Podcast: Nina Rodgers and Olivia Soares on path to coaching Division 1 hockey

Olivia Soares (left) and Nina Rodgers joined the latest episode of RinkWise. (Union College photo)

In July 2021, Dartmouth women’s hockey made history.

Dartmouth hired Nina Rodgers as an assistant women’s hockey coach. Rodgers is believed to be the first Black woman to coach in NCAA Division 1 hockey.

In August 2022, Union added Olivia Soares, another Black woman, to be an assistant coach.

The two made even more history on Nov. 5 when their teams met, marking the first time two Black women coaches went head to head in a game.

Rodgers and Soares joined the latest RinkWise podcast to discuss their upbringings, experiences in hockey and what their goals are to grow the game.

Nina Rodgers on her experiences as a coach: 

Rodgers: “It’s been awesome. There’s nothing like coaching beside another young, Black woman in our game and just recognizing that this game and the culture that surrounds this sport isn’t always welcoming to people who look like us and so seeing us in places of leadership and doing it together and no longer alone, it makes it all the more better.”

Olivia Soares on her experiences as a coach:

Soares: “I think looking back even on when we were younger and some of our experiences there and then we’re playing and you get to look across the bench and see someone who looks just like you and be surrounded by that environment that should be in every rink and every arena that it’s just welcoming, it’s a game for everyone and just to enjoy it in that aspect but we hope that it was an opportunity to just use our platform to continue to grow the game.”