Levelling the playing field for women in sport has been an ongoing effort. But, for Women’s History Month 2021, we celebrated an east coast victory as Kenzie LaLonde became the first woman to call a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) game.
Reminiscing on her childhood, Lalonde recalls being perched in front of a TV watching female anchors on sports channels and dreaming of sitting in their chairs. Today, she sits in an anchor chair, inspiring a new generation of girls.
For Lalonde, calling a QMJHL game is fitting. Hockey has always been consistent in her life, from growing up in Ottawa watching the Senators play to joining the boys’ hockey team in her younger years. “I’ve played hockey my whole life, the second I could walk I began playing,” said Lalonde.
It was Lalonde’s passion for shooting pucks that kick-started her journey on the east coast and into the world of sports media. Her route to Eastlink TV began when she attended Mount Allison University for a Bachelor of Commerce degree and joined the women’s hockey team.
Despite not initially pursuing a career in sports broadcasting, her involvement in university sport supplied the connections.
“The Athletic Director at Mount Allison was looking to build an online presence and I always had an itch for player interviews so I said alright, let’s do this.” says Lalonde, “Eastlink community TV had a studio in Amherst and I got a chance to do some stories there. As soon as I got a taste for the professional sports media gig, I fell in love and wanted to do more.”
After graduating from Mount Allison, Lalonde kept in contact with the Eastlink team- resulting in QMJHL history being made.
“Eastlink emailed me and said, we would love to bring you on as a full-time female sports broadcaster and I said absolutely,” said Lalonde.
LaLonde is proof of the opportunities that arise from sport participation. Thankful for all that her time on the ice provided, she admits that like many girls, she too debated hanging up her jersey.
“As I got into my later years, I thought, do I want to play in university? And I was really at a standstill. I was sick and tired of missing out on parties, I wanted a social life and I wanted to figure out what my other interests are.” said Lalonde.
After confiding in a mentor, Lalonde made an informed decision to continue her hockey career.
“For me, it was my student teacher. She was the first athlete I felt like I could confide in and like really openly talk to,” says LaLonde. “She was a graduate of Mount A and she said, I think you’re going to find a balance of playing the sport you love but also developing as a person. I got that and I’m so grateful, hockey is such a big part of my life and now it continues as a career choice.”
To avoid losing that spark for sport, Lalonde encourages girls to find their role models, “You always want to see yourself in someone else. Find an older individual that you’re like, Damn, I admire them.”
Janice Cougle, Participation Lead for Sport Nova Scotia agrees that having someone to look up to helps keep girls in the game. “It is incredibly important for girls to have female role models in sport. If girls do not see a future for themselves in the sport their interest can decrease, and they may drop out…” said Cougle.
Kenzie Lalonde’s onscreen presence brings a role model to the screens of women and girls on the east coast and beyond, showing a future career path for women keen on sport.
