From playing all over the world, to taking some time off to coach back at home, Kelowna含羞草研究社檚 Abby Cook couldn含羞草研究社檛 be happier to be playing in the newest, and ever-growing women含羞草研究社檚 hockey league.

The newest league in the North America, the Professional Women含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚 was really excited, for it to all come together finally and for this opportunity for young girls to look up to us now,含羞草研究社� said Cook. 含羞草研究社淸It含羞草研究社檚] the best of the best that get to place in this one league, it含羞草研究社檚 amazing to think about.含羞草研究社�

Cook, who was born in Yellowknife, moved to Kelowna with her family when she was seven and followed in her brother含羞草研究社檚 footsteps by lacing up the skates to play hockey.

含羞草研究社淚 have an older brother and he played hockey so I don含羞草研究社檛 want to say that I didn含羞草研究社檛 have a choice but含羞草研究社�,含羞草研究社� Cook said with a laugh. 含羞草研究社淚 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.含羞草研究社�

Both Cooks played hockey at the Pursuit of Excellence (POE) program in Kelowna.

含羞草研究社淲hen I was in eighth grade, my dad saw a newspaper ad for a female showcase they were having at POE,含羞草研究社� explained Cook. 含羞草研究社淗e didn含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�

Cook made the right choice as within two months, she was on the main women含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淲e landed and I was like 含羞草研究社楧ad, I can含羞草研究社檛 go to school here, there含羞草研究社檚 too much snow,含羞草研究社櫤�羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淚 ended up committing on the spot that day.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 Hockey League (SDHL).

含羞草研究社淚 knew I wanted to keep playing competitively so it was a pretty easy decision for me,含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚 completely stepped away honestly,含羞草研究社� said Cook. 含羞草研究社淚 was always taking it day-by-day, not looking too far into the future.含羞草研究社�

Cook said during that time, she wasn含羞草研究社檛 actively looking for somewhere to play.

含羞草研究社淚 was waiting for something to come up and that含羞草研究社檚 when Switzerland reached out to me.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚 didn含羞草研究社檛 even have to think about it,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淲hen they called me and said 含羞草研究社榶ou含羞草研究社檙e here含羞草研究社�, I was just overjoyed, I never smiled so big before,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淭he crowds, the excitement, I still haven含羞草研究社檛 gotten used to it,含羞草研究社� said Cook, who noted Minnesota had more than 13,000 fans at their home opener a few days later.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 very physical, very fast, every game is a battle and the teams are almost so even,含羞草研究社� said Cook. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 super exciting, I can含羞草研究社檛 even describe it.含羞草研究社�

On Jan. 28, Cook, in her eighth career game, scored her first career PWHL goal.

含羞草研究社淚t was crazy, I had so much time and space and in my head I was like 含羞草研究社榯his is taking me forever to the shoot the puck含羞草研究社� but nobody was coming for me so I took my time and shot it and lucky enough, it went in,含羞草研究社� Cook described.

Cook has played all around the world, yet is still just 25-years-old and knows she含羞草研究社檚 playing against some women含羞草研究社檚 hockey legends that she admired watching when growing up.

含羞草研究社淵ou can含羞草研究社檛 get starstruck, you have to understand that they含羞草研究社檙e out there and know they含羞草研究社檙e very talented,含羞草研究社� said Cook. 含羞草研究社淚 remind myself, I含羞草研究社檓 also in the same league as them and there含羞草研究社檚 a reason why were all here.含羞草研究社�

After nine games in Minnesota purple, Cook became part of PWHL history on Sunday, Feb. 11, as she was part of league含羞草研究社檚 first trade deal.

TRADE: PWHL Boston has acquired forward Susanna Tapani and defender Abby Cook from PWHL Minnesota in exchange for defender Sophie Jaques.

馃摪

含羞草研究社� PWHL (@thepwhlofficial)

Her and Susanna Tapani were traded to Boston含羞草研究社檚 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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