Blake Bolden, the first Black player to compete in the NWHL and the second woman to scout in the NHL, lives by the motto, "Be True, Be You, Be Bold." This season, Bolden has added another B to her name: Broadcaster.
Bolden began contributing to the Los Angeles Kings broadcast last season, sharing her insight on specific game nights. In October, she joined the inaugural season of Amazon Prime's hockey coverage, including its weekly "Monday Night Hockey" matchups. In addition to the national coverage, she returned to Southern California in November to join the Kings' local broadcast team on FanDuel Sports West.
We caught up with Bolden for Women’s History Month and she gave us insight into her new role.
Q: You have described the Kings’ broadcast team as a family, can you share more?
A: Not too dissimilar from my days as a player, the vets, Daryl & Carrlyn have always been so welcoming. Watching Daryl Evans and Carrlyn Bathe cover the team has allowed me to study the game from a different perspective and with their support, I have been able to develop my own reporting style.
Q: Broadcasters tend to focus on different aspects of the game, what is your style?
A: I enjoy breaking down the goals and why they happen. Most of the time, a goal happens because of a breakdown on one team's end a few plays before the goal, and then a capitalization on the mistake from the scoring team. I also love talking about specific players' strengths and weaknesses.
Q: Is that something you developed an eye for when you were a scout?
A: Absolutely. As a Kings scout, I traveled mostly on the West Coast to watch games, so I saw the same players frequently, but now I’m traveling across the country.”
Q: As someone who has been a lucky recipient of some of the fruits of your garden at your home in SoCal, has leaving your quiet life here and traveling so often been a big transition?
A: [laughs] I do love my garden, but of course, I am enjoying the travel. I’ve visited Winnipeg and Montreal for the first time, and have met coaches and players that I would have never met prior.
Q: How do you avoid putting too much pressure on yourself in this new role?
A: Just like stickhandling or perfecting that one-time shot, it’s all about building up reps to feel more comfortable on camera. I’m a student by nature, and I just want to be good, but the athlete mentality of preparation has helped, and now I just have to be patient with myself.
Q: You appear to lead with confidence, as a woman in a male-dominated field, what do you tell yourself?
A: If there are things from the outside that’s okay, I just try to remember why I am in this position, and the value I bring to the game.
Through the Kings, Bolden has helped launch the Black, Silver, and Bold program, a free development program fostering community for underrepresented elite youth hockey players and their families in Los Angeles. Additionally, she helped create Bolden Girls, an all-girls continue-to-play program option once young girls have graduated from the Little Kings program.
Q: You have mentioned that this career transition has been so special because of the impact it will have on young girls and women who see you on this platform. What do you hope for and do you have any advice for those girls watching?
A: Growing up I didn’t see a woman in between the benches, certainly not a woman of color. I think it’s so important to be brave and bold and put myself out there to show girls that you can do all things, there is no limit. This is for me but it’s also for all of them too, so put yourself out there and good things will happen.
You can catch Blake Bolden back in Southern California, covering the Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks game on April 10 on ESPN.
