It's Her Call

Sadeè Walden is a young athlete from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories who dreams of making it to the “big leagues”. But unlike most kids her age, she does not want to become a hockey player, but rather, a referee. Her dream is to step on the ice and officiate at The Olympic Games.

It’s Her Call follows Sadeè from the small town community rinks of Yellowknife, to even smaller rinks in remote arctic communities as she practices, trains and learns what it takes to be an official in hockey.

She travels south to train with Brad Lazarowich, 30 year veteran linesman for the NHL. Training with Brad, means Sadeè gets insight to the intensity, physical demands, mental strength and emotional challenges that come from reffing in fast paced, intense games.

From Yellowknife, to Vancouver Island, to Langley, to Edmonton, Sadeè chases the dream of going pro in an overwhelmingly male dominant arena. As Sadeè puts it herself, “There’s a lot of guy energy”.

At only 14 years-old, Sadeè is a tenacious young woman who does not allow the dynamics of the room, the male energy on the ice, or the sheer size difference stand in her way as she travels across the North chasing her dream, one game at a time.