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Nothing about Chiefs’ Jaret Anderson-Dolan is ordinary

Jaret Anderson-Dolan is known to turn heads.

www.spokesman.com

A nontraditional family

Leading up the Chiefs’ matchup with Kelowna on Feb. 26, you could find Anderson-Dolan proudly wrapping rainbow-colored tape around his blade.

The 17-year-old forward hatched a plan to participate in a campaign dubbed “Hockey is for Everyone.” The rainbow hockey tape was a representation of that.

What’s more, the entire Chiefs’ team mimicked Jaret and adorned their sticks with the rainbow-colored tape for warmups – the tape wasn’t great quality and hockey players are superstitious about their equipment. Even defensemen Nolan Reid and Tyson Helgesen joined Jaret in wearing the tape for the whole game.

The moment was powerful for Anderson-Dolan because of his unique upbringing. He and his older brother Dorian were raised by their two mothers, Fran and Nancy Anderson-Dolan, in their childhood home of Calgary, Alberta.

He grew up with many gay and lesbian relatives where the LGBTQ community was not only accepted, but celebrated. Having his teammates join in was special.

“It was unbelievable,” Jaret said. “I know my family appreciated it that my team got together and made a statement.”

But in a male-dominated sport, that support hasn’t always been prevalent.

Jaret hears other players talk smack to him on the ice about his two moms, although it happens less in the WHL because he’s a respected player within the league.

But that’s far from the worst prejudice and discrimination he’s experienced.

When Anderson-Dolan was going through the WHL bantam draft process, some teams told him and his family they would not take him because of his two mothers.

Anderson-Dolan, with the talent to be picked in the top five of the draft, slipped all the way to No. 14 to Spokane.

“I can’t change people’s opinions. If that’s how they feel about it, I’d honestly rather not be in that organization if they’re going to be like that,” Jaret said. “I’d rather be in an organization with the Chiefs where they support it completely.

“Maybe that ended up with me falling in the draft a little bit, but I don’t really care, honestly.”