History was made in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League on Sunday night, as Jordan Szczecinski stepped behind the bench for the Weyburn Red Wings, becoming the first woman to coach in the league's history.
Szczecinski served as an assistant coach for the Red Wings, alongside assistant coaches Willie Mason and Chad Wilchynski, during their preseason matchup against the Melville Millionaires. The historic milestone capped off a whirlwind day for the coach, who is also an assistant for the U18 AAA Weyburn Gold Wings.
Her Sunday began on the road in Swift Current, where she helped guide the Gold Wings to an exhibition victory earlier in the afternoon.
"We did three in Swift Current this weekend," Szczecinski said. "We played at 12:15 (Sunday), took the first win over the Swift Current Wildcats, who I think will be a good competition for us on the Gold Wing side. And then a quick rip down the highway and straight back to this rink. It was nice to come and get two in on the day.”
She arrived in Weyburn on the team bus just ahead of puck drop. She wasn't alone in her excitement at the Whitecap Resources Centre; her Gold Wings players were in the stands to cheer on their coach. The team met her in the hallway outside the Red Wings coaches office for a celebratory group photo. Meanwhile, social media across Weyburn and the province was abuzz with news of her SJHL debut.
For Szczecinski, the transition to the Junior A men's bench was a welcome challenge.
"It's always fun getting to jump onto a different bench with different people, always getting more reps, more experience," Szczecinski said. "The guys welcomed me really great. We worked well together.”
Red Wings coach Cody Mapes, who watched the game from the stands, was the one who extended the invitation. Mapes noted Szczecinski's previous contributions to the team and the growing bond between Weyburn's elite hockey programs.
"She's helped over last year's camp and this year's camp," Mapes said. "Since the new coaching staff has taken over with the Gold Wings, our relationship with them as an organization has grown with those three.”
When Mapes realized there was an opportunity on the bench for the preseason game, he knew exactly who to call to join Mason and Wilchynski.
"We saw an opportunity to help a coach that wants to continue to get better and give an opportunity to somebody that is driven and a good hockey mind," Mapes said. "Just from hockey conversations that we've had, I know that those three would have done a great job.”
While the night was a historic win for representation in hockey, the game itself ended in a narrow defeat for the Red Wings. Melville secured a 6-5 victory in a back-and-forth affair.
Weyburn took an early lead and held a 4-3 advantage after two periods of play. Returning veteran Dion Schrader led the offensive charge for the Red Wings, netting two goals in the loss. However, the Millionaires rallied in the third period, tying the game before Hudson Postnikoff scored his second goal of the night with just 65 seconds remaining to seal the win for Melville.
Despite the loss, Szczecinski remained focused on the developmental aspects of the preseason.
"It was a tough one," she said. "Lots of bounces I think we maybe could have capitalized on. A few moments I think the guys would want back. I know I do.”
She emphasized that the primary goal of the exhibition schedule is to identify areas for improvement.
"I think that's preseason though, right?" Szczecinski added. "You're trying a few different things, playing around a little bit and this is where we get to kind of fix some of those moments.”
Mapes echoed a similar sentiment regarding his team's performance, pointing out both positives and areas that require attention before the regular season begins.
"I thought we were opportunistic," Mapes said. "I think we can probably manage some pucks a little better. I didn't love how passive we were at times. We've got to get going with that stuff.”
He added that it is still early, noting it was the first game back for many of the team's veterans.
The work doesn't stop here for Szczecinski. She is slated to return to the Red Wings bench Monday night for their next preseason game against the Virden Oil Capitals of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. Mapes confirmed that the same coaching trio from Sunday will run the bench against Virden before he returns for the team's subsequent matchups against Estevan.
Facing a Manitoba opponent adds another layer of experience. Szczecinski noted she has familiarity with the style of play from her time with Team Sask programs.
"I know Manitoba; the MJ plays a lot like the SJ," Szczecinski said. "It's a big game. It's physical. It's a lot of pressure. It's fun to be able to match up against other teams and see what they can bring.”
As she continues to build her coaching resume, Szczecinski's historic night in Weyburn stands as a significant milestone, not just for her own career, but for the SJHL and women in hockey across Saskatchewan.
