The Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) is a professional women's hockey organization that has been in existence since 2007.It was established after the dissolution of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (PWHPA) three years prior. The PWHPA was able to bring together enough corporate and media sponsors to enable players from five central cities, two in the United States and three in Canada, to practice and compete against each other free of charge in a series of weekend events held in arenas across the continent.The CWHL was founded by a group of passionate female hockey players who wanted to create a professional league for women's hockey. The league was created with the goal of providing an opportunity for female hockey players to compete at the highest level and to be recognized for their accomplishments. Since its inception, the CWHL has grown significantly and now includes teams from all over Canada and the United States.The CWHL is part of a larger movement towards gender equality in sports.
The Excellence Program, established in 1981, brings together Canada's best young players at the under-17, under-18 and under-20 levels. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was created to oversee amateur play nationwide, and the Allan Cup, donated by the banker and owner of a Montreal steamboat line, Sir H. With World War II underway in Europe, senior hockey flourished across Canada; Canadian Forces teams had licensed NHL players from their professional teams and players who would become future stars of the game.The CWHL has been instrumental in helping to promote women's hockey and provide opportunities for female athletes. She was in her first year as general manager, but she had helped found the Canadian Women's Hockey League 12 years earlier and was a goalie for the Furies for eight seasons.Canadian hockey set a new record in 2002 when both men's and women's teams won gold at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, and four years later in Turin, the women won consecutive gold medals.
