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York, Rhéaume encourage women to break boundaries
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
When you are a female, you always have to prove yourself – prove that you can do a job or task equal to or better than men.
Denise DeBartolo York and Manon Rhéaume did just that and broke boundaries while doing so.
On Wednesday night at the Covelli Centre, York and Rhéaume spoke to high-school students, aspiring entrepreneurs and business people about how they made their presence known in the male-dominated sports industry. They did so for the Youngstown Business Incubator’s first Women In Entrepreneurship Program – “The Breaking Boundaries” fundraiser.
“If I can inspire someone to go for their dreams, I want to be a part of it,” Rhéaume said.
Aafke Loney, co-owner of the Youngstown Phantoms hockey team, was the event moderator and facilitator who helped put everything together and bring in the two risk-taking guest speakers.
“You have to take risks, and you have to believe in yourself,” Loney said. “There’s a lot of push back in the sports world. [You] have to have the confidence to keep moving forward.”
Rhéaume, also known as the “first woman of hockey,” went from being the sister whose brothers used her as a target for hockey pucks to a professional goaltender.
She was just 20 when she was asked to be a part of the highest level of hockey.
When she went to training camp, she finished with the third-best average as a goaltender, but no one was talking about that. They were talking about the fact that a girl was on the ice with the boys.
“You always have to prove yourself when you are a female,” Rhéaume said. “You can never have a bad game. Later in life as a coach I was still fighting it. They [men] couldn’t handle losing to a female.”
She became the first and only woman to play in a National Hockey League game in 1992 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
She was also the first female to sign a contract to play professional hockey and played for six years in the minors.
Rhéaume went on to help Team Canada’s women’s team win the silver medal at the 1998 Olympic Games.
She didn’t realize until later on in life about her impact in hockey.
“The reality is when you face things, that makes you a stronger and better person,” she said.
Youngstown-native York, co-chair of the San Francisco 49ers, has been an important part to the football team since her father, Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., purchased it in 1977, and gave it to his son, Eddie Jr.
She was previously president of the Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team when the Penguins became a champion in the early 1990s. She is one of 12 women to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
“I didn’t know what I was getting into,” she said. “Every morning you reassure yourself.”
A fact that York is proud of is that she never lost her temper with the events that happened to her because she is a woman.
“I always tried to maintain my dignity,” she said.
Today, York mentors women, and Rhéaume coaches the Little Caesars girls hockey team in Michigan, and she’s preparing for a movie about her achievements to come out next year called “Between the Pipes.”
Together, their message was to not be afraid to take risks – to break boundaries.
“Some of the boundaries were so intense,” York said. “All of the [experiences] build up your confidence and make you more courageous.”
The event brought out more than 300 people, including Lizzie Philibin, a senior star soccer player at Cardinal Mooney High School, who recently became the first female football player for the team as the new placekicker.
All were there in support of the Women In Entrepreneurship Program started last year by leaders at YBI. The program’s second class session for female entrepreneurs starts next week with 18 participants. At the end of the nine-week program, a $5,000 grant is awarded to one of the business owners.
“I really think this is something people are passionate about,” said Colleen Kelly, director of development for YBI.
“We have great plans for the future.”