(WSVN) - A South Florida athlete has been blazing a trail for women’s ice hockey for decades. She’s still heating up the rink, and she is in today’s 7 Spotlight. Here’s Karen Hensel.
The Florida Panthers are giving South Florida a serious case of playoff hockey fever.
Karen Ota-O’Brien, Florida Women’s Hockey League co-founder: “I think we could be a good mojo for the Florida Panthers.”
Good mojo, or at least good luck.
Which makes sense, since the Lucky Pucks Hockey Club has some recent championship experience of its own.
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “Well, we swept for Florida, for novice, rec, all three divisions, and we went to U.S. Nationals in Tampa. And we won for Nationals.”
Karen Ota-O’Brien is credited with putting women’s hockey on the map here, co-founding the Florida Women’s Hockey League back in 2002.
Emily Latham, Lucky Pucks: “She’s everything. If you know hockey in Florida, you know Karen. If you know women’s hockey, you know Karen.”
And now, even more hockey fans nationwide are getting to know Karen.
She is one of three finalists for the NHL’s Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award.
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “I was touched that they nominated me for this award.”
Karen grew up in Canada, but ironically, didn’t start playing hockey regularly until she moved to Florida.
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “I grew up on a cattle ranch, but I never played any hockey till I moved here.”
We got a front-row seat to a Lucky Pucks scrimmage in Coral Springs.
Emily Latham: “I started playing hockey when I was 6 because all my friends were doing it in New Jersey. It’s incredible. I have found this family outside of work.”
Elaine Luzano, Lucky Pucks: “Honestly, it’s the camaraderie of this team and the support that we’re able to get. Whether it’s weddings, divorces, bad relationships, surgeries, we’re all there to help each other out. Without Karen, this would probably all fall apart. She holds us all together.”
Emily Latham: “I think more than sisterhood, it’s family, you know, it’s our chosen family, and it’s incredible that we all get to experience that.”
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “These women, they’re from all ages, they’re from all different backgrounds. They’re from the military, Coast Guard, to stay-at-home moms, to lawyers, to district attorneys. I’m proud of them all.”
A proud hockey trailblazer who has no plans to stop expanding the game she loves in South Florida.
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “I’d like to work with the underprivileged kids, get them into these rinks. Provide a safe place for them like I have for women, but for maybe for kids.”
And for these players, there always remains one common goal:
Karen Ota-O’Brien: “It’s chase around that one little black puck for an hour.”
Twice a week, Lucky Pucks hosts what they call Girls Night Out for women of all skill levels ages 18 and up.
As for the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award, the NHL will announce the winner on June 26.
Karen Hensel, 7News.
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