Women in the Rink

As the winter continues to bring freezing cold to Duluth, Minnesota, the sounds of skates against the ice can be heard regularly at Glen Avon Park.

The hockey skates don’t belong to the suspected teenage boys, though – they're on their moms' feet instead.

⛸️ Meet the Motherpuckers, a beginner women’s hockey group with members ranging anywhere from 30 to 60 years old. The hockey newbies hit the rink throughout the winter to learn and practice the sport in a supportive and low-pressure environment.

The women love every second: “I don’t even pay attention to the cold. It’s just like being a kid again because you’re just playing,” said Motherpucker member Julie Flotten, 54, during a break from a scrimmage. The oncology nurse had never played hockey before joining the league. Now, she looks forward to their practices all week. 

The backstory: Member Liesa Lyn founded the Duluth club after learning to skate in another Motherpuckers league near Chicago. After talking to some moms in the area and pitching the idea, their first team was formed.

🏒 Bottom line: The women are appreciative of the community and freedom that Motherpuckers has brought them later in life.

• "Nobody says that you shouldn’t be here, or that you’re not good enough,” shared team member Kimberly Rines, 53. “And you know, at my age, that doesn’t happen very often, where you can start something from scratch, never having done it before, and still feel like you belong.”