A hockey tournament designed with a special community in mind is back in Toronto for another year of summertime hockey.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thanks to a certain Crave-based series, Queer hockey has taken Canada by storm. But before Heated Rivalry<\/a>, and even before the PWHL, two organizers in Toronto were creating space for Queer women and Transgender folks to hit the ice via the annual Toronto Pride Hockey Tournament<\/a> (TPHT).<\/p>\n This weekend, Etobicoke\u2019s Ford Performance Centre will see over 250 Sapphic, Trans, and Gender-Diverse hockey players come together for the fourth annual tournament, an event organizers say is about far more than competition.<\/p>\n \u201c[Hockey] can feel very exclusionary if you feel like you don\u2019t have a place, and you feel like you don\u2019t fit in within locker room culture,\u201d co-founder Sheri Krell told Queer & Now<\/a> ahead of the event, adding that the tournament aims to create a place for participants to be themselves.<\/p>\n Running from May 29-30 and featuring a schedule of games, vendors, and social events, this year\u2019s event serves as the unofficial kick-off of Toronto\u2019s Pride <\/a>celebrations, and is sure to be nothing short of spectacular. But while Queer hockey is trendy right now, the idea for the tournament came to Krell almost five years ago.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Toronto Pride Hockey Tournament<\/p>\n Founded in 2022 by Krell and friend\/co-organizer Liz Dewdney, the TPHT was born from a desire to create an affirming space for Queer and Trans players at a time when many felt increasingly alienated from hockey culture.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always had a love for hockey and a love for the Queer community, and I really wanted to merge these ideas with my expertise in building community,\u201d Krell explained, adding that she felt there was a need to create this inclusive tournament for Queer women and Trans folks in particular.<\/p>\n The idea of hosting a tournament that would serve that purpose came in late 2021, after a conversation between the friends while en route to a Hanukkah party.<\/p>\n \u201cShe just sort of turned to me and said, \u2018Do you want to start a hockey tournament?\u2019\u201d Dewdney told Queer & Now<\/a>. \u201cThe second the words were out of her mouth, ideas were already forming in my head.\u201d<\/p>\n In just four years, the event has grown rapidly, starting with a sold-out inaugural tournament in June 2022, and now growing year-over-year into a major event that many look forward to attending annually.<\/p>\n \u201cThe success that took off in year one, where we filled out, we sold out right away, really spoke to a testament that there was a real need in the community to bring folks together in this way,\u201d Krell said.<\/p>\n Beyond hockey games and friendly, if not heated, rivalry, the weekend will also feature a Queer vendor market, appearances from PWHL players, a family skate, a beer garden fundraiser, and a Saturday night community party open to the public.<\/p>\n A safe, accessible space in the face of scrutiny<\/p>\n This year\u2019s tournament comes amid ongoing political debates around Trans participation in sports, including Alberta\u2019s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act<\/a>, which prohibits Transgender athletes 12 and older from competing in women\u2019s sports, and ongoing scrutiny of Trans athletes internationally.\u00a0<\/p>\n Against that backdrop, organizers say the tournament is planned out intentionally, with a special focus on creating a space where Queer women, Transgender, and other gender-diverse players feel welcomed, rather than scrutinized.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve heard so many stories of Trans players who felt like they could not play hockey after they transitioned, and felt they had to give up that part of their identity,\u201d Krell shared.<\/p>\n She explained that their tournaments\u2019 focus on accessibility and creating a welcoming, positive atmosphere has helped many players reconnect with the sport after years away.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of folks have found their way back to hockey as a result of our tournament; they\u2019re joining various leagues, and they\u2019re telling us that this tournament was a real turning point,\u201d she said, explaining that many found that participating in the TPHT allowed them to fall back in love with hockey.<\/p>\n Accessibility has also become a growing focus of the event, with organizers trying to reduce barriers to participation beyond the rink itself. This year, the tournament partnered with the Alphabet Sports Collective<\/a> to launch a free shuttle service called the \u201cPride Ride\u201d between The 519, <\/a>located at Church and Wellesley, and the Ford Performance Centre in Etobicoke.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n