2012 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP SCHOOL PROGRAM AND PRE-COMPETITION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Hockey Canada, in partnership with Hockey Alberta, the host committee of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship and presenting sponsor Canadian Pacific, announced Wednesday information on the pre-tournament games ahead of this year’s World Juniors.

Nine cities throughout the province – Brooks, Calgary, Camrose, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Okotoks, Olds, Red Deer and Three Hills – will play host to games from Dec. 19-23 before the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship begins Dec. 26 in Calgary and Edmonton.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRE-TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE AHEAD OF THE 2012 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

“The culture of sport is part of the fabric of Alberta. Any time a major cultural event can reach out beyond Alberta’s two largest cities to get closer to more Albertans, it is something to celebrate,” said the Honourable Heather Klimchuk, Alberta Minister of Culture and Community Services. “I am delighted to see these games being played in a variety of communities and cannot wait to see the warm welcome Albertans will extend to these young players, team officials and the international media.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for hockey fans across Alberta to experience the excitement of the World Juniors,” said Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “We’re thrilled to be taking the future stars of the game to Albertans.”

“As a host committee, our goal has always been to have ‘Alberta United’ for this year’s World Juniors, to bring the action to more than just Calgary and Edmonton,” said Al Coates, executive director of the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. “We’re excited these communities will have the opportunity to show the teams what Alberta hospitality is all about.”

For more information on tickets to pre-tournament games, CLICK HERE.

SCHOOL PROGRAM:

As part of the lead-up to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2011 to Jan. 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton, the tournament’s host committee has unveiled a school program; an online, interactive, inclusive curriculum-based education program developed to engage students in the upcoming championship and to help raise the sport’s profile throughout the province.

The program, developed by teaching professionals with a passion for hockey and a passion for learning, is aimed at Grades 1-6 and has been designed to be flexible, allowing teachers to customize their level of involvement. There is no charge for classes to take part.

Each school board will receive posters in the coming week promoting the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship school program. Registration is open until Nov. 14 at www.hockeycanada.ca/schoolprogram.

Beginning Nov. 14, five different web-based lessons will be presented to your class by such Hockey Canada stars as Tessa Bonhomme, Jordan Eberle, Marc-André Fleury, Taylor Hall and Hayley Wickenheiser.

Following the end of the five-day interactive lessons, classes are encouraged to design their own Celebration Day, to get their school involved and celebrating Canada, its game and its multiculturalism. Classes will produce and submit a short video of their Celebration Day activities for a chance to win an autographed Team Canada jersey for the school association to use for future fundraising efforts; hockey helmets for the school’s physical education program; an extensive collection of hockey-themed books for the school library; tickets to a game at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship; the winning video played on the Jumbotron and much more.

For more information on the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship school program, please visitwww.hockeycanada.ca/schoolprogram. Questions regarding the program can be sent to 2012wjcschoolprogram@hockeycanada.ca.

For more information on the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, visit www.hockeycanada.ca/2012juniors, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/worldjuniors  and www.twitter.com/hc_wjc.