We were lost. We don't want you to be!
Charlene Bidula, Cori James and Sara Petyk became friends when they started playing hockey together. While chatting one night, they realized that when they first became interested in playing hockey, they had the same issues trying to find a good women's hockey resource that could help point them in the right direction to get started. Thus, they decided to create this website so that other women in the Pittsburgh area wouldn't face the same problem.
If you have any suggestions, questions, opinions or comments, please feel free to contact us.
If you have any suggestions, questions, opinions or comments, please feel free to contact us.
Charlene Bidula
Char standing tall in net at the Pens Pond.
I'm the communications specialist for the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pa. I started playing hockey in January of 2010 in the Island Storm-Women's Learn to Play Hockey class. Although I can and have played every position, I'm usually found in goal making outstanding saves on my fellow PghWHR cofounders. I play on the Pittsburgh Puffins women's hockey team and in various coed leagues, as well.
I love playing hockey because it's a lot of fun and keeps me in shape. It's interesting to see how plays develop on the ice, as well as learning how to block shots while goaltending. I've wanted to try playing hockey since I was a kid, but it was a little too expensive for my parents to let me get into, so I played softball, basketball, and volleyball instead. I'm glad there are many options for women of any age to learn the skills to play hockey.
My favorite team will always be the Penguins and my favorite player is Mario Lemieux. My most memorable hockey moment was attending the 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo, N.Y. I loved hanging out with Penguins fans I'd met in a bar the night before and tailgating with them before the game, and of course, the game itself. It was an awesome experience!
I love playing hockey because it's a lot of fun and keeps me in shape. It's interesting to see how plays develop on the ice, as well as learning how to block shots while goaltending. I've wanted to try playing hockey since I was a kid, but it was a little too expensive for my parents to let me get into, so I played softball, basketball, and volleyball instead. I'm glad there are many options for women of any age to learn the skills to play hockey.
My favorite team will always be the Penguins and my favorite player is Mario Lemieux. My most memorable hockey moment was attending the 2008 Winter Classic in Buffalo, N.Y. I loved hanging out with Penguins fans I'd met in a bar the night before and tailgating with them before the game, and of course, the game itself. It was an awesome experience!
Sara Petyk
2011 NHL Winter Classic in Pittsburgh.
When I'm not playing hockey I can be found touring Pittsburgh with my company Your Active City. We offer walking and biking tours of Pittsburgh, plus the Burgh Brewery Tour and Bike-the-GAP.com. In my spare time I'm also a proofreader at the University of Pittsburgh.
I've been watching hockey all my life and I was lucky enough to spend most of my high school years in the 1990s watching the Pens from Section B-26. For my 35th birthday I decided to finally learn to play and I became addicted instantly. I typically play defense, but I'm working on my shooting skills and like playing center when possible. I try to take a skills class each season and play in D-level coed leagues around the area.
My favorite team will always be the Penguins, but I do have a soft spot for the Canucks dating back to the 90s. My most memorable hockey moments are 1. sitting behind the goal (we changed seats a lot in those days) at the Civic Arena and watching Mario in the Stanley Cup playoffs split the North Stars defense and walk in to score, and 2. playing outside at Schenley Park in the snow with hockey friends.
I've been watching hockey all my life and I was lucky enough to spend most of my high school years in the 1990s watching the Pens from Section B-26. For my 35th birthday I decided to finally learn to play and I became addicted instantly. I typically play defense, but I'm working on my shooting skills and like playing center when possible. I try to take a skills class each season and play in D-level coed leagues around the area.
My favorite team will always be the Penguins, but I do have a soft spot for the Canucks dating back to the 90s. My most memorable hockey moments are 1. sitting behind the goal (we changed seats a lot in those days) at the Civic Arena and watching Mario in the Stanley Cup playoffs split the North Stars defense and walk in to score, and 2. playing outside at Schenley Park in the snow with hockey friends.
