From playing all over the world, to taking some time off to coach back at home, Kelowna鈥檚 Abby Cook couldn鈥檛 be happier to be playing in the newest, and ever-growing women鈥檚 hockey league.
The newest league in the North America, the Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League (PWHL) launched in August 2023 and Cook is stoked to have a professional league in action again, let alone the chance to play in it.
鈥淚 was really excited, for it to all come together finally and for this opportunity for young girls to look up to us now,鈥� said Cook. 鈥淸It鈥檚] the best of the best that get to place in this one league, it鈥檚 amazing to think about.鈥�
Cook, who was born in Yellowknife, moved to Kelowna with her family when she was seven and followed in her brother鈥檚 footsteps by lacing up the skates to play hockey.
鈥淚 have an older brother and he played hockey so I don鈥檛 want to say that I didn鈥檛 have a choice but鈥�,鈥� Cook said with a laugh. 鈥淚 was put into it at a very young age and I fell in love with it and I just wanted to be like him eventually so I stuck with it.鈥�
Both Cooks played hockey at the Pursuit of Excellence (POE) program in Kelowna.
鈥淲hen I was in eighth grade, my dad saw a newspaper ad for a female showcase they were having at POE,鈥� explained Cook. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 tell me much about it but I went and did pretty well and the owner of the academy at the time, David Roy asked me to come and be a practice player. We decided I should take the opportunity.鈥�
Cook made the right choice as within two months, she was on the main women鈥檚 team at POE.
Her four years there earned a full-ride scholarship to Boston University (BU). Cook said she got letters from other schools but BU just felt right, except for when she landed in Boston the first time.
鈥淲e landed and I was like 鈥楧ad, I can鈥檛 go to school here, there鈥檚 too much snow,鈥欌�� said Cook, who landed during a snowstorm in early 2015.
But after a campus tour and meeting the head coach, Cook felt like it was the right place to be 鈥� 鈥淚 ended up committing on the spot that day.鈥�
Cook played at BU for four years, graduating as a Health Sciences major in the spring of 2020.
After her time at university, Cook got the chance to go play overseas in Sweden, suiting up for the Djurg氓rdens IF in the Swedish Women鈥檚 Hockey League (SDHL).
鈥淚 knew I wanted to keep playing competitively so it was a pretty easy decision for me,鈥� said Cook.
After playing in Sweden for the 2020-21 season, Cook came back to Kelowna for the offseason and started to coach at RINK Hockey Academy. Later that year, she had the chance to play in the Premier Hockey Federation, which was the women鈥檚 league in North American before the PWHL. She played just six games for the Boston Pride.
After the experience with the Pride, Cook took some time off. She came back home, coached with RINK some more, and then took a step back for a few months.
鈥淚 completely stepped away honestly,鈥� said Cook. 鈥淚 was always taking it day-by-day, not looking too far into the future.鈥�
Cook said during that time, she wasn鈥檛 actively looking for somewhere to play.
鈥淚 was waiting for something to come up and that鈥檚 when Switzerland reached out to me.鈥�
She went and played 18 games for Ladies Team Lugano in Switzerland in the 2022-23 season.
In August 2023, the PWHL was announced and Cook was happy just to have a new professional women鈥檚 league in North America. It was announced the league would consist of six teams in its inaugural season - Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Boston, New York, and Minnesota.
The draft for the league took place in late September and after the draft, the Minnesota team reached out and asked Cook her to attend their training camp, which was slated to start in November.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even have to think about it,鈥� said Cook.
Camp started on Nov. 14 and lasted three weeks. On Dec. 20, Cook got the call that she made the team and signed a one-year contract.
鈥淲hen they called me and said 鈥榶ou鈥檙e here鈥�, I was just overjoyed, I never smiled so big before,鈥� said Cook, who added she had tears of joy and relief in the moment.
Cook came back to Kelowna to celebrate with her family for Christmas for a quick four days before the season opened for Minnesota on Jan. 3.
鈥淭he crowds, the excitement, I still haven鈥檛 gotten used to it,鈥� said Cook, who noted Minnesota had more than 13,000 fans at their home opener a few days later.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very physical, very fast, every game is a battle and the teams are almost so even,鈥� said Cook. 鈥淚t鈥檚 super exciting, I can鈥檛 even describe it.鈥�
On Jan. 28, Cook, in her eighth career game, scored her first career PWHL goal.
鈥淚t was crazy, I had so much time and space and in my head I was like 鈥榯his is taking me forever to the shoot the puck鈥� but nobody was coming for me so I took my time and shot it and lucky enough, it went in,鈥� Cook described.
Cook has played all around the world, yet is still just 25-years-old and knows she鈥檚 playing against some women鈥檚 hockey legends that she admired watching when growing up.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 get starstruck, you have to understand that they鈥檙e out there and know they鈥檙e very talented,鈥� said Cook. 鈥淚 remind myself, I鈥檓 also in the same league as them and there鈥檚 a reason why were all here.鈥�
After nine games in Minnesota purple, Cook became part of PWHL history on Sunday, Feb. 11, as she was part of league鈥檚 first trade deal.
TRADE: PWHL Boston has acquired forward Susanna Tapani and defender Abby Cook from PWHL Minnesota in exchange for defender Sophie Jaques.
鈥� PWHL (@thepwhlofficial)
馃摪
Her and Susanna Tapani were traded to Boston鈥檚 PWHL team for Sophie Jaques.
Cook, wearing #18 for Boston, is expected to make her debut with the team on Feb. 14 against Toronto.
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