Comparison is the thief of joy
Dear those fighting through hard times,
By now the hockey community has seen the announcement that I am the new Executive Director of the Players’ Association of the Premier Hockey Federation. But lest people only see the highlight reel, I am here to show the journey I have taken to get to this position. If you saw the announcement and wished “Wow, I wish my life looked like that”, then know you are only seeing the product of hard work and dedication. You didn’t see the struggle.
I want you to know that this opportunity didn’t just fall into my lap, it has been decades in the making. Being outspoken is kind of my thing and fighting against inequality and standing up for those who need it, is my bread and butter. You can speak to anyone who knows me and they will tell you I am empathetic, but I also fight for what I believe is right.
The sports industry and the legal industry are dominated by men and although the landscape is changing, there is still much work to be done. I have been in situations where my ideas and insights were completely shut down until my male colleagues brought up the same idea and were lauded for it. I have been turned down for many jobs and sometimes never got notified I didn’t make it to the final round, until someone else announced they got the position. Why am I telling you this? I want to let you know that no path is exactly the same, you might be fighting through some tough stuff right now, but keep going.
There are people out there who need you to keep fighting and keeping speaking up for them. It might not be glamorous, 99% of the time it is drab and boring, but it is necessary. Small actions turn into big results.
It is also so important to create good networks in your industry, especially the sports industry. This Executive Director position would not have happened unless I put myself out there and started networking.
Bridget Gannon is the SR. DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL IMPACT & EVENTS at the National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA). We met on Clubhouse and she introduced me to Mallory Souliotis, a professional hockey player for the Boston Pride of the Premier Hockey Federation. I was doing a series on Women in Sports and Professional Sports for my podcast and wanted to have Mal on the show since she just won the Isobel Cup in March 2021.
Mallory saw the work I was doing through my strategic sports consulting business and came to me with the opportunity to throw my name into the hat for the Executive Director position. You can read more about that process at this ESPN Exclusive article written by Kristen Shilton.
This is a letter to all those who have struggled or are struggling to find your place in the world. Keep fighting, keep working hard, and it is okay to ask for help. I am excited to get started in this new role, but I will never forget the lessons I have learned from the failures and the hardships.