ITHACA, N.Y. - Former Cornell women's ice hockey captain, Canadian national team member, and first ever woman assistant coach in the American Hockey League (AHL), Jessica Campbell '14, continues to trail-blaze for women and girls. In July of 2022, Campbell was named the first ever assistant coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, which made her the first ever woman in that role in league history.

In her very first season, she aided in the Firebirds 48-17 regular season record, which was good for the second most wins in the league. Coachella Valley made a strong run through the playoffs, ultimately finding themselves in game seven of the 2023 Calder Cup, making Jessica the first woman coach in AHL history to make the championship game. Although they fell to the Hershey Bears in the series finale, Campbell and the Firebirds exemplified excellence and consistency throughout their opening campaign and proved that they will be a force for years to come.

Campbell has continued to pave the way for women and be a difference-maker in the organizations that she is apart of. Being a standout athlete in the women's game, she would face the doubts and critiques from others of whether her experience, knowledge, and skills would be able to translate to the the men's game. Jessica was never worried or distracted by those naysayers. "My knowledge as a student of the game blended with my playing and coaching experience got me to understand, I feel confident, I feel prepared. I knew I'd done the work the past two years with the guys. There were no nerves [behind the benches in Germany] or fear. I felt capable and ready to step into it", she mentioned in a story with Bob Condor from the Seattle Kraken.

Coach Campbell played boys hockey until she was 17 years old, before joining the Big Red and putting up 100 career points in her four years wearing the red and white sweaters. "I always had a belief as a young girl, playing boys' hockey until I was 17, that I was equal and capable too. I've never focused on my gender," Campbell told ESPN last year. Campbell is a shining example of taking an opportunity and consistently making the most of it. She has only scratched the pavement of her coaching career and will continue to inspire others and pave the way for women and girls throughout her journey.

Learn more and follow along Jessica Cambell's journey here.