Miragh Bitove vividly remembers her first time seeing the Stanley Cup.

She was a teenager. A cousin was visiting from out of town. Her dad suggested they head to the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto and take a look.

When the pair hit the top step of the staircase leading to the sport害羞草研究所檚 silver chalice, Bitove was in awe.

害羞草研究所淣othing like it,害羞草研究所� she recalled. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a glow.害羞草研究所�

An art history and museum management major, Bitove went on to work as a Hall of Fame post-secondary intern in 2003 before parlaying that into a job as an archivist at the venue.

Years later, she害羞草研究所檚 taken another massive leap 害羞草研究所� as the first woman in the 害羞草研究所淐up Keeper害羞草研究所� role on the annual celebration tour.

Bitove, her white gloves on whenever there害羞草研究所檚 a chance she might touch the trophy, hit the road with colleagues last summer, crisscrossing North America as the Vegas Golden Knights basked in the glory of their victory.

害羞草研究所淲e see a bit of everything,害羞草研究所� Bitove said. 害羞草研究所淔rom wedding-sized parties right down to potlucks in grandma害羞草研究所檚 garage. It害羞草研究所檚 great watching people害羞草研究所檚 natural reactions.

害羞草研究所淚ncredibly special.害羞草研究所�

What害羞草研究所檚 also special is Bitove blazing a trail handling the Cup.

The mother of three 害羞草研究所� two boys and a girl 害羞草研究所� doesn害羞草研究所檛 want special treatment. She also understands the attention in a sport that, while beginning to change, has been dominated by men for the better part of a century.

害羞草研究所淎 bit surreal,害羞草研究所� Bitove said of being the first woman in the job. 害羞草研究所淭hat part doesn害羞草研究所檛 really enter into my train of thought.

害羞草研究所淲hen you go out on these trips, you get some sad faces in the house. I害羞草研究所檝e always said, 害羞草研究所業 want to go out there and travel so that other girls can see me working in hockey.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Bitove has also turned some heads on those gruelling journeys that can last 10 or 11 days, often from before dawn until well past midnight.

害羞草研究所淚f I害羞草研究所檓 in my (Hall of Fame) blazer it害羞草研究所檚, 害羞草研究所極h, I didn害羞草研究所檛 know they made that blazer for women,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said the Toronto native. 害羞草研究所淎nd that害羞草研究所檚 great 害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檓 glad to be out there and have people see it.害羞草研究所�

Phil Pritchard 害羞草研究所� the Hall of Fame害羞草研究所檚 vice-president and the 害羞草研究所淜eeper of the Cup害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� remembers when Bitove first arrived in the building.

害羞草研究所淪he had all the interest, all the background, everything that we害羞草研究所檙e looking for,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲hen you get someone like that, you don害羞草研究所檛 want to lose them.害羞草研究所�

Qualifications and passion aside, Bitove also has the game in her blood. While never a hockey player herself, the family tree includes great uncle Ted Kennedy, who won the Cup five times with the Toronto Maple Leafs between 1945 and 1951.

害羞草研究所淗ockey was sort of in my periphery,害羞草研究所� she said looking back. 害羞草研究所淚n my grandmother害羞草研究所檚 house was a giant portrait of my uncle Ted in game action 害羞草研究所� black and white, beautiful photo.

害羞草研究所淚 walked (into the Hall of Fame) actually looking for information on my uncle Ted. It organically sprouted from there.害羞草研究所�

Bitove, who along with her husband can be found in community rinks most nights, and her colleagues are tasked with taking care of the Cup every moment it害羞草研究所檚 on the road. The team atmosphere and camaraderie is crucial, especially on those long stretches away from home.

害羞草研究所淭hat hockey family environment, she brings it to work every day,害羞草研究所� Pritchard said. 害羞草研究所淪he fits the perfect mould for the Hockey Hall of Fame.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 where Bitove belongs.

害羞草研究所淨ualified to do exactly what she害羞草研究所檚 doing,害羞草研究所� Pritchard added. 害羞草研究所淚f that falls under the arc of being the first woman on the road with the Cup, so be it.害羞草研究所�

And when she isn害羞草研究所檛 getting hundreds of pictures taken at barbecues or community centres alongside the Cup in small towns and big cities, Bitove works with other artifacts to tell the game害羞草研究所檚 story.

害羞草研究所淓very new item that comes into the museum comes through my desk, so I害羞草研究所檓 writing the history of hockey,害羞草研究所� she explained. 害羞草研究所淔ifty years from now people can go back and see what the Hockey Hall of Fame had to say.害羞草研究所�

Bitove has spoken to her seven-year-old daughter 害羞草研究所� the only girl on the little one害羞草研究所檚 co-ed hockey team 害羞草研究所� about what mom is up to.

害羞草研究所淚 always tell her, 害羞草研究所榊ou害羞草研究所檝e got to double down, work hard and prove that you belong,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Bitove, who害羞草研究所檚 equally proud to have her boys, ages nine and 11, witness a woman in this role. 害羞草研究所淲hen I go on the road 害羞草研究所� I害羞草研究所檓 doing it so other people can see me working in hockey.害羞草研究所�

That journey started more than two decades ago.

The Hockey Hall of Fame used to parade the Cup a short distance back to the museum from Toronto害羞草研究所檚 Union Station at the conclusion of every summer tour.

Back in 2003, that event happened to fall on Bitove害羞草研究所檚 first day as an intern.

害羞草研究所淧hil Pritchard goes, 害羞草研究所極h, just hold on. I害羞草研究所檒l be right back. I have to do this parade,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she said. 害羞草研究所淚 looked out the window of our offices and I saw him parading down with the Stanley Cup.

害羞草研究所淚 thought, 害羞草研究所榃here am I? This is crazy.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Now she害羞草研究所檚 one of the select few sporting the white gloves 害羞草研究所� Cup in hand.