hockey after finishing Ready, Set, Skate,” Richards said.

Across the league, the eight PWHL teams are partnering with one to two local minor hockey associations to put on the program.