Judy Ilcio
The idea of women’s ball hockey league started as a Ryerson business plan project for Etobicoke resident Judy Ilcio. The TWBHA was founded in 1983.
It took a lot of time and dedication and countless hours of volunteer work to start the league, recruit players and develop it to offer recreational and competitive opportunities at the local, provincial, national and international level.
The league was founded in 1983 as a local organization with 4 teams and today it boasts 14 teams, 2 divisions (east/west) and the sport offers local, provincial, national and international opportunities for participants. Judy was instrumental in forging relationships with governing bodies OBHA and CBHA to create ladies divisions under their umbrella and expand opportunities for women to compete at an international level.
Thousands of women have benefitted by being introduced to the sport – participating at a recreational and/or competitive level. Ladies have been able to enjoy sport in a safe and fun environment, forging lifelong relationships.
Ilcio not only started the league but has been a participant as well – every year and is still actively playing today and continues to recruit new players to the league.
2019 –Ilcio started the Etobicoke Dolphins women’s hockey league – Masters Division. She has participate in playing recreational hockey for years and after discussions with a number of players, she felt there was a need and want for a Masters division – so she created one. She was able to recruit enough players to form four teams in the first year.
Ilcio has accomplished all of these achievements while being an active mother to daughter Alex and son Luke and working full time as a business executive.