This profile of Jess Campbell is part of Street Meet, FLEETSTREET’s series, where we meet up with trailblazers and thought leaders to deliver unique insight and inspiration into issues we all care about.
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My first question for Jess Campbell is a big one. It was probably a mistake to lead with it. It’s likely too early, before I was able to set up any rapport or tone to the interview. But I can’t not ask. And as Peloton’s first ambassador (at least the first non-instructor I’ve seen at Peloton event in Canada), she’s doing firsts all over the place. So, yes, I have to ask.
But I preface with this: “I promise this isn’t a loaded question;I really want to know.” The word loaded piques her interest (phew), and she raises her head a little bit higher. I ask, “How do you feel about the ‘first female ever’ label?”
You can’t drop Jess Campbell’s name into ChatGPT or Gemini without the “first” appositive popping up. And, for sure, it’s warranted.
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First of many firsts
Who was the “first-ever rookie” to play as an all-star captain in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) in 2015? Yup, it was her. And in 2021/2022, she was the “first female coach” for the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), where she helped bring the Nürnberg Ice Tigers to the Men’s World championship, which led to another, as the “first female coach” for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) final. That same year she was also the “first female assistant coach” in American Hockey League (AHL) history, bringing the Coachella Valley Firebirds to back-to-back Calder Cup finals.
And of course the Stanley Cup of first-evers, she sits on the Seattle Kraken bench as the”first female full-time coach” in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 2024.
“It’s definitely loaded in the sense that I never, at any point in my athletic hockey journey, dreamt or envisioned myself doing anything for the first time,” she says, adding that she didn’t realize the milestones until they happened. While coming in “second” is never a goal for any athlete, these “firsts” weren’t on her bluesky list.
Of course, she sees the honour and feels pride with these accomplishments, but it can also be a heavy trophy. “I’ve always tried to turn pressure into a privilege and an opportunity, so that’s the way I try to look at it every day. It’s less about me. I turn it into motivation to do something really good. I know that I’m carrying a torch for many.”
And that means churning days into milestones. “Change takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Showing up every day is what counts and what makes painful change,” she says. “Anytime you do something for the first time, there’s usually resistance or pushback.”
So, all the barricades have been busted now, right? You’d think so, but…
“I definitely see the hurdles around me, and there are other barriers that have come to the surface. The work’s not done yet.”
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Influencing for good
Leading any team requires a transaction: Trust. “That’s always something within our control, especially as coaches,” says Campbell. And that currency comes with caring about people’s needs and bettering their game (sports or otherwise). “That’s when buying in and trust are really established. And respect and honesty go hand in hand. Sometimes the truth hurts, but in coaching and high-performance industries, it’s critical to get real development. So that’s where it starts for me, is just treating every athlete like a human being.”
And it helps that she knows where players are at. Not just from a coaching perspective, that comes with watching hours of game play tapes, but also what it’s like to be in their skates.
“The easiest thing is just understanding what players are going through, being able to have similar experiences, understanding what it takes to be a rookie player, a veteran player, a role player, a captain of the team.” Levelling the field – or rather the rink – builds that trust and influence.
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But don’t ask her this
“What’s it like being a female coach?” That is a question that she is asked often, and it’s tiresome. “Yes, I’m in a male-dominated space, and it’s more ‘traditional,’ except I don’t wake up thinking about being female – I wake up thinking I’m a coach.” For her that question is like asking “What’s it like to be female?”
Fair. I’m glad I led with the right question.
“I just want to coach,” she says. “The media is part of the storytelling of what creates meaningful change but I used to wait for when this would not be a thing.”
Then in front of about 30 VIPs, ready for a fireside chat and a mobility warmup before a “Peloton Run this City” 5K run, Campbell is introduced as “the first female coach in the NHL.” Of course, it’s complimentary and celebratory, but she gives me a smile across the audience. IYKYK.
