– We are setting a good example by getting a new wardrobe. It also puts some pressure on the other clubs, says Sikke Vasshus Ask, who plays for Oilers Kvinner Elite. Stavanger Oilers recently opened a brand new women’s locker room in the DNB Arena. The new changing room is part of the club’s investment in the women’s A team, and cost the club NOK 3 million. Here they have, among other things, the following facilities: Weights for strength training Personal storage boxes Make-up mirror Shower Safe Vasshus Ash had the honor of cutting the cord for the ceremonial opening of the locker room for Oilers women Elite Photo: Brian McHattie / Oilers Strike a blow for women’s hockey There are many ice hockey clubs that now have their own elite women’s teams. They have to share changing rooms with other teams, while all the men’s A teams have their own changing rooms. Up until now, the Oilers women have also moved between different locker rooms. This season they have used DNB Arena’s away wardrobes. Every time the men’s team had a match, they had to move out to make room for the away team. Silje Gundersen from the Oilers in a match against Lea Flaa from Bergen. The Oilers beat Bergen in this match. Photo: Trine Nessler Wichmann / Oilers – It is so important that we put on the agenda that there should be equal opportunities regardless of gender, says Tore Christiansen, who is chairman and owner of Stavanger Oilers. He believes they have built the most beautiful women’s wardrobe in Europe, and the club has also started paying the women’s team’s travel bills and food at matches. – Women’s hockey has had completely different frameworks than the boys. They have paid money to play their sport, while the boys have earned money from it. Now they can practice their sport without it costing them money, says Christiansen. The club’s new approach is receiving praise from the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association. They want all ice hockey clubs with their own women’s teams to do the same as the Oilers. President of the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association Tage Pettersen Photo: Kenneth Myhre / Norwegian Ice Hockey Association – What the Oilers have done is unique and a milestone. They have the finances to do this, but this is an important signal to the ice hockey clubs. We want women and men to be treated equally, says the president of the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association, Tage Pettersen. I think they will become better players Long-time national team player Marianne Dahlstrøm has over 50 international matches, and has played for Vålerenga and Hasle Løren. She believes that there is far too little investment in women’s hockey. – Many good things are being done for the women, but there is probably still a lot to do with attitudes in the clubs, says Pettersen. – What do you mean? – Ice hockey has been a boy’s sport until a few years ago. Many clubs say they have full occupancy in the dressing rooms and have no more ice time. But then we say that they have to start from zero again and include the women when they set up ice time and changing room space. In the dressing room, the women in the team have their own space. Photo: Brian McHattie / Oilers Oilers player Sikke Vasshus Ask believes that her club is on the right track when it comes to raising the status of women’s hockey. And she believes that the new changing rooms will also have sporting consequences. – Now we have the opportunity to train more strength on our own than we had before, in addition to having a more social time together, she says. – It leaves a completely different mark on the team, and you notice that it creates a completely different atmosphere, says Vasshus Ask.
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Oilers have spent 3 million on a new women’s wardrobe – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
