William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, as part of NHL.com's celebration of Black History Month, he profiles Chyna Taylor, a 15-year-old defenseman on the United States team that won the silver medal at the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women’s World Championship in Vantaa, Finland, on Jan. 12. She is the first player from Kentucky to represent the U.S. at any level at an IIHF event or the Olympics.
Whatever doubts Chyna Taylor had about whether she belonged on the United States team at the International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women’s World Championship were long gone by the end of the title game.
The 15-year-old defenseman from Louisville, Kentucky, had a silver medal and a gift bag presented to her after being named the best U.S. player in a 3-0 loss to Canada in the gold medal game in Vantaa, Finland on Jan. 12.
“Throughout all of the games, I felt way more confident in myself, like, realizing that I belong there and stuff,” she said. “I think I realized that more and more, and I just became way more confident.”
Taylor made history as the first player from Kentucky to represent the U.S. at any level -- men’s or women’s -- at an IIHF event or the Olympics.
The sophomore at Lovell Academy in Rockland, Massachusetts, left a lasting impression as one of the up-and-coming U.S. women’s players who’ll be coveted by top NCAA schools, which she hopes will be a springboard to achieving her dream of competing in the Olympics.