ALLOWED TO HAVE 20% CAPACITY
OR ABOUT 8200 FANS. WE'LL HAVE
BALLPARK ON OPENING DAY, WHICH
IS NEXT THURSDAY. IT IS STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK FOR THE BOYS
HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY SEASON. AND
IF YOU ARE AT SOME GAMES, THIS
WINTER. YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A
COUPLE OF WEST MICHIGAN, WOMEN
WORKING ON THE OFFICIATING
CREWS AS WE WIND DOWN WOMEN'S
HISTORY MONTH, LARRY, FOR
GURSKI INTRODUCES US TO A PAIR
OF WOMEN, OPENING DOORS FOR
LITTLE HISTORY OF THEIR OWN.
HOCKEY OFFICIALS WITH THE
MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC
ONLY 7 ARE WOMEN. 2 OF THEM
MELISSA SWEARS AND SARAH
DECORATED OF THE GROUP FROM
RIGHT HERE IN WEST
>> I LOVE THE GAME HOCKEY.
LIKE I WATCHED HE EVERY NIGHT.
PLAYED GROWING UP A I LOVE TO
SKATE A LOVING ON ICE. IN
FACT, SARAH IS THE ONLY WOMAN
EVER TO OFFICIATE A MICHIGAN
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY STATE.
FINAL 6, WHITE HOPE.
>> 6 WHITE AND WE'LL BOTH OF
HELP BREAK BARRIERS. NEITHER
CONSIDERS THEMSELVES PIONEER
IN OR JUST ONE OF THE GUYS, SO
FEMALE OFFICIAL. I DON'T I'M
NOT TRYING TO BE ONE OF THE
GUYS AT ALL. I AM TRYING TO BE
THE BEST PERSON THAT I CAN BE.
AND THE BEST OFFICIAL THAT I
CAN
>> BOTH PLAYED THE GAME AS
WELL. MELISSA ON TRAVEL TEAMS
AROUND WEST MICHIGAN SERAN AAA
CLUBS IN METRO DETROIT GREW UP
PLAYING HOCKEY MY WHOLE LIFE.
I WAS BORN IN CANADA. SO
HOCKEY IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE PAM BARNES SKATES ON.
SO I'M SORRY, SKATING AT TO
PLAY HOCKEY AT 4 AND PLAYED
ALL GROWING UP BOTH CLOSED OUT