A league of their own
New hockey league provides safe ice space for LGBTQ+ players
When the members of the Halifax Mussels hockey team step on the ice to play, they know they’re in for a fun, fast-paced time.
They also know that in many ways, the rink will be a safe space, free of a lot of the intimidating factors that had previously prevented them from lacing up their skates, or even considering playing the sport in the first place.
What sets the Mussels apart is its focus on LGBTQ+ players, and the welcoming environment fostered by the team’s founder Charles Dauphinee, who sensed a need in the community for a league and team like this while he was playing pick-up hockey games around town. Speaking with friends, he realized there were certain barriers that kept them from becoming interested in the sport, from its reputation for violence to a locker room culture that seemed to exclude those who weren’t male or straight.
So the Saint Mary’s University-based chiropractor set about creating a LGBTQ+ team, starting with skill sessions in the winter of 2017 to gauge local interest. The initial goal was to play in an established straight hockey league, but after a high number of participants signed on, they decided they could play under the Mussels banner with two sides per game and a changeable roster that varied players based on skill level and experience.
“And some players didn’t really want to play in a straight league because they had some issues with locker room talk and we have some athletes that are transitioning, female to male or male to female, and they were not quite sure where they would belong in that context,” says Dauphinee, sitting outside SMU’s Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness, next to the new arena nearing completion (coincidentally named the Dauphinee Centre).
“So everybody wanted to stick with our group, and we have enough people that we can play two nights a week, and it seems like it’s growing.”
The season for the Mussels begins on Thursday night with a pre-season warm up game at Centennial Arena in Clayton Park, followed by the first game at the Halifax Forum on Saturday, Oct. 5. Those interested in joining or following the team can check out its Facebook page or keep an eye on the website at halifaxmussels.weebly.com.
The team plays with opposite sides sporting light and dark jerseys featuring the team logo, a bivalve on blades with a stick at the ready. The name and logo were chosen so the team could be identified with imagery that was clever, non-derogatory and gender neutral, as well as distinctly Maritimes-themed.
“We thought the name Mussels would give people the idea of building muscles as well as mussels in a shell, and it’s fitting because now our slogan is ‘Come out of your shell,’” laughs Dauphinee.
It certainly fit for team player Tristan Laan, whose muscular biceps fill out his team jersey with the nickname “BRUISER” across the back. “Hockey was the last sport I was ever going to play, I only signed up because Chuck started the league,” says Laan, who had previously played volleyball with Dauphinee.
“And now he’s addicted,” grins his team manager.
“Well, yeah. I do enjoy the sport now. It’s a good workout, and it’s fun and it’s social and other things, but I grew up hating hockey. That was my little brother’s sport,” says Laan, whose brother Christiaan also plays goals with the Mussels.
“But when I started, I had to have someone else pull me around with their stick, I couldn’t skate.”
Dauphinee, who works with athletes at the Homburg Centre, brought in other players to help Mussels members improve their skills, including former Mooseheads captain Ryan Falkenham. During the games, checking is frowned upon, and players get to know which teammates can handle more physical interaction and which ones prefer to just skate and shoot.
It might not be what Don Cherry would consider “rock ‘em, sock ‘em hockey” but Dauphinee says there’s a place for hockey that isn’t focused on aggression and inflicting some form of physical harm.
“I felt there was something that was missing in a lot of adult sports; there wasn’t a lot of back-to-basics practices and stuff, which is why we started off with skill sessions covering skating, turning, edgework, all the way up to passing and shooting drills and goalie sessions,” he says.
“We wanted to make sure people were ready enough to play, during the season we brought in guest athletes and coaches that I’ve worked with. If we hadn’t done that, players like Tristan might not have been so ready.”
Dauphinee hopes that at some point the Mussels may be able to play similar teams currently underway in Montreal, Toronto and other major communities, and inspire other teams to form on the East Coast.
But for now, he wants to assure players that this is hockey minus the anxiety that some in the LGBTQ+ community might feel about playing the sport, with teams evenly balanced among beginner and more experienced players, and a key social aspect for players and fans alike, as a DJ blasts dance tunes to keep their energy levels up.
“Each team has a captain, and we make sure there are enough defence and forwards on each team, and people play on certain teams for a few games so they can get a dynamic going,” says Dauphinee.
“The way that we pick the teams, it almost always ends with a tie, we keep things evenly matched and it’s still pretty competitive.”
“I’m not the type of person who needs to be scoring a bunch of goals, I’m more about making sure that my team does well,” adds Laan, who feels that the investment he’s made in gear has been worth it for the enjoyment he’s received so far.
“What we try to do as a team is make sure everyone gets in on the game play, and get chances to score a goal,” says Dauphinee. “They really tried to set (Tristan) up a lot last season, and he scored a lot of goals.
“Even on his straight brother, who’s an amazing goalie.”