Founded | 1975 |
---|---|
Founder | Cookie Cartwright |
Type | Sports governing body |
Purpose | Organize and promote women's ice hockey in Ontario, Canada |
Headquarters | 225 Watline Avenue Mississauga, Ontario |
Location | |
Field | Ice hockey |
Membership (2020) | 51,395 registered[1] |
Official language | English |
Website | OWHA.on.ca |
The Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA) is the governing body of women's ice hockey in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The OWHA is a member of the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), the Ontario branch of Hockey Canada. The Association was formed in 1975 by Cookie Cartwright to generate interest in women's ice hockey.[citation needed] Roughly ten years later, Fran Rider became the association's executive director.
In 1976, Rhonda Leeman Taylor took on a volunteer position with the OWHA and helped the Association grow the number of registered female teams from 101 to 203, within three years.[2] She became the first employee hired by Hockey Ontario to assist in the development of the OWHA, then in 1980 became its first salaried female employee.