Coach of the Month - December

Hockey Alberta’s Coach of the Month for December 2015 is Lynn Degenstein of Bow Island.

Degenstein has 12 years of coaching experience, and currently coaches both the Bantam Foremost/Bow Island Flyers (head coach), and the Peewee Bow Island Rebels (assistant coach), all while serving as the President of the Bow Island Minor Sports Association.

"I love to coach and teach the skills of hockey as well as skills like respect, teamwork, discipline," he said. "Every year my goal is to help my team become stronger hockey players as well as become future leaders in our community."

Degenstein received two nominations for the Coach of the Month award.

"He has a way of communicating with the kids and getting every bit out of them at games and at practice, all while making it fun for the players. When it comes to hockey, and teaching kids the love of the game, Lynn gives freely of his time and knowledge."

"He does not demand their respect, he has earned it over the years from coaching these kids. The kids and parents trust his decisions and he commands a lot of respect from the those involved with the two teams and the two minor hockey organizations."

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For more details on Hockey Alberta’s Coach of the Month, click here.

RED DEER - The road to Greenland begins now for 17 of Alberta’s top female athletes living north of the 55th Parallel, as Hockey Alberta has announced the Team Alberta North roster for the 2016 Arctic Winter Games.

The Junior Female squad, along with a Bantam Male team, will compete in the Arctic Winter Games March 6-11, 2016. The Games are being hosted in Nuuk, Greenland, but hockey will be played in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

Click here to view the Female Team Alberta North Roster.

The female team selection camp ran January 8-10 in Slave Lake. Male selection camp ran December 11-13 in High Prairie, click here to view the Male Team Alberta North Roster.

"Selection camp this past weekend in Slave Lake went very well," said Blake Cosgrove, Regional Centre Northwest Consultant for Hockey Alberta. "We were quite impressed with the level of talent we saw on the ice, and are excited about the squad that will represent Team Alberta North at the games."

The Arctic Winter Games are the world’s largest northern multi-sport and cultural event. The Arctic Winter Games are a celebration of athletic competition, culture, friendship and cooperation between northern contingents. Athletic competition features sports that enjoy worldwide popularity alongside traditional Arctic Sports and dene Games. A significant cultural component featuring visual arts, dance, ceremonies and galas with participants from across the circumpolar region is a pillar of the Games.

Each hockey team is comprised of 17 players and two coaches. Teams participate in a round-robin tournament to determine seeding for medal-round pairings. One gold ulu is awarded in each age/sex class. Teams that regularly participate in ice hockey include Alaska, Yukon, Alberta North, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Communities eligible to participate in the Arctic Winter Games are located North of the 55th Parallel. Click here to view a list of eligible communities.

Click here for more information on the 2016 Arctic Winter Games.