Ukrainian Girls’ Hockey Team Finds Refuge at Calgary’s Wickfest

The under-13 team, drawn from eight war-torn cities in Ukraine, travels to Canada for a week of peace and hockey at Hayley Wickenheiser’s annual festival.

• The Ukrainian Wings, a girls' under-13 hockey team, traveled 56 hours from Ukraine to Calgary, including a 24-hour bus ride requiring an army escort, to participate in Wickfest.
• The team is made up of players from eight Ukrainian cities, many of which have seen their sports facilities destroyed due to the ongoing war with Russia.
• Nine players are from Kharkiv, where their home ice arena, the Saltovskiy Led, was severely damaged, and other key sports venues were destroyed in attacks.
• Hayley Wickenheiser, a Hockey Hall of Famer and six-time Olympian, organized the festival to provide the girls with a week of peace, joy, and hope through hockey.
• The Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health facilitated the team’s travel and visas, emphasizing the importance of sports in promoting health and resilience for young girls.

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