Jessica Campbell made history this week when she became the first-ever woman hired as an assistant coach in the American Hockey League.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds, the AHL affiliate for the Seattle Kraken, announced the hiring on Tuesday.
“We’re very excited to welcome Jessica to the Kraken organization as an assistant coach with the Coachella Valley Firebirds,” said Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis in a press release. “She played the game at a high level, and that experience is evident in the way she coaches. Her knowledge of the game and ability to communicate and teach will be important assets in the development of our prospects in the American Hockey League.”
Campbell spent the past season with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL development program.
She also was the first-ever woman to join the coaching staff of a national team participating in the World Championship when she became an assistant coach for Germany at the 2022 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
"I am excited to bring in a new coaching perspective and to be able to teach our players the necessary tools and skills to impact players every night while raising the bar for what we can achieve as a team this season," Campbell said in the statement.
Campbell also has experience on the ice.
She played three seasons in the Canadian Women's Hockey League for the Calgary Inferno and played collegiately at Cornell.
The Firebirds' inaugural season begins this fall.
