Winnipeg girls work their hockey skills on the ice with Boston PWHL player

A group of girls laced up their skates for hockey skill training sessions and on-ice hockey time in Winnipeg with a PWHL player who is hoping to inspire a new generation to see themselves as part of the sport's future. 

Lara Bedic was among the group of girls between the ages of seven and 14 at the Hockey for All Centre on Saturday morning. 

She began playing hockey after watching her brother playing defence, a position she now wants to take on the ice as well. She says skating is what she most enjoys from the game. 

Bedic's mother, Nomi, said their family, who came to Canada from the Philippines, doesn't have a hockey background.

"None of us play, we don't really watch it all the time," Nomi said. "But [for] the children, this kind of program really helps them [get] exposed." 

"They have somebody to look up to," she added. 

When her daughter sees other women playing and excelling in hockey, it becomes a source of inspiration for Lara, Nomi said, to also try her best as well. 

Some of the on-ice time was led by PWHL player Jessica DiGirolamo, who plays defence for Boston's team. 

To DiGirolamo, events like Saturdays are about inspiring a newer generation of players to see their future on the ice as professional hockey players as a possibility. 

"When I heard about the opportunity, I was the first one to jump on and I was like 'I absolutely want to do this,' I love events like this to grow the game and obviously impact the youth," she said. 

"It's so important … at one point I was in their shoes."

The players were not short of questions — asking from the longest time DiGirolamo was in the penalty box to her best trait on and off the ice. But they also came with specific doubts about players and certain games at the PWHL — a sign they are too watching the PWHL.

"The game is growing and we love to see that."

The PWHL is in its second year with plans to expand on the horizon, considering whether to add as many as two teams as early as next season. An announcement on the league's plans are expected to come soon.