Kelowna teen pushes for minor hockey season: ‘If Sidney Crosby can play, why can’t I?’

KELOWNA (NEWS 1130) — A 14-year-old girl in Kelowna wants to know why Sidney Crosby can play hockey during the pandemic — but she can’t.

Cassidy Bank plays for the Rockets and is getting some attention after putting up posters outside Costco about how she doesn’t want to see more restrictions but just a level playing field.

She asks, “If the NHL can play, why can’t minor hockey leagues as well?”

Brave 14 YO girl standing in front of Costco in #kelowna. This is a great way to make a point and I’d like to know the answer too. #bcpoli #Hockey pic.twitter.com/6LA8ncBceS

— Jacki (@okanaganjacki) January 10, 2021

“I do miss playing hockey games … and it does affect me a little bit mentally because when you play hockey and you play games, you’re really happy all the time, and it has brought me down a little bit. It’s so many practicing doing the same thing over and over again. But a lot of other teams, it is affecting way more than myself like they can’t gain a lot of skill or they’re missing a lot of practices because they can make them or it’s just affecting them more.”

Bank has gathered hundreds of signatures in support on her poster.

Bank got her start in Ringette but got into hockey three years ago. She says she’s been working hard, even becoming team captain. But due to provincial health restrictions, she can’t play games anymore but can still practice.

“We have to wear masks when we walk in, we have to social distance … 12 players to a dressing room, all six feet apart, and we have to leave and enter through certain doors. So we do have a lot of protocols,” she explains.

She says while she’s still been able to practice safely with COVID-19 protocols — it’s only fair that kids get the same time on the ice offered to NHL players.

“You just got to make it neutral all the way around. If you’re going to let one go, you have to let the rest of them go or else it’s not fair,” she says.

Cassidy’s father in the meantime says he fully supports his daughter and that there’s no ill-will toward Crosby or any other NHL player. He says supporting her game is a big part of his life too and he’s just proud to see her taking action for something she cares about.

There is still no word from provincial health authorities about when the games will be able to resume.

Banks also hasn’t gotten a response from Sidney Crosby, yet.