PWHL superfan Debbie Harrison travels from Lindsay, Ontario for about two and a half hours to reach the Mattamy Athletic Centre, where the PWHL Toronto play. She is a season ticket holder and sits right in front of the glass for each game. Both players and fans know her by name and excitedly wait for her latest outfit to be revealed at each game.
Debbie Harrison, courtesy of CBC.com
Debbie Harrison first gained attention from her unique and handmade gameday outfits. She says it all started when her PWHL Toronto jersey was not going to be delivered in time for the first puck drop in PWHL history. Harrison didn’t want to miss out on the chance to be in the crowd and show her support, so she began creating hockey inspired outfits to wear on gameday.
Throughout the season, Harrison has worn a new outfit for every game. These outfits include a replica of the referee jersey, a blazer with the PWHL Toronto and Montreal logos, a collection of buttons with each of PWHL Toronto's players and an “Eat. Sleep. Hockey. Repeat.” shirt with her hair dyed purple. Once her jersey was delivered, Harrison continued with her handmade outfits, putting on her hockey gear to act as a reserve player.
Debbie Harrison’s gameday outfits, courtesy of @thepwhlofficial / Instagram
Her most popular outfit caught the attention of Crayola Canada, leading to the “Powerplay Plum” post on their social media accounts. Dressed up as a purple Crayola crayon, Harrison held up a poster that said, “Crayola needs a new colour, PWHL Purple.” The company responded with an unofficial new crayon, in the shade “Powerplay Plum.” Even tennis icon and PWHL board member Billie Jean King reposted Crayola’s unofficial addition.
Powerplay Plum, courtesy of @CrayolaCanada / Instagram
Each outfit is topped off with a button, picturing an 11 year old Harrison and her two brothers, Andy and Stephen. The photo was taken on Beaver River, in 1970. Harrison says kids from the surrounding areas would spend their winters playing pond hockey there. Many dreamed of becoming professionals and thanks to the PWHL, young girls today can truly see a future for themselves as professional hockey players.
Edited by Raegan Verhoff
Written by Bella-Rosa Fetelea
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