Beaver Area junior Sydney Wilson has had quite an experience playing hockey. She is the only girl playing on the Beaver Area boys’ hockey team.

However, Wilson has always played for boys’ teams throughout her life but not exclusively.

Wilson has played hockey since she was 4 years old.

“My parents are avid watchers of hockey, so I was introduced to it a young age,” Wilson explained.

Wilson formerly played club hockey for the Pittsburgh Arctic Foxes (out of Neville Island) and now she plays for the Beaver County Badgers.

Luckily for Wilson, there is an alternative for her to play in an all-girls league. The Pittsburgh Interscholastic Hockey League offers an all-girls league that Wilson plays in during the spring.

There are many challenges of being a girl on a boys team beyond just the natural physical differences.

“There is definitely a lot of sexism that happens—from both players and opposing student sections,” Wilson said.

But for the most part her teammates treat her pretty normally.

“The boys on the team treat me with respect, but players on other teams sometimes do not,” shared Wilson.

There are numerous physical challenges when being the only girl on the ice as well.

“Sometimes players on other teams will try to purposely hurt me or they will avoid me entirely,” she said.

Wilson has dedicated a lot of time in her life to hockey. Plus, she is still considering playing in college as a serious option.

Wilson hopes to inspire others girls playing hockey. Being a girl playing on boys’ teams was an experience full of adversity.

“It was definitely a hard experience, but it made me stronger and will help me for the rest of my life,” Wilson said.

Wilson’s favorite hockey player is Pittsburgh Penguin Sydney Crosby. Being from a family of hockey fans, it’s no surprise: she is named after him.