Subscribe
Follow Us
For Kendall Coyne Schofield, star winger for Minnesota in the PWHL, life is a juggling act of motherhood, professional hockey, and leadership. Since giving birth to her son Drew last July, Coyne Schofield has not only returned to top form on the ice but has also taken on the role of the PWHL players' union president.
Her teammate Taylor Heise aptly nicknamed her “Supermom,” a testament to Coyne Schofield's ability to balance her professional and personal life. After the PWHL draft in September, she faced another challenge when her husband, NFL player Michael Schofield, joined the Detroit Lions. The couple decided that Drew would stay with his mom, traveling for away games.
“It definitely comes with its challenges at times,” Coyne Schofield said, via Sean Neumann. “But when my husband signed with the Lions, we both looked at each other like, ‘Well, this is going to be a little bit more difficult than we thought, but we can do this.'”
Coyne Schofield has found support in her teammates and a league-funded nanny, Ella, a nursing student and daughter of assistant coach Jake Bobrowski. Her teammates have been instrumental, helping with strollers, entertaining Drew on the bus and creating a supportive environment. Coyne Schofield takes joy in capturing these moments, joking about having “3,000 photos” of Drew, including special milestones like his first shoes gifted by teammate Kelly Pannek.
The PWHL, supportive of Coyne Schofield's dual role as an athlete and a mother, assists with childcare arrangements. This support allowed Drew to witness his mother's first game in the league, a moment filled with emotion for Coyne Schofield.
“I kind of forget about the game because there was just so much emotion behind it for so many different reasons,” Coyne Schofield said. “One being, obviously, this was the first game that I was playing in this new league that I had a part in helping establish, and having that dream become a reality. And the other, I knew exactly where he was sitting. Ella had a chest carrier on, so he was just bobbing up and down, his head bobbing and smiling. I could see him up there watching.”
Beyond her personal achievements, Coyne Schofield is aware of the broader impact of the PWHL. She emphasized the importance of the league for future generations, echoing sentiments from Team USA teammate Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson about her daughter aspiring to be a professional hockey player.
“I just tell myself each night, it's so worth it — because it is. It would've been easy for me to retire from the game and I'd be so happy being a mom, but I never wanted him to be the reason that I stopped playing,” Coyne Schofield said. “I knew it was going to be hard, but I'm embracing the challenge and it's making me a better mom.”
