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13 N O V / D E C 2 0 2 1 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M Photos / Cyndi Nightengale, BSU Photo Services MHJ // What do you hope are next steps for MN Unbounded which is still in its infancy? TK // Just the fact that we're going to be able to con- tinue to have these teams for these girls and these experiences is the first thing. We're actually going to have three teams this year, a 14U, 12U and 10U, so that's super exciting because it means we're growing even just a little bit. Ultimately, it's hoping that these girls can find this bond, find confidence, and own it. Knowing they are different and that's special and they should not be afraid to walk into a rink every day. MHJ // Do you get the sense that the hockey culture is taking a step toward a more inclu- sive future? TK // In the last year we've seen a lot of hockey cul- ture change at all of the levels and that's super excit- ing to see where hockey is going for the better. But, there's still incidents that we hear about every day and the work we still have to do. If everybody can do a little bit of something and believe in themselves and realize that they can impact people and that their story matters and they're not afraid to share those things, it's crazy to see the impact that can have on other people. It just takes one of those stories for other people to hear and believe that, OK I can do something too. I can help somebody. I can help change hockey and make it better. D POSITION: Maple Grove COLLEGE: HOMETOWN: been a part of. Jen Flowers, commissioner of the WCHA, was the brains behind the operation of getting this group together. We knew none of it was going to be easy, but we all thought, if we can get just the group to commit and support the same thing, we can take those ideas into action that's going to be something super beneficial. I was super honored to be a part of something like that. Change isn't easy, and it's not something that, all of a sudden, the hockey world and culture is going to change—people think that's how it goes—but there's a lot of background and smaller steps that work toward creating something bigger. These people are absolutely amazing. It's nice to feel like I have somebody else to talk to about these things and help create a space where we feel comfortable and confident sharing these stories and we are able to tell others they can do the same and continue to help educating people to make hockey a better cul - tural experience. We've seen it knocked down, and we know that is not something happening all the time. Our goal is to make hockey a better version of itself, continuing to branch out individually and making things happen. MHJ // Is that what led you to such a defin- ing role with MN Unbounded, a grassroots effort to encourage girls of color to partici- pate in hockey? TK // It's something I can't fully put into words. We can sit here and tell everybody it's super cool and inspiring and influential and rewarding, but there's really not a full word or phrase that can capture everything that I feel about it. It's just incredible. I think the coolest thing is that there are four of us, women of color, coaching and being a part of these players' lives in a different way. They see us as mentors, as coaches, as friends even. It's all about giving them anything that they can use to be successful. Oftentimes they're going to be over - looked, and there's going to be barriers in their way simply because of the way that they look. Anything we can do to uplift these girls and give them confi- dence for them to be their full and authentic self is something that is also our mission. We know that hockey isn't going to be forev- er, but it's going to be a big part of who they are and what they want to be and what they want to continue to share with the world; it's going to be a part of just making them the person they are aspiring to be. Bemidji State University THE KAMPA FILE S H O O T S : R i g h t HEIGHT: 5' 0" FUN FACT: Kampa is now an assistant coach at Hamline University. YOUTH HOCKEY: Osseo-Maple Grove