When it comes to hockey, Blake Bolden has had a remarkable rise: The 33-year-old became the first Black woman to play in the now-defunct National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) in 2015, earning her the nickname “the Jackie Robinson of women's hockey.” In 2020, the professional ice hockey team, the Los Angeles Kings, hired her as their first Black female scout, making her the first Black scout in NHL history.
Bolden began her career at age 6, paving the way for other black athletes in hockey, and while she believed it was her destiny, she told People magazine that she always found it “difficult” to find her place in the sports world while maintaining her identity as a woman of color.
The Ohio native said she grew used to being different after being the only black student at her high school for all four years, and even her mother, who worked three jobs while raising her alone, warned her that the sport could be isolating.
Yet the trailblazer remained adamant, not letting the negative criticism dampen her motivation, and comforted herself by believing she was an exceptional athlete, and she attributes her achievements to a team of coaches who supported her regardless of her skin color.
Bolden told the magazine that he has always valued helping Black people become more involved in sports.
She said, “I knew playing hockey was something that would give me a lot of purpose. I've had black girls or black kids or anyone of color come up to me and tell me sometimes the reason they started playing hockey is because they never saw anyone that looked like them. That's the greatest satisfaction, the purpose that you can get in life.”
“It means a lot more than just playing and putting a rubber puck in the net. So I guess that's why I'm on this earth.”
After high school, she attended Boston University and has some of her fondest memories as a “top-notch freshman” who “could have gone to any college” but chose that one.
She said, “I wanted to help build their program. I went in there and helped lead that team to the final four three years in a row, and then when I graduated, the program exploded.”
The hockey legend lists winning the WNHL's Isobel Cup as one of his greatest accomplishments among his other titles.
Bolden also appeared in “Black Ice,” a documentary produced by celebrities including LeBron James, Drake and Maverick Carter. She said her participation in the film allows her to provide viewers with lesser known facts about the hockey world.
She said the other athletes featured in the film were further inspiration for her to get involved: “I felt like I needed to be a part of that, especially to be in that group alongside Willie O'Ree, who was one of the first people of color to play in the NHL, and then me, who is the first woman of color to play professional women's ice hockey.”
Bolden also runs a mentoring program called “Be True, Be You, Be Bold,” and said she didn't have any black female hockey role models when she was growing up, but now she and other “role models” help support players in their careers.
Bolden, who will become a reporter and analyst for ESPN in 2023, has continued to promote the image of hockey as the first NHL game reporter. She has also worked to increase access and exposure to the sport for young people from underrepresented groups.
So it's not surprising that Bolden and Kendall Troutman have partnered to provide youth services through the Kings Care Foundation and Troutman's organization, 24 Degrees of Color.
24 Degrees of Color's goal is to increase diversity in ice hockey and skating in Los Angeles County by making these sports more accessible, bringing a diverse population to the rinks, introducing youth to recreational ice hockey and providing resources for those who want to get involved competitively.
As Essence reports, more than 75 young athletes of color from Detroit, Los Angeles and Cleveland have benefited from the duo's support so far after flocking to the Motor City last month for a weekend filled with scrimmages, sports clinics, community building and cultural exchange.
