Saskatoon Blades hire first female coach in club history

The Saskatoon Blades are welcoming a woman onto their coaching staff for the first time in the WHL club’s history.

On Tuesday, the Blades announced that Christine Bumstead will work as a performance coach with the club this year.

Bumstead, a native of Winnipeg, currently serves as an assistant coach with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team.

Brennan Sonne, head coach of the Blades, said he heard a rave review about Bumstead, which is why he decided to persuade her to join his coaching staff.

“She came highly recommended from an NHL coach,” Sonne explained. “We reached out to her, chatted with her and (she) really impressed.”

Sonne said Bumstead – whom he described as an incredibly hard worker with “a very good hockey mind” – will remain in her current role with the Huskies while helping out with the Blades throughout the season.

“We’re going to use her in a number of different things, whether that’s skill drills, practices, eye in the sky, structural things (or) helping us in-game. There’s going to be a number of different things we’ll ask of her when we get her,” Sonne said.

Over the last two seasons, Bumstead has helped lead the Huskies to the 2022 Canada West final and a bronze medal at the U Sports championship. She’s also been invited to help coach at the 2023 U18 Canadian women’s championship in Dawson Creek, B.C.

On top of all of the hockey coaching she does, Bumstead is also a teacher.