“We Need That in Europe”: International Coaches Praise CBU’s ‘Home of Women’s Hockey’

When the clock struck 5:00 on January 6 at the Kehoe Forum, the “Home of Women’s Hockey” roared to life for a grand opening that offered a preview of the intensity in Cape Breton during the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. In a jam-packed pre-tournament exhibition game, Team Sweden and Team Switzerland faced off as the first international squads to test the ice at Canada’s first arena dedicated to women’s and girls’ hockey.

From the drop of the puck, the energy in the building was electric. A crowd of more than 1,500 spectators packed the stands, creating an atmosphere that felt more like an elimination match than an exhibition game. The game itself delivered on the hype, stretching into overtime before Sweden ultimately found a way to secure the victory.

Now, as the teams head back to their home countries, the coaching staffs of both nations are reflecting on their time at Cape Breton University. While the game was the highlight, the time spent training at CBU and the Kehoe Forum has left a lasting impression, one that some coaches say they wish they could take home and keep.

A Facility Like No Other

For Melanie Häfliger, the Head Coach of the Swiss U18 team, walking up to the Kehoe Forum for the first time was a moment of realization. A former Swiss national team forward who represented her country at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Häfliger knows the landscape of international hockey intimately. 

“I think it’s so awesome. When we first came [to CBU], we saw the design ‘Home of Women’s Hockey,” Häfliger says the mission of the arena struck a chord immediately. “I took a picture and sent it home to our Champions League chiefs … I said that they have to see what you are doing here in Canada and what we need in Europe.”

Häfliger noted that, similar to many places in Canada, in Europe, women’s teams often compete for space and ice time in arenas dominated by men’s programs.

“For me, it’s like when you come into a rink, and you see only boys and men and maybe some girls, you know,” Hafliger explained. “Here [at Kehoe Forum] I see only girls and women who’ve played over the last weekend. You have maybe five games, ten games? It was all women’s games, that’s so awesome!”

Her sentiment was echoed by the Swedish bench. Andreas Karlsson, the Swedish Head Coach who led his nation to a silver medal at the 2023 U18 World Championship, was blunt in his admiration for the facility.

“Can I move this facility to Sweden?” Karlsson joked, praising the fantastic condition of the ice, fitness facilities and the dressing rooms.

For Karlsson’s squad, the size of the Kehoe Forum and the packed crowd were major factors in the electric atmosphere of the January 6 game. Jesper Sjökvist, the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Team Sweden, explained that back home, women’s teams often play in huge arenas built for men’s professional teams, which can sap the energy from the room.

“It’s better if you have these kinds of rinks where you have about maybe 2000, 1500 [people] and a full crowd and you get the noise and everything,” Sjökvist said. “So the girls were stoked about playing because they got support from the young girls, and they don’t get that at home. It’s a very good experience, and it’s an outstanding facility.”

World-Class Campus Resources

While the ice at the Kehoe Forum stole the show, the support facilities at Cape Breton University played a crucial role in the teams’ final preparations. Sjökvist, who implements daily physical training regimens for the Swedish team even during tournaments to prioritize long-term athletic development, described the CBU campus setup as a logistical dream for a conditioning coach. He highlighted the convenience of having the High Performance Center, exercise facilities and the arena all in close proximity on campus.

“I just want to say that the facilities with the fieldhouse, the gym, the arena and everything, and how we were welcomed there, it’s just perfect,” Sjokvist said. “You have to give a lot of credit to what you’re building over here, it’s the perfect size, especially for women’s hockey as it is today. Hopefully you make sure a lot of people get here and see it because you have a great thing going.”

For Sjökvist, the success of the week in Cape Breton proves that facilities like the Kehoe Forum can become international hubs for hockey’s growth.

“Places like this, where you can practice and train like this, if you can get other teams here, maybe even national teams come here and train,” Sjokvist said.

The Cape Breton Welcome

The Swiss staff found similar value in the campus’ setup. Patrick Schöb, an assistant coach with extensive experience developing talent in Switzerland’s U16 and U17 junior national teams, noted that the environment allowed the team to focus entirely on their development.

“I mean, the facility is one thing, but you [CBU] were really taking care of us, you were always there when we needed something,” Schöb said, emphasizing the hospitality of Cape Breton University that accompanied the infrastructure.

Beyond the facilities, it was the people of Cape Breton who left perhaps the warmest mark on the international visitors. The “Home of Women’s Hockey” is a title that requires a community to support it, and the coaches felt that support from the moment they arrived.

Schöb recounted the team’s arrival, where they were greeted not just by the university community but also by local Cape Breton Blizzards girls’ hockey players, excited for the chance to host international athletes. For the players, many of whom are teenagers themselves, seeing local girls in the stands and on the ice during their own practices provided a powerful mirror.

“It was also great to be welcomed this way, with all the kids outside and the Switzerland signs they had prepared. We felt welcome from the first day,” Schöb said.

Eyes on the Prize

As the teams transitioned to the Membertou Sports and Wellness Centre for the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, they left CBU with skills sharpened, conditioned bodies and a new benchmark for what a dedicated women’s hockey environment can look like.

“We need that in Europe, and all over Europe, so we can compete with each other more and more,” Coach Häfliger reiterated, looking around the arena one last time. “Have [the facilities] been satisfactory? For me, it’s the perfect place to make a pre-camp for ‘the worlds.’”