Women's hockey gets royal treatment it deserves in Peterborough

This is a column by Shireen Ahmed, who writes opinion for CBC Sports. For more information about CBC's Opinion section, please see the FAQ.

The Kawartha Lakes region is one of the most beautiful parts of Ontario. I have been there camping with my family and eating the famous Kawartha Dairy ice cream. But this past weekend was my first visit to this university town for hockey — specifically women's hockey. And the excitement was palpable. 

When I walked into the Peterborough Memorial Centre, the entire arena was buzzing. The ice was freshly Zambonied, and there were people in their seats a full hour before puck drop. It is no surprise that Peterborough hockey is a passion here; its hockey history speaks for itself. 

The Peterborough Petes are one of the OHL's most storied teams and the oldest — created in 1956. They are also the only team in major junior hockey to be owned by a board of directors. The Petes are a non-profit organization and proudly maintain that ownership model. They are volunteer-based and accountable to the community. They collaborate with community businesses and partners freely.

I wasn't surprised when I heard of a collaboration between the Petes and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association. The PWHPA is an organization that was born when the CWHL folded. The fact that there is no sustainable women's professional league for hockey, soccer or basketball in Canada is a huge problem. We boast some of the top women's players in the world. I have argued that supporting Canadian women's hockey is imperative, and helping hockey culture evolve into an anti-oppressive place is also necessary.

While we celebrate women's hockey, it is important to recognize the manner in which the Petes collaborate