Blake Bolden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blake Bolden |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Blake Bolden with the Buffalo Beauts in 2018
|
|||
| Born | March 10, 1991 Euclid, Ohio, U.S. |
||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | ||
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Defense | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
|
||
| Playing career | 2008–2019 | ||
Blake Alexis Bolden is an amazing American ice hockey player who made history! She was born on March 10, 1991. Blake became the first African-American player to play in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) on October 11, 2015. This league is now called the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF).
Blake Bolden also won two major championships. She helped the Boston Blades win the 2015 Clarkson Cup in the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). The next year, in 2016, she won the Isobel Cup with the Boston Pride in the NWHL. After her playing career, Blake became a scout for the Los Angeles Kings in the National Hockey League (NHL). She also works as a reporter for ESPN.
Contents
Blake Bolden's Early Life
Blake Bolden grew up in Stow, Ohio. She loved ice hockey from a young age. Her dad worked for the Cleveland Lumberjacks, a hockey team. This helped her meet many of the players.
Blake went to Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York. This school was famous for its excellent hockey programs. She was even the captain of her team in her final year. After high school, she played college hockey for the Boston College Eagles women's ice hockey team from 2009 to 2013.
Blake Bolden's Playing Career
Blake Bolden had a fantastic career playing ice hockey. She played for her country and for several professional teams.
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Representing  United States |
||
| Women's ice hockey | ||
| World U18 Championship | ||
| Gold | 2008 Canada | |
| Gold | 2009 Germany | |
College Hockey Success
While playing for Boston College, Blake was a top defender. In her first year (2009-10), she scored 13 points, which included four goals and nine assists. She even scored her first college goal in a game against Clarkson.
In October 2010, Blake had her best game at Boston College. She scored a goal and made two assists in a 5-2 win against Brown. Her great play led to an invitation to try out for the United States national women's ice hockey team.
Blake played in 102 games during her first three seasons at Boston College. She scored 20 goals and had 33 assists. In 2012, she was nominated for the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is given to the best female college hockey player. She was also chosen as the team captain for her final season (2012-13).
As a senior, Blake played in all 37 games. She scored 6 goals and had 23 assists, totaling 29 points. She was named the Hockey East Defenseman of the Year and a First Team Hockey East All-Star.
Playing in the CWHL
After college, Blake thought about stopping hockey. But she was drafted by the Boston Blades in the 2013 CWHL Draft. She was the fifth player picked overall. This made her the first woman of color to play professional hockey. Many people compare her to Jackie Robinson, who broke barriers in baseball.
Blake played in the first-ever 1st Canadian Women's Hockey League All-Star Game in 2014. In March 2015, she helped the Boston Blades win the Clarkson Cup, a major championship in women's hockey.
Playing in the NWHL
The National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) started in 2015. It was the first women's hockey league to pay players a salary. Blake Bolden joined the Boston Pride on October 11, 2015. This made her the first woman of color to play in the NWHL.
On December 31, 2015, Blake and her team played in the 2016 Outdoor Women's Classic. This was the first professional outdoor women's hockey game. Blake scored Boston's only goal in that historic game. In 2016, she helped the Boston Pride win the first-ever Isobel Cup.
Blake was chosen for the 2nd NWHL All-Star Game. She won the fastest shot competition with a shot of 87 miles per hour! In May 2017, Blake left the NWHL to play for the HC Lugano women's team in Switzerland.
She returned to the NWHL on August 15, 2018, signing with the Buffalo Beauts. She finished her playing career in May 2019.
Playing Overseas
During the 2017-18 season, Blake played for HC Lugano in Switzerland. She played 20 games and was a top defender on her team. She scored 16 goals and had 11 assists, totaling 27 points.
PWHPA Involvement
After her professional career, Blake joined the #ForTheGame movement in May 2019. This movement was part of the PWHPA. She played in the PWHPA's Dream Gap Tour, which aimed to create a sustainable professional women's hockey league.
Life After Playing Hockey
Working in the NHL
In February 2020, Blake Bolden made history again. She was hired as a scout for the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL. This made her the first woman of color to ever scout in professional men's hockey. She was also only the second woman ever to become a scout in the NHL.
Broadcasting Career
Blake also works in sports broadcasting. In April 2024, it was announced that she would be a part of the Prime Monday Night Hockey broadcast team. She provides analysis before, during, and after games. The show started on October 14, 2024.
Awards and Honors
Blake Bolden has received many awards and honors throughout her career:
- 2011 Hockey East All-Tournament team
- 2015 CWHL All-Star Game
- 1st NWHL All-Star Game (2016)
- 2nd NWHL All-Star Game (2017) Hardest Shot Winner (87 mph)
- 3rd NWHL All-Star Game (2019) Hardest Shot Winner (80 mph)
- Clarkson Cup: 2015
- Isobel Cup: 2016
- NWHL Defensive Player of the Year (2019)
