As Vegas Golden Knights fans follow along throughout the season, the work done by Rinkside Reporter Ashali Vise and Manager of Communications and Content India Shay enhances the experience of watching games and keeping up with the team. While fans see Vise reporting on the team and conducting interviews during broadcasts, Shay and her team are tracking stats, making players available to the media, and enhancing the connection between the players and the fans.
Since joining the Golden Knights in 2021, Vise has put in hard work to get to where she is today. She began her career with the St. Louis Blues before landing the dream role in Vegas that she has cherished for four seasons.
“I truly believe that if you’re willing to work hard, keep your head down, and be kind to people, that you more times than not will end up finding yourself exactly where you want to be. Being with the Golden Knights, it’s truly almost like work is more of an escape rather than a job," Vise said. “It’s been fun, but definitely hard work. There’s been a lot of growth, a lot of trying out different things to find out what sticks, a lot of gaining confidence in myself.”
It isn’t lost on the Rinkside Reporter that she is someone young girls look up to because they are seeing a woman reporter on their TV screen. For Vise, seeing other women succeed in this industry has kept her motivated to be the best she can be and be a mentor for others.
“There are certainly women who, early on, made a difference in terms of me wanting to do this career and knowing that it’s possible,” Vise said. “I think of people like Kathryn Tappen, for example. She’s super respected in the broadcasting industry, especially around the NHL and was part of NBC’s hockey coverage for years. I had a chance to speak with her and pick her brain about her journey.”
Vise said that working with the Golden Knights broadcast team has inspired her to become a better reporter each day. The late nights and long road trips are parts of the job that Vise powers through with energy and passion for the work.
“When you’re in the trenches, it feels like it’s taking forever, and then you look back and realize that you’re in your dream role six years later. Work hard even when no one’s watching,” Vise said. “When you’re defeated or you feel like your hard work isn’t being recognized, there’s always someone who will notice. You learn that as you go on. You learn that people respect hard work and willingness to learn more than anything else. That gets you farther than talent ever will.”
The Vegas Golden Knights organization is a tight knit group. The collaboration between broadcasters and the VGK communications team creates a product that fans enjoy each time the team takes the ice. Vise and Shay work in lockstep throughout the season to make sure fans are informed and entertained.
“Anytime we need anything from a player, whether we need to interview a player at an intermission, if we need to talk to a player at practice, if I just need an idea of maybe what's going on behind the scenes that isn't maybe necessarily super public info, but it's important for me to have background on, India [Shay] plays a pivotal role in that.” said Vise. “She works extremely hard on game notes every single game day, which the average fan doesn't always see, but is important to our stories.”
Shay, Manager of Communications and Content, took a similar risk in joining an NHL team straight out of college. She leaned on Vise to help her navigate the demands of working in the NHL and finding different ways to be successful. Now in her third season with the Golden Knights, Shay, a native of Massachusetts, feels right at home in the organization.
Growing up, Shay found her love of sports through her family. Her aunt spent time working in the NHL and was part of iconic moments in Wayne Gretzky’s career. That inspiration has led Shay to be part of major milestones in Golden Knights history, including the 2023 Stanley Cup victory.
“I always loved to hear about that time in my aunt’s life growing up, and I shared her passion for hockey,” said Shay. “When I told my family that I wanted to see if there was a spot for me in that world, she was fully supportive of that and really helped me take those next steps. She looked over countless cover letters and resumes. She was with me every step of the way to help me feel confident in myself.”
Shay works alongside Garrett Calloway, Director of Hockey Communications and Broadcasting, who has been a guide to her growth within the organization. Together, the duo is instrumental in the day-to-day duties between player, media, and fan relationships.
“He has been with the organization for a long time and knows what it takes to succeed at each level in our line of work. He’s taught me a lot, but one thing that sticks out is the ability to stay even-keeled even in the most exciting or frustrating times.” Shay said. “With that guidance, I’ve learned the mindset of “never too high and never too low” because it’s critical to have a clear perspective when you need to make quick decisions.”
Shay, who was a field hockey captain at Trinity College, points to her coach, Anne Parmenter, and an influential individual in her life.
“As someone who was always timid growing up, Anne pushed me to be honest with myself about what my actual goals were,” said Shay. “Once it became clear to me who I wanted to be and what I wanted to achieve, my mindset and work ethic completely transformed, not only in competition but also in my personal life. I became more comfortable with taking risks and betting on myself in situations that I would have shied away from.”
The work ethic Shay has developed throughout her career has led to advancement in the organization and a slew of memories she’ll always carry with her.
“I feel like the last three years can be summarized as my greatest accomplishment in my career because I’m still young, so I still have a lot left of my career ahead of me,” Shay said. “I’ve believed in myself and put myself out there, which I didn't really do before because I was shy. I think just sticking with it even when the transition and the change were hard. When you stick with it, you learn to love every second of it.”
Vise and Shay take any chance or opportunity and put their full effort into it. Both women show that a specific path isn’t necessary to reach your career goals. As they continue their work with the Vegas Golden Knights, they are an example of how women can thrive working in sports.
