SEATTLE — Jessica Campbell was named the assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken in July, making her the first-ever female full-time coach behind the bench in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Although Campbell said her focus is on the work she is doing and said several other women doing notable work in the NHL, she said in July that she recognized the significance of this moment.
Now that the Kraken season is in full swing, KING 5's Mimi Jung sat down with Campbell to discuss her experience making history in the NHL
Here's their 1-on-1 conversation.
Campbell: I'm so focused on just being a coach every day and I lace up my skates the same way as everybody else but it's just I'm different right now in this space and I'm new to it. So I think experiencing just the magnitude for what it feels like for everyone who's watching and really behind this and seeing it. That's when it really brings a lot of meaning to me because I just love what I do. I'm extremely passionate about coaching and obviously, I'm so proud to be a Seattle Kraken and then get to be here now and living out my goals. I just can't even really put words to just the magnitude of really the weight that I get to carry this torch so proudly.
Jung: You come from a hockey family. Pretty much everyone in your family played. As you were growing up you played on boys teams because there weren't any girls teams to play on. What was that like for you?
Campbell: I often grew up as the only girl in the locker room and I had usually my own janitor's room or storage closet to get dressed in and that in itself was an experience and definitely in some ways not always a positive on being the only one and kind of being on the side of it and then having to come into the boys space. But I again love the game and the most competitive level for me to be at was to play with the boys and I just didn't really see myself any different. I think in a very unique way I think you can connect dots backwards in your life. Maybe not at the moment, but I think that it shaped me into who I am now and it's made me confident and comfortable in the locker room and to be in this position because that this was my normal growing up. It's kind of full circle. A funny thing that that's how I started and to be back in this spot. I mean, I'm obviously proud of those days because it made me the player that I am obviously proud of those days because it made me the player that I am. It made me the coach that I am now and it really instilled that fire in me that I could do anything that the boys could do because I was doing it then.
Jung: Do you believe that we're gonna see more female coaches in the NHL? Do you think you're opening the door for more opportunities for women.
Campbell: Yeah, absolutely. I think this is just the start of a movement. I think once something is done, others have the permission to do the same. I commend, and I'm so proud to be a Kraken, because of what this organization, the city is part of and represents. It reminds me every day that the work that I do is so important that we do a good job and that the impact is a positive one because I do think that with (my role) then more women are gonna get the door held open for them.
Jung: You seem like you've had such confidence even as a young girl in a male-dominated area. What kind of advice would you have to young girls who are watching right now, who want to get into a male-dominated career or profession?
Campbell: There's challenges with everything we do in life and if you enter into a space and you don't see anyone that looks like yourself that doesn't mean you're any lesser than or not capable of and that's what I would remind all the young girls because if you love what you do, you're passionate about it, then just chase it fearlessly. But there's really no obstacles or challenges that are holding us back other than the ones that we put within ourselves. If you just stay focused on the path, you don't worry about what representation is, what other opportunities there are - if you just do what you do, go about your work, put in the work day in and day out, and prove yourself, then anything is possible. And I know that because it's been a big part of my journey is just doing the work, staying committed to the work. I feel like I'm here today because I kept my focus on that.
Jung: Since you've now achieved something pretty significant in your life and your career, where do you want to go from here? Do you want to become the first female full-time head coach of the NHL?
Campbell: I want to win a Stanley Cup first. I don't care what position I'm in. I'll fill water bottles. But who knows? With time, I've changed and grown a lot as a coach. The opportunity comes and I start to go down that path and I don't see why I can't become a head coach one day.
