“I was like ‘Yeah, I’m from Cuba,’” Girod said.

The 26-year-old former defender, who was born in Havana, grew up in Grenoble, France, and played semi-pro in Sweden, hasn’t let negativity derail his dream of pursuing a career in hockey coach.

Girod, assistant / video coach for SC Bern in Switzerland’s top professional league, participates in the NHL Coaches’ Association’s efforts to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the ranks of coaches around the world.

He was one of five coaches in Europe recently selected to participate in the second year of the NHLCA’s BIPOC Women’s Coaching Development Programs.

The international effort is a collaboration with Hockey is Diversity, a non-profit organization based in Berlin, Germany, with the goal of growing the sport on a global scale.

Both NHLCA programs specifically support Black, Indigenous and Colored coaches and coaches in several areas, including skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities.

“I really hope this helps me, first, to learn from some of the best minds in hockey on the planet and then connect with people,” said Girod. “About 70 percent of your situation is about your knowledge and what you bring, and the rest is connections.”

Current and former NHL coaches, as well as American Hockey League coaches, will provide coaching advice and mentorship to program participants, said NHLCA President Lindsay Artkin.

The international coaches who join Girod in the programs are Kathrin Fring of Eisbaren Juniors Berlin in the German Women’s Bundesliga; Miriam Thimm from Dusseldorfer EG in the Women’s Bundesliga; Murat Pak of the Bad Nauheim Under 9 team in Germany; and Emanuel Beckford of the Aachener Grizzlies of Germany.

“Through these two programs, we aim to support these coaches as they advance in their coaching careers so that ultimately we see more representations of these groups at the professional level of hockey.” , said Artkin.

Martin Hyun, CEO and Founder of Hockey is Diversity, said, “We need to invest in the development of BIPOC and women coaches to be successful in our sport. Children need to see people like them to know their dreams are possible. “

Girod started coaching after playing for Grenoble and Lyon in France and for Norrtalje IK in Sweden from 2009 to 2017. He said he was destined to be involved in the sport because his father, Olivier Girod, and his uncle , Wilfried Girod, were players and members of France’s national junior teams.

Girod’s father met Mayte Sanchez Ortiz while on vacation in Cuba. The couple moved to France when Leo was 1 years old. He quickly found himself in a pair of skates and was playing organized hockey at age 9.

“As a Cuban you normally expect someone to play baseball or track and field,” Girod said. “My mom would go to practices and games sometimes and didn’t understand a lot, but she was always supportive of me.”

Hockey has become Girod’s obsession. He would be watching the NHL games live at 3 a.m. in France. He would be Al Montoya every time he played NHL video games because the now-retired goaltender was the first Cuban-American player when he made his debut for the Phoenix Coyotes during from the 2008-09 season.

Montoya was 67-49-24 in 168 NHL games (136 starts) with the Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Oilers. ‘Edmonton before retiring after the 2017-18 season.

Girod idolized the Tampa Bay Lightning forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, a black player with the French national team, who played professionally in Sweden before entering the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2014-15 season.

“We had a project in college, people asked us what we wanted to be, what we wanted to do later,” he said. “I had a photo of Pierre-Edouard… I just cut [out] his face and I put my face in the picture. “

Girod said he discovered the challenges players of color face early in his hockey career. He said he suffered racist taunts and slurs from opposing players, fans and even some teammates.

“I was hearing crazy stuff, kids making donkey and monkey noises,” he said. “There were times when I felt like I didn’t belong to this club, by that I mean the hockey community. But I had so much fun playing, and my dad always supported me.

Girod said he also drew his inspiration and strength from watching NHL players of color on television.

“When I was training away I thought I was (the New Jersey Devils defenseman) PK Subban“he said.” I would watch (former NHL goaltender) Kevin weekes. I would watch (former NHL forward) Anson Carter. “

Giord said seeing each of these players succeed on and off the ice made him want to do it too. Now he wants to make a difference in hockey as a coach and role model.

“Hockey has changed my life,” he said. “Without it I don’t think I would speak [English], I don’t think I would speak the little Swiss German words that I speak. I really want to push ice hockey all over the planet because I think it’s the greatest sport on Earth. “