07/23/2025
Let’s talk about Black girl magic on ice because Laila Edwards isn’t just skating, she’s breaking the sound barrier of women’s hockey while she’s at it.
First Black woman on the U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team? Check. 2024 Bob Allen Award winner? Check.
Changing the face of a sport that’s been colder than the rink when it comes to inclusion? Double check.
Laila isn’t just lacing up for herself, she’s carving new lanes so that girls from marginalized communities can see hockey as theirs, too.
Because let’s keep it real: It’s not just about sticks and skates. It’s about access, representation, and slamming the door on the “that sport isn’t for us” narrative. Laila’s out here doing lunges and lifting weights not just for medals, but to lift the entire game into a more equitable future.
Hockey needed new energy, and guess what?
She brought it—edge first.
