Davidson joins Premier Hockey Federation
The following information was taken from an article in the Canadian Press, dated May 4, 2022, and from a Premier Hockey Federation news release.
The folks from Oyen and area will be pleased to hear that their very own, Melody Davidson has joined the new Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) as director of league and hockey operations. She is well equipped for the task, having coached Canada to Olympic women’s hockey titles in 2006 and 2010, as well as directing the squad to gold in 2014. In total, she’s coached Canada to five women’s world titles. Her career at Hockey Canada has spanned 26 years.
Her previous roles with Team Canada included head coach, assistant coach, general manager, and head scout across 36 different events. She’s also won five IIHF Women’s World Championship gold medals and 10 gold medals at the 4 Nations Cup.
Davidson’s career is extensive and impressive. The Oyen native earned degrees from Red Deer College and the University of Alberta, and has coached women’s hockey programs at Connecticut College and Cornell University.
She was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2011, and again in 2019. She was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017.
In response to her new position, Davidson said, “This is an exciting time for women’s hockey with more growth potential and opportunities for athletes than ever before.” She continued to say she looks forward to helping advance the game forward for elite athletes who want and deserve to continue developing and competing at the highest professional level.
The Premier Hockey Federation, formerly the National Women’s Hockey League, is a women’s professional hockey league located in Canada and the United States. It was founded in 2015 to provide strong role models and fuel the growth of the game.
In January, 2022, the PHF’s board of governors announced their intent to invest over $25 million in direct player enhancements over the next three years. This will provide competitive compensation and benefits that will continue to distinguish the PHF as a leader among professional sports leagues. Davidson will be instrumental in this endeavour.
The new commissioner for PHF, Reagan Carey, said in a statement, “There is not a single person who has done more for the global growth of women’s hockey than Mel Davidson, and it is a true privilege to welcome her to a new leadership role at the PHF. She has become legendary for her ability to create winning programs at the Olympic and national team level, but her dedication to mentoring and coaching others is simply remarkable and unrivalled. Mel reflects the integrity, experience, and success we value in the PHF, and her influence will surely raise the bar for our league in all facets.”
Davidson will also work along side PHF senior vice-president of hockey operations, Lisa Haley. Haley was Canada’s assistant coach in 2014 when Davidson managed the team, and spoke highly of Davidson.
“Mel has been a mentor of mine from the very beginning of my professional career and I was fortunate to work with her throughout each of my experiences with the Canadian national women’s team and at various IIHF high-performance camps,” she said.
“I am so pleased to get another opportunity to work with her at the PHF. Mel will play an integral role as the PHF continues its vision of growing and sustaining professional women’s hockey across North America.”
In addition to her new position, Davidson will continue as high-performance adviser for summer sport with Own The Podium, a role she’s held for two years. She’s also a consultant for the Winnipeg ICE and has been a prominent voice on the IIHF Female Committee since 2010. Davidson was also an honorary coach at the PHF’s all-star game in Buffalo in January, 2022.
People who know Davidson, have called her the face of Canadian Women’s hockey development, noting that most of the Olympians today came through her work.
