(WSVN) - In North American professional hockey, only 5% of the player’s coaches and staff are in a minority group. A Florida International University graduate has broken a color barrier and hopefully opens more doors for others to follow.
Aisha Visram, 37, graduated with a doctorate in athletic training and this past January she became the first woman of color to work the NHL bench for the Los Angeles Kings.
“I don’t know that I have accomplished enough for anyone to think of me as a role model, but if anyone was to, I just want to do everything I can to be worthy of people seeing me that way,” said Visram.
She works full-time as an athletic trainer for the King’s minor league team, the Ontario Reign. The opportunity to work an NHL game transpired when their training staff was shorthanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I kind of stopped what I was doing and had a chance to really think about where I was and what was going on and that’s really where I felt all the emotions of excitement, pride, gratitude,” said Visram. “I thought about my family and my friends who have shown me so much support.”
Visram’s parents are from east Africa and immigrated to Canada. They knew about hockey but were unsure of what their daughter wanted to do as a career when she told them what her dream was.
“When I told [my parents] what I wanted to do with my life, they didn’t really understand,” said Visram as she recalled the announcement with a smile. “My dad especially. [He said] ‘Well, we can just get you tickets if you want to watch a game,’ not really understanding what an athletic trainer does.”
Growing up in Canada, Visram learned about hockey as she surrounded herself with local teams and she worked every level of minor league hockey.
“I don’t think anyone ever questions [that I am a woman],” she said. “Athletes just want someone who knows what they’re doing, is going to care about them, and is going to try to do right by them.”
Visram’s dream is to work her way up to the big leagues but she knows there is still much work to be done.
“I think once you mature, you start to appreciate the journey a little bit more and realize that it’s all the experiences along the way that make everything else worth it,” she said. “I do still have the goal of reaching the NHL.”
Visram has set up a not-for-profit foundation to support all women who are interested in athletic training and students pursuing careers in professional sports by providing financial awards to help cover the costs of clinical experiences with pro sports teams.
Anyone interested to find out more about Visram’s organization, click here.
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