Honouring Black History Month Through Hockey
14-year-old Kobie Desjardins, from Dryden, Ontario, is in the depths of her first season with the Dryden U15 Boys AA Paperkings (fourth year as a Paperking) and her first season on the ice as a member of the Dryden Junior Eagles girls team. That may seem like a lot of hockey, but when asked, Kobie says, “Hockey is a family thing for me”. Her Papa has always been a key figure in Dryden’s hockey community, most notably as a coach. Her older sister currently plays for the Dryden High School Eagles varsity girls’ hockey team, and several cousins have skated for various teams throughout Northwestern Ontario. So Kobie started playing at 4 years old and hasn’t looked back since. 
As a multisport athlete, Kobie says it’s the physicality, speed and competitiveness that drives her to keep pursuing higher levels in hockey. She’s not one to shy away from a challenge, and says she prefers the competitiveness of playing alongside the boys on the U15 AA team and with the older girls on the Eagles’ Jr. squad. When asked what Kobie contributes to a team, Paperkings coach, Shawn Hutchison, said, “She is a physical, hardworking player who brings a strong presence every time she steps on the ice. Her determination and willingness to battle in all areas of the game sets a tone for her teammates.”
The leadership and work ethic Desjardins demonstrates on the ice are inspired by strong role models. When asked if there are any professional athletes she looks up to, the first name Desjardins mentions is Vancouver Goldeneye’s forward, Sarah Nurse. Kobie says, “The way she plays inspires me. I want to get to the level she’s at.” As a member of Team Canada, Nurse broke Hailey Wickenheiser’s Olympic record for most goals in an Olympic tournament (18) at the 2022 Beijing Games, while also becoming the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in hockey. Kobie is super proud of her Jamaican roots and says that not only is Nurse inspirational in how she plays, but it is also encouraging to see someone who looks like her playing the game she loves at such a high level. She points out that there are many Black athletes in other sports, such as football and baseball. Still, Desjardins explains the importance of seeing Nurse as a successful Black woman in hockey, saying, “it makes sports more welcoming because if you are from a certain background and you feel different from other people, it helps knowing that someone else went through this experience and you’re not the only one.” Kobie says that while travelling around Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota to play in tournaments, she has noticed greater diversity in the backgrounds of the players on the teams she faces. If she had to give a piece of advice to young athletes, whether they are female, Black, or anyone just trying to be their very best in their sport, Kobie says, “I honestly really don’t listen to anyone. People are gonna judge you for whatever you do. So, do what you want, do what makes you happy!”
10 years into her life in hockey, and this is only the beginning for Desjardins. Her goal for the rest of the season is more off-ice training, and she hopes to make the Dryden Eagles Girls Varsity team for the 2026/2027 season. With this young athlete’s competitiveness and drive, Hockey fans in Northwestern Ontario are sure to see great things from her in the future.
Brooke Skene is a Dryden-based freelance writer passionate about Northwestern Ontario’s unique identity. A regular contributor to the Woodlands Report, a Dryden-based publication highlighting life in NWO.
