Our Kids Play Hockey How the NIHL Built One of the Largest Girls Hockey Leagues in America with Bob Apter
🚨 How do you grow a girls hockey league from a handful of teams to one of the largest in the country?
This week on Our Girls Play Hockey, hosts Lee Elias and Hayley Scamurra sit down with Bob Apter, President of the Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL) — an organization now home to 75 girls travel teams across five states and counting.
From humble beginnings to a multi-state powerhouse, Bob shares the inside story of how NIHL became a model for competitive balance, accessibility, and innovation in youth hockey. You’ll hear how creative ideas — like the “Peoria Rule” that makes travel more affordable and charm bracelet championships that celebrate every player’s journey — are reshaping the culture of girls hockey.
đź’ˇ Highlights include:
- The origin story of NIHL’s girls division — and how it scaled beyond Illinois
- Why “competitive balance” is the secret to retention and success
- The unique “Peoria Rule” keeping travel fair and affordable
- New initiatives linking NIHL with the PWHL and college programs
- How alumni like Cammi Granato, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Abby Murphy continue to inspire
- Why now is the best time ever to start or grow a girls hockey program
👀 Whether you’re a parent, coach, or player — this episode is full of lessons on what it takes to build a thriving, inclusive hockey community.
đź“– Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How the NIHL Built One of the Largest Girls Hockey Leagues in America
🎧 Tune in, share with your team, and keep growing the game!
#GirlsHockey #YouthSports #PWHL #NIHL #CammiGranato #KendallCoyneSchofield #AbbyMurphy #OurGirlsPlayHockey #HockeyDevelopment #GrowTheGame #MidwestHockey
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