NWHL Blue Line Stand Out: Paige Harrington I 7 Min Read

      Many professional female athletes have said that their goal is always to leave the game in a better state than when they found it. The story is no different for NWHL defensive stand out, Paige Harrington. She is a Boston native, who pursued who dream to be a professional hockey player after playing in college for UMass Amherst. During her time in the NWHL, Paige played two season for the Buffalo Beauts in Buffalo, New York and her final season with her hometown team the Boston Pride. 

      We caught up with Paige to learn more about her experience in the NWHL and what she envisions for the future of women's hockey. Check out our interview below!

  

Paige Harrington teaching a learn to skate program as part of the NWHL's youth initiatives

Not_Her_ Hobby: What was the most rewarding part about playing in the NWHL? 

Paige: Being a part of something much bigger than any one individual and making a footprint on history. The whole goal of the league is to create the space where young girls have the opportunity to play professional hockey and get paid for it.

Not_Her_Hobby: What were some of the challenges of playing in the league on and off the ice? 

Paige: Off ice, it was challenging moving away from home, having to find your own place to live, and working side jobs to make enough money. There were a lot of bumps along the way, but it was not surprising considering it was a start-up league. While I was in Buffalo, we were pretty fortunate to have a gym for off-ice training and had a great staff support. There were definitely challenges with travel, pay, ice time, etc., but overall the experience was so exciting and fun, that we all rolled with the punches.

Not_Her_Hobby:  From when you first started in the league to when you ended was the competition on the ice the same skill level? Had it risen? 

Paige: I remember the first season was a huge jump for me, coming from ACHA D1 club to playing with top tier D1 girls. The players were faster, stronger, more skilled, and it took me a few games to get up to speed. I came in as one of the last D-man, and had to work my way to get consistent playing time. The level of play was pretty much the same throughout the three season I played. Several players moved to the CWHL (Canadian Women's Hockey League) my third year, and that changed the intensity level a bit.

Not_Her_Hobby: What was the expectation for players in terms of time commitment to practices on and off the ice? Can you walk us through what a week in the life of a NWHL player was? 

Paige: It was different when I played for Buffalo because I moved out there just for hockey, so it was my main priority. I would spend most of my time at the gym or on the ice. I worked a side gig waitressing at a local breakfast place, so I would work in morning, get off and focus on hockey. We practiced three times a week, had workouts before on ice, and played games on the weekend. I lived with all my teammates, so we had way more bonding time together. Most of us came from different cities, so we all became really close going through the same experience. When I moved back home to Boston to play for the Pride, I started my sales career and it almost felt like I was playing hockey on the side. It was challenging to juggle both. For me the commitment to hockey was not overwhelming, but pairing it with a full time job started to become exhausting.

Not_Her_Hobby: How would you describe being an Isobel Cup Champion? What was that moment like for you?

Paige:  It was an unreal feeling, and something I will always be proud of. Our team that year was really close, and we played with so much heart. It was a tough game going against Boston, who pretty much went undefeated that year. Big shout out to our goalie Bri who was incredible and stood on her head.

Paige Harrington with the ISOBEL CUP

Not_Her_Hobby: When you think back to your time in the NWHL what will you remember? 

Paige: The people I played with.

Harrington with some of her teammates that she will remember most

Not_Her_Hobby: What do you envision for the future of women’s hockey? The NWHL since day 1 has been for the future of the game. Were there any changes from year 1 to your last year in terms of attendance? 

Paige: We had pretty good attendance the three seasons I played. Last year, I believe Boston sold out a lot of their games. Recently there seems to have been a bit of a division in the women’s game. Ultimately, I envision a more united league. A league where the top girls are playing, making enough money to keep hockey their top priority, and have a following that believes in growing the women’s game.