The 1970s was a hockey time unlike no other. The Broadstreet Bullly's were in their prime. The Montreal Canadiens and their high-flying line led by the great Guy Lafleur were tearing up NHL records and winning Stanley Cups.
On the local scene, the Innisfail Lions, an all-girls hockey team, was quietly making history, one game at a time. The Habs had Lafleur, Boston had Orr, but Innisfail had Jean Barclay.
“We didn't know what we were starting,” Barclay said. “But we were starting something special in Central Alberta.”
The Innisfail Lions was the brainchild of three community leaders in 1973 - Mel Weiss (coach), Wayne Sim, and high school principal Mark Munier. Consisting of girls from Grade 10 to 12, they were involved in a four-team league.
“There was Carstairs, Olds, Bowden, and us in the Central Alberta Ladies Hockey League. We were sponsored by the Innisfail Lions Club, who recently celebrated their 75th anniversary, and they bought us equipment and uniforms.”
In an era not known for female only sports teams, the Lions and their league stood out.
“We were an oddity, but we had fans who would show up for games and cheer. One thing we found out that it was okay for girls to do figure skating, but not hockey,” said Barclay. “One of my team friends, Carolyn Jackson, had a tough time getting out to practices at 6 a.m. Her mom was okay with figure skating, but not girls' hockey, so it was always ‘Mom, I'm going to figure skating practice!'. She only played a couple of years, but was on our championship team in in 1974.”
With practice time hard to get, the girls had to settle for whatever time slot was available. “It took discipline for us to even practice so early in the morning. Thankfully game time was a little easier for us to get,” she remembered.
Barclay played forward with the Lions for three years, from Grade 10 to Grade 12.
“I played during high school, and we always had a good rivalry with Olds and Carstairs, for different reasons. Carstairs fans were the meanest in the league, and sometimes tougher than the girls we played,” she said. “When we played Olds, the games were tough, and they always seemed to get the better of us until 1975 when we beat them to get to the championship, in which we beat Didsbury.”
Teammate Mona Leavitt remembered that time as an Innisfail Lion as some of the best years she ever had. “We all enjoyed the travel around the area, and as far away as Vancouver where we won an international tournament,” said Leavitt. “As a team, we not only won the 1974 league championship, but many others too. We won silver in the Western Canadian Shield Senior Women's Championship as well.”
Many lifelong friendships were forged in those years. “As I look back on those experiences, I am glad I was able to be part of a team. We won together, we lost together, but we always together,” she said. “I felt a strong sense of belonging when I was part of the team. Many kids today do not develop that sense of team. I'm glad I did.”
As with any sport, local referees can be hard to find and the Lions were no exception. They had, however, an ace in the hole.
“One of the girls, Lesli, whose father was Bernie Haley, who was at the time one of the best international referees, really world class,” she said. “He would come out and ref our games, adding a lot of credibility to our league as well.”
There was life after hockey for Barclay.
“I went to Edmonton to work after Grade 12 and was invited to play for an Edmonton team but declined,” said Barclay. “I chose to golf and for 30 years worked in the golf industry, and now work with the RBC in and around Innisfail as an investment consultant. I am also involved with the Rotary Club as well too.”
“Looking back, it's hard to believe that it is almost 40 years since we won the championship,” she added. “I played with so many good players like Mona McLean, Val Kinsella, Sue Oulette, Maureen Weiss, and so many others I cannot remember. I am thankful we had the opportunity to play when we did.”
Just how avant-garde were the Lions?
Unofficially, women's hockey had been around since the 1920s but the Ontario Women's Hockey Association was formed in 1975. Girls hockey is now played at every level from midgets all the way to the Olympics. Hayley Wickenheiser, who has led the Canadian national team for years, has now joined TSN and is an accomplished, accepted athlete.
“Looking back on our hockey years, we really were pioneers,” said Barclay.
Many would say that time was the puck shot heard around the world.
