TomCats Women’s Hockey are a unique hockey club that’s made waves not just in the rink, but in their local community. Based out of the Paradise Double Ice Complex in Paradise, NL, this all-female club was created with one simple goal: to provide a welcoming, supportive space for women to learn the game of hockey. Last week CARHA Hockey was lucky enough to interview one of the organizers of the league – Deb Bellows, who provided me with great insight on how the league came to be and how it continues to excel.
A Humble Beginning
Q: Can you tell me about the club’s early days and how it all got started?
TomCats Women’s Hockey began on May 16th, 2011. Of course at that time, we did not have a name. A co-worker of mine had put a poster up in the department asking if we wanted to try something new, for fun and exercise. The only requirement was no previous hockey experience, and her husband was willing to coach us. That first night we hit the ice with 14 women.
Pride in Growth
Q: Can you share a moment that made you feel especially proud of the club’s growth?
Myself (Deb Bellows) and co-organizer, Andrea Power just recently experienced a proud moment while on the ice in St.Pierre for a Women’s Tournament. Maybe nine years ago, the St. Pierre Harfangs, a women’s hockey club very similar to ours, contacted us in hopes of playing a few games of hockey, so we organized a tournament here in St. Johns, NL. They came to play and we have been visiting each other to play hockey ever since, sometimes here and sometimes in St.Pierre. We take pride in that, by creating the opportunity, the Harfangs played their very first hockey tournament and now all these years later, they are hosting their third tournament on home ice. Myself and Andrea had a glowing moment of pride as we took in the experience on the ice in SPM on March 14th, 2025. Being able to share the game like that is absolutely incredible.
The picture above shows CARHA Hockey’s Kristan Leach alongside some TomCats players participating in their 2024 Learn to Play program in St. John’s, NL
Looking Ahead
Q: What’s next for the TomCats? Any exciting fundraisers or events coming up?
Like other hockey clubs, our season is coming to a close, but we are already making plans to attend a local tournament in May. We are also seeking a corporate sponsor to participate in the Hockey Helps the Homeless event in May in support of Choices for Youth. You may see more on that if we can pull it off. Outside of that, it’s time to get ready for team softball, hiking and camping adventures with the crew.
Uniqueness
Q: What makes the TomCats unique compared to other hockey clubs?
TomCats Women’s Hockey is always referred to as a league but we don’t quite fit that category. Our organization teaches women how to play hockey through coached skills, drills and practices. We are fortunate to have an incredible group of volunteers who make this possible. Typically we play just one game a month and throw in random scrimmages at the end of some practice sessions. This format tends to give players the confidence they are looking for to go out and pick up games through other groups. Players typically stick with us for 2-4 years and move on to more gameplay with other groups.
There are a number of clubs that were born through association with TomCats Women’s Hockey and we think that speaks volumes as to what our organization has done for the local women’s hockey community. This is another thing that makes us very proud of what we do. #321TomCats
