Ontario Women's Hockey Association

The Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA) is the governing body of women's ice hockey in the Province of Ontario, Canada. The OWHA is a member of the Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF), the Ontario branch of Hockey Canada. The Association was formed in 1975 by Cookie Cartwright to generate interest in women's ice hockey. Roughly ten years later, Fran Rider became the association's executive director.

In 1976, Rhonda Leeman Taylor took on a volunteer position with the OWHA and helped the Association grow the number of registered female teams from 101 to 203, within three years. She became the first employee hired by Hockey Ontario to assist in the development of the OWHA, then in 1980 became its first salaried female employee.

Jurisdiction
The OWHA operates independently from the OHF's other member associations that govern the various levels of men's hockey. It governs all levels of women's hockey in the province, including minor, junior, and senior, at a provincial level.

Leagues


Senior
 * Golden Blades Junior Hockey League
 * Lower Lakes Female Hockey League (LLFHL)
 * Windsor Essex Women's Hockey League

Intermediate AA/Junior
 * Ontario Women's Hockey League (OWHL) - founded in 2004 as the Provincial Women's Hockey League

Minor
 * Lower Lakes Female Hockey League (LLFHL)
 * Western Ontario Athletic Association

Associated Groups
 * Ottawa District Women's Hockey Association
 * Thunder Bay Women's Hockey Association
 * Western Ontario Athletic Association