Jean Beliveau once said "Play with passion and heart. If you don't carry passion into the sport, or any job for that matter, you won't succeed." 

And Hayley Wickenheiser once said: "People would say, 'Girls don't play hockey. Girls don't skate.' I would say, 'Watch this.'"

Bending the Rules was the third story I wrote on Wattpad, and it was inspired by one of my younger cousins. She was sixteen at the time and played on the boys' hockey team. A lot of people who have commented on Bending the Rules believe this is purely fictional and could never happen. As it turns out, it happens a lot in the Okanagan. My cousin was one example, and just like Brenna, she was the only girl the in the league. 

As most people are aware, hockey is a sport that is dominated by white men. Although there is now a women's league, most women have to have a job on the side because they are not paid nearly as much as men. There is still evident inequality and patriarchy within the sport. 

My approach to this story was to prove that women deserve as much credit as men do, and that men need to be held accountable for their actions. Many of the concepts that are integrated into this story are things that I have learned in Human Geography. Patriarchy, sexism, inequality, intersectionality, to name a few, were the most common themes represented in this story. From my perspective, they are not, in fact, political in any way, shape, or form. These are issues that surround society and affect the daily lives of many people. They are contributors within themselves to the social construction of gender, to racism, sexism, etc. A cycle if you will. 

I wanted a story that could prove balance is possible. That sexes can co-exist and respect each other. That hockey is not just for white men, or men in general. And I think I did just that through the dynamics between Brenna and Shea. 

Shea Smith

Shea was an annoying character to write at the beginning. In fact, I hated him. Sexist people are the worst and need to be held accountable for their actions. In the previous version I had written, Shea was not held accountable for the things he says/does. This time, he is. And he changes into a better person not just for himself, but also the people around him. Sexism has deep roots in our society, as does the patriarchy. Which is something you notice when reading from Shea's point of view. After being called out by Brenna, he takes a step back and learns from his mistakes. 

The more I wrote Shea and his development, the more I began to like him as a character. 

Another fun fact is that in the previous version, Shea does not tell Brenna about the bet he makes with Connor. During my rewrite, I thought it would be a good idea for Shea to tell Brenna in order to further his character development and better the story. Rivalries to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, so writing about them falling in love was SO MUCH fun! They also gained a whole new level of respect for each other. There was a definite push and pull between them until that pivotal moment when they finally realize they're attracted to each other. 

Brenna Harrison

She was a difficult character to write. I wanted a strong female lead who didn't take shit, but also embraced her femininity because it's what all women should do. We should be allowed to love the colour pink and lots of glitter while still kicking ass! When I was a kid, I didn't grow up with many examples of heroines in stories I read or sports I watched. That came a little later in my life, so the goal with Brenna was to provide an example for younger generations. Although Brenna got a very hard time in some of the comments, it's evident that we are all just humans. We will make mistakes, some bad choices, and sometimes, we'll be the villain of our own story. Nobody is perfect, and no one is expected to be perfect. She has her flaws and she has her positive traits. Making her relatable was a focal point in drafting her character. 

The inspiration for her character came from professional hockey player Natalie Spooner. For a long time, she has been my idol. I love the grit and skill she has on the ice, and she was fantastic for Team Canada in the Olympics (hello gold medal!). Spooner has such determination on the ice, which is where Brenna gets it from. Another key athlete who inspired me is Sarah Nurse. She is also an excellent hockey player who has overcome a lot of boundaries to play for Team Canada. Overall, this story was to aid in the fact that women need more respect in sports! They need to be paid equally and acknowledged for their skills. Just like Brenna argues.

My Favourite Scene

If I had to choose my favourite scene, it would be when Brenna meets her friends at Scandia. Scandia is an arcade and mini-gold centre in Kelowna. When Brenna arrives, she hasn't eaten dinner yet, which has made her hangry. This is where we really see how Shea deals with the "bad side" of Brenna, and I was laughing when I wrote this scene. Because not only does it provide some ease in their hatred towards each other, but it also gives Hunter and Shea a chance to connect. 

When Brenna and Shea disconnect with the group to grab food from the concession, you get a taste of what their relationship looks like underneath the rivalry. Here, it is being influenced a little by their act to undermine Connor, but not enough to hide their potential at being friends again, and then eventually lovers. 

Scandia is a real place, and I used to go there all the time when I was a kid. Writing about it in the story made me feel nostalgic. There was a major flood in the basement, which wrecked the Jungle-Themed mini golf course there back in 2017, but it has since been remodelled. I have yet to go because of COVID-19. Hopefully I'll get to go this summer, though! 

Location

I chose West Kelowna and Kelowna because it's where I was born and raised-- and still live! The Okanagan is my favourite place in the world because we have access to all four seasons and activities that are special to these seasons. I really wanted to bring my homeland to the forefront of this story. Plus, the rivalry between Brenna and Shea is a mirror image of the rivalry between West Kelowna and Kelowna. If we ever have two teams in the WHL, people should watch out because the rivalry will be like Toronto and Montreal playing against each other.