Ice hockey has always been a white-dominated sport. The National Hockey League does not keep official statistics on the racial and ethnic demographics of its players; Lack of diversity and resistance to diversity The surface of the ice is transparent. Almost all coaches and officials and more 90% of playersit's white.
NYU hockey's roster is also predominantly white, but the percentage of Asian players is still significant when compared to NCAA ice hockey as a whole. less than 1% I identify as Asian. For New York University, that number jumps to about 20%, according to players who spoke with WSN.
playing hockey Can be exclusive and unwelcome For players of color, NYU's club is very likely the exception to the rule. In interviews with WSN, three members of New York University's Asian hockey team said they felt just as welcome on the team as their white teammates.
First-year student Leo Wang started playing hockey at the age of five in Beijing. I was surrounded by only Asian teammates. However, when he moved to Oregon for middle school, he was the only Asian player to accompany him.
Wang told WSN that hockey is not as popular in Asian culture compared to American culture, adding that many Asian students his age often focus on school rather than other activities such as sports. Ta.
Like Wang, another senior on the team, Tommy He, is from Beijing and started playing hockey at the age of five. As an adult, he was dissuaded from playing hockey because his teachers encouraged him to step away from the sport to focus on improving his grades and securing a spot at a top high school, he said. Told.
“My middle school teacher advised me not to play ice hockey,” he said. “She said it was a waste of time.”
Despite his teachers' warnings, he persevered in both his academic and athletic life. He was selected for the China U20 national team in 2020 and enrolled at New York University later that year.
He also highlighted the unpopularity of hockey in China during his childhood, as he was the only student to play ice hockey in his elementary school. He explained that the lack of participation was also a result of not having access to equipment.
“It's a little expensive to play ice hockey in China,” he says. “Because there are so few rinks, it's expensive to book practice time.”
As in the United States, ice hockey is characterized as an upper-class sport in China due to the expense of necessary equipment such as protective gear, sticks, and ice skates. May cost approximately $2,000 per year.
According to He, its popularity and accessibility have increased in recent years. After securing a bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, China did its best to field a winning team. From 2017 to 2018 alone, he 11,000 people I started playing hockey in China.China too Added 337 indoor rinks From 2015 to 2021.
The Chinese government continues to invest in the Continental Hockey League, a group of teams from Asia and Europe, to increase the popularity of the sport. NHL legend wayne gretzky As part of that effort, he served as an ambassador for KHL team Kunlun Red Star and hosted youth training programs in Beijing and Shenzhen.
While sports such as basketball and table tennis remain more popular in China and have been for decades, he is optimistic about the future of ice hockey.
“It’s created a really great hockey community,” he said.
Kunal Mr. Gangani, a first year student, He grew up in Chicago, home of the NHL's Blackhawks. He started playing hockey at the age of eight, trying to follow in his older brother's footsteps. Egani He says the lack of Asian representation in hockey didn't discourage or motivate him, but it certainly couldn't be ignored.
“I don't think there are any Asian players in the league, especially no high-profile star players.” Egani Said. “I sat there and said, 'I wish I could go there someday.'”
Arshdeep Bains made his NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks on February 20, becoming the fourth Punjabi player in league history to do so. Since Larry Kwon broke the league's color barrier in 1948, 31 players Be of Asian descent as of May 2023.
Ghanwani said hockey is usually a sport taken up by people whose families also play, which is one reason why it's rare to see Asian, especially South Asian, hockey players. Gangani also said that most parts of South Asia have a temperate climate, which makes maintaining ice rinks particularly difficult and expensive.
Cricket is the most popular sport in India, where Gangwani's parents immigrated. Other sports such as hockey and badminton are much more popular and do not require as much financial investment to play.
Representation in the NHL could pave the way for more South Asian players to pursue ice hockey. However, a more welcoming environment will also be needed for aspiring amateur athletes. “My experience here has been great.” Gangani said. “All of the students at NYU are very open and very accepting. The team has open arms for everyone.”
Contact Sidney Barragan: [email protected].
