Lindsey Vonn reacts as Jessica Campbell makes history by becoming the first female assistant coach in the NHL

Former alpine skier Lindsey Vonn has lauded Jessica Campbell's historic achievement as the first female NHL assistant coach. She was appointed by the Seattle Kraken in July, shortly after she made waves as an assistant coach for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League.

Vonn, one of the six women to have clinched World Cup wins in all five disciplines, retired from her sport in 2019 but stays closely associated with various sports. The 39-year-old introduced the Lindsey Vonn Foundation to help talented girls with scholarships, training camps, and tailored experiences. to meet their needs. In 2020, she became a new investor in Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League and announced her investment in Utah Royals FC in 2024.

Popular for her advocacy for women athletes, Vonn took to her Instagram story to appreciate Campbell:

"This is so badass!!!"

Screengrab of Lindsey Vonn's Instagram story (@lindseyvonn)

Campbell, hired by the Seattle Kraken, was present with the team during its season opener game against St Louis Blues on October 9. Kraken coach Dan Bylsma also hailed the former Canadian ice hockey player for valuably impacting the team:

"Jessica being a female coach in the NHL for the first time, it's great for her and it's great for the game."

Vonn has a past connection with ice hockey since her former husband, P.K. Subban was a champion ice hockey defenceman. He was engaged to the skier in 2019 but they parted ways in 2020.

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Lindsey Vonn on skyrocketing women's sports viewership

Lindsey Vonn at Minnesota Lynx v Los Angeles Sparks - Source: Getty

On May 5, 2024, Lindsey Vonn attended the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix in Florida as a partner of Togethxr, a company focused on uplifting women's sports and athletes. The former skier has been vocal about supporting fellow women athletes and continues to hype them through social media posts or in person. When Togethxr asked her opinion about the slogan 'everyone watches women's sports', she said:

"The excitement about women’s sports has kind of hit this tipping point almost. It’s been happening for a long time, so I hope we can keep this momentum going.”

Vonn amassed 82 World Cup wins, and three Olympic and eight World Championships medals, among other achievements in her celebrated career. She was the first American woman to clinch the downhill gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics.