Sisters growing the game: Marissa and Hannah Brandt embracing the opportunity to work in Korea
It goes without saying, women’s hockey is growing at a pace never seen before.
A lot of that comes due to the popularity of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, the ever-growing quality in coverage of the game and people just taking a general interest in the sport.
Yet, two sisters are doing their part to help generate a passion for the game, by teaching it to a non-traditional market on the opposite side of the globe.
Marissa and Hannah Brandt’s story has been well-documented. Marissa was born in Korea, and was adopted by Greg and Robin Brandt in 1992, as the parents had experienced difficulties conceiving. Yet, as they were going through the process of adoption, Robin found out she was pregnant with Hannah.
The duo grew up in the hockey hotbed of Minnesota, with both taking up the game at a young age. For two seasons, they played alongside one another at the prestigious Hill-Murray School. Their careers both took off, with Hannah becoming a star player at the University of Minnesota, becoming a mainstay on the U.S. National Team before playing for PWHL Boston. Marissa carved out her own path, playing for Gustavus Adolphus College, an NCAA D-III program.
Their paths crossed on the biggest stage in sports, as Hannah represented the United States at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, while Marissa had the opportunity to play for her native Korea. It was an experience that neither player would ever forget.
“It was crazy,” Marissa stated. “You wouldn’t think, in Asia or in Korea, that hockey would be something people would want to come to. Every game there was huge, especially for Korea. We sold out every game.”
“Those games were so electric,” Hannah confirmed. “It didn’t matter if they were winning or losing, the [Korean] fans were so loud and so passionate about their team. The lines to get into the games…they went all the way around [the rink].”
Now, the two are heading back to South Korea to help grow the game in a different way. The sisters are going to be lead coaches in Jeju Island at the Dream Big Academy camp, an event put on by the academy and Hockey4All. Marissa and Hannah admit the opportunity came out of the blue, but their decision to be a part of the camp was a no-brainer.
“I’d heard of the [Korean] Dream League,” Marissa explained. “Because a lot of my old teammates have helped coach there. I didn’t think that there would be a possibility for myself or my sister to be able to fly over there…it was kind of a random, out-of-the-blue text from [Hockey4All founder Ryan Bahl], and it was an easy yes.”
“We have a huge tie to Korea,” Hannah said. “We love going back to Korea. I went back once with [Marissa], and she wants to go back as much as possible. So, when the idea was brought to us, we were really excited.”
Marissa, who admittedly didn’t want to embrace her native heritage when she was growing up, has enjoyed her time representing South Korea and is excited about helping inspire potential future national team players.
“It’s so special,” said Marissa. “[After the Olympics], I wanted it to be a goal of mine to help grow the game in Korea. Just the fact that we’re able to have this opportunity to go back and help grow and inspire and meet these young ones.”
The 31-year-old played for the nation at the 2017 IIHF Women’s Division 2A World Championship and 2023 Division 1B World Championship. In the lead-up to the Olympics six years ago, Marissa even played for the Phoenix in the Korean Women’s Hockey League.
The camp will be hosted at Branksome Hall Asia from August 21-23. It is open to all ages and allows everyone an opportunity to learn the game. Along with the Brandts, former PWHL Montreal netminder Marlène Boissonnault will be the lead goaltending coach.
Both Hannah and Marissa say the camp will be another step in growing the game in South Korea, as the attention on the sport has grown over the last six years.
“When I went over there in 2015,” Marissa said. “I feel like just not a lot of girls knew that they could play hockey. After the Olympics, Korea now has a professional team…that probably would’ve never happened if they didn’t get that kind of attention in Pyenonchang…When I went back in 2023, the young players were insane, they were so good. The development that has been focused on with the younger girls is exponential.”
“I think there’s so much potential for hockey to grow in all of Asia,” Hannah described. “I think Korea’s a good example. I think the Olympics kind of spurred that movement, but there’s a lot of young girls that didn’t know hockey existed prior to the Olympics. I think there’s a whole new batch of [players] playing now that would never have played before the 2018 Olympics.”
For Hannah, coaching hockey camps in the offseason is twofold–she gets back on the ice and helps the next wave of players learn to enjoy the game.
“The only reason I’m still playing is because I love to play…That’s kind of what I want to give back, how much fun I have playing the game, and I want kids to have that, too.”
For Marissa, she admits that she wants to keep growing the sport in Korea, even if it’s from a distance.
“I hope I can do more with it in the future,” Marissa explained. “It’s hard living in the States and not being there firsthand. I’m hoping to continue to help grow it. It seems silly, but what hockey has done for me…I want those girls to have that opportunity.”