Olympic champion and hall of famer becomes Pittsburgh Penguins first female scout
Krissy Wendell-Pohl has a message to the Mars Area High School female goalie who was the target of cruel chants
Krissy Wendell-Pohl has a message to the Mars Area High School female goalie who was the target of cruel chants
Krissy Wendell-Pohl has a message to the Mars Area High School female goalie who was the target of cruel chants
A history-making hire for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Krissy Wendell-Pohl is the team's first female scout. The two-time Olympic champion and hockey hall of famer is excited about her new role and is encouraging girls who are in the sport, specifically a goalie from Mars Area High School.
Wendell-Pohl said, "Keep being you, what you love and what your passionate about and don't let the small voices that have negativity outshine that there is a lot of positive and a lot of supporters out there for you. Keep doing what you are doing you're setting an example for a lot of people you don't even know out there, my kids included."
A message of support from Wendell-Pohl to the female goalie on the Mars Area High School team who was the target of cruel chants by Armstrong County students during a game.
The teenage girl's assistant coach, Michael Manganello, said Wendell-Pohl thinking of the team means the world.
He said, "It goes a long way. It touches home. It touches the heart."
"To see something like that as a professional reaching out to her, you couldn't ask for anything better," Manganello said.
Wendell-Pohl is a big name in hockey. She's now the newest amateur scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
She said, "I have a passion for hockey. I love being around it. I love being in the game."
"I have three daughters now so I think for their excitement, they are like wait mom, you're going to work for the Pittsburgh Penguins? That's really awesome. I think just the example you can set," said Wendell-Pohl.
Her focus will be in the Minnesota area, where she had a successful sports career in college. She shined in hockey on an international level too. Wendell-Pohl helped lead the U.S. women's team to Olympic gold in 2005. She plans to bring the best talent to Pittsburgh, while enjoying her family.
She said, “Family is a huge part of my life so I'm excited I can combine the two and do something I am passionate about and yet still be a mom first and that's the most important."
Wendell-Pohl started making her mark in sports as a child. She was only the fifth girl to start in the Little League World Series in 1994.