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M H J ON L I N E . C O M | J A N / F E B 2 0 2 6
Photos / Minnesota Wild, Alex Messenger, David Cowardin
Bonnie Shea made history in 1951 at just
7 years old, becoming the first girl in Duluth
to play organized hockey on a boys' team.
Though she was told at age 15 that she could
no longer play because she was a girl, her
love for the game never faded. At 40, Bonnie
helped launch a women's club team at the
University of Minnesota Duluth, contribut-
ing to the growth of women's hockey in the
region. In 2007, Bonnie was inducted into the
Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota
(WHAM) Hall of Fame in recognition of her
pioneering role and lifelong dedication to the
sport. Today, at age 81, she still plays center
for the Northern Gales, a Duluth-based wom-
en's hockey team.
A lasting tribute to her impact on the sport,
the Bonnie Shea Cup is awarded each March
to the winning high school girls' all-star team
from the Duluth area and the Iron Range/
Northern Minnesota—an honor she proudly
presents herself.
Bonnie was honored before the Minnesota
Wild game on Dec. 13. Thank you, Bonnie!
Icebreaker
Trailblazer Bonnie Shea honored for her
contributions to girls' and women's hockey
At 81, Bonnie
Shea still plays
center for the
Northern Gales
in Duluth.
