Future Leaders Development Program

Inspire. Lead. Grow the Game.

The 2026 Future Leaders Program will take place in Red Deer on Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30. The program will begin at 5:00 PM on May 29 in the Hockey Alberta Boardroom. Registration is open and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for the first 30 participants. Once capacity is reached, additional registrants will be added to a wait list.

The registration form is located at the bottom of this page.

As part of Hockey Alberta’s commitment to “Hockey for Life,” the Future Leaders Program supports our mission to create positive opportunities and experiences for all players, especially those beginning their coaching journey.

Vision of the program - To ignite a new generation of coaches who inspire, lead, and grow the game.

Mission of the program - To support young coaches with the knowledge, tools, confidence and mentorship they need to lead with purpose and make a lasting impact on the game.

The Future Leader Development Program empowers post-secondary students to kickstart their coaching journey through hands-on training and leadership development, plus the opportunity to earn a scholarship by being selected for one of our Team Alberta summer programs or the High Performance 1 – Player Development Program.

What’s Included in the Future Leader Development Weekend

Participants selected for the Future Leader Development Program will receive:

Scholarship opportunities tied to advancement within Team Alberta and Coach Development programs
All meals and snacks are provided throughout the event
Accommodation on Friday night
Hockey Alberta apparel

Program Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the Future Leader Development Program, registrants must meet the following criteria:

Currently enrolled in or accepted to a post-secondary institution
Interest in becoming a hockey coach or instructor
Canadian Citizen with a permanent Alberta address
- Out-of-province students must have completed at least two years of post-secondary education in Alberta prior to the event date

Future Leader Scholarship Opportunity

Following the Future Leader Development weekend, twelve participants (4 per program) will be invited to support the Team Alberta Male U16 Summer Program, Female U18 Summer Program, or the HP1 Male Elite Player Development Camp. These provincial camps serve as a second stage of coach development, offering hands-on experience in practice and game environments, and the opportunity to work with Alberta’s top athletes at the U16 and U18 levels.

All Future Leaders who participate in a summer camp will be eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship. In addition, two to three participants will be selected for distinguished status, each receiving an additional $3,000 scholarship in recognition of their outstanding leadership and performance.

Scholarship Eligibility

Twelve (12) Hockey Alberta Foundation Future Leaders Scholarships will be awarded to the top Future Leaders who distinguish themselves through exceptional engagement, professionalism, and a commitment to going above and beyond throughout the Future Leaders Development Program. Selected from the group of 30 participants, these individuals will represent the very best of the program and will earn the opportunity to support the Team Alberta summer programs, as well as the High Performance 1 Player Development Camp.

This is a competitive process designed to identify and reward those who demonstrate leadership in action, a growth mindset, and a genuine commitment to advancing themselves and the athletes they impact.

To be eligible, participants must:

Fully attend and actively engage in the development weekend
Be enrolled in or accepted to a post-secondary institution
Be an Alberta resident (or have completed a minimum of two years of post-secondary education in Alberta)

Since its launch in 1998, the Future Leaders Scholarship Program—funded by the Hockey Alberta Foundation—has made a lasting investment in developing the next generation of coaches and community leaders in Alberta. The scholarship program is directly aligned with the goals of the Future Leader Development Program, which focuses on training post-secondary students to become strong, effective, and inspiring leaders on and off the ice.

For additional information, view the program video below: