The last session of the season, Celebrating Women in Sports, will start with a discussion on sled hockey. Former 2018 U.S. Women's National Para Ice Hockey Team member and Ohio native Kelli Anne Stallkamp will start the session discussing the sport and need for women's representation at the Paralympics. Born with Spina Bifida, Stallkamp started sled hockey in Columbus' Ohio Sled Hockey program and quickly became a member of the U.S. Women's Development Team in 2015. A year later, she was called up to play in the U.S. Women's National Sled Hockey Team. In 2018, Team USA took home gold medals at the World Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Stallkamp retired from sled hockey due to a shoulder injury in 2019.
Stallkamp's mother, Jeanna, will join her during the discussion to add another perspective to the sport of sled hockey. Jeanna, who has Multiple Sclerosis, is the current General Manager for the Columbus Blue Jackets Adult Sled Hockey Team and has served on various boards for sled hockey over the years.
Emily Curlett, Coach and Girls Ambassador for the newly formed AAA Blue Jackets Tier I Girls Program, will join the event to discuss the importance of the new program and her experience as a woman in hockey. Curlett recently helped the Ohio State Buckeyes Women's Hockey Team to a historic season as they captured the program's first ever NCAA championship. Attendees will have a special photo opportunity with the NCAA Championship trophy.
The night will round out with a special presentation from Lisa Hinkelman, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences (ROX). Hinkelman, a former collegiate ice hockey player, is a locally based, nationally recognized leader in programming, research and education focused on girls. ROX has published The Girls and Sports Impact Report which provides a deep examination of the insights from fifth- through 12th-grade girls to unveil the differences between girls who report being involved in sports and their non-sports-playing peers.
Whitney Harding with NBC4 will serve as emcee of the event, guiding attendees through the night's agenda.
Registration is open now. Space is limited. Cost for the event is $45 for season ticket holders and $75 for non-season ticket holders. Registration includes a game ticket, drinks and hors d'oeuvres, a commemorative gift, and a chance to win prizes from Meyers Jewelers.
For more information or to register, visit BlueJackets.com/HockeyForHer.
