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Photo Credit: Rob Wallator


We’re Hiring!

Hockey Alberta is accepting applications for the position Consultant, Regional Centre Calgary. This is a full-time position based in Calgary.

Under the direction of the Manager, Hockey Development, this position is responsible for the operation, delivery and implementation of the Regional Centre Strategy within the Calgary region.This is an exciting position which plays an integral role in the implementation of the principles of Long Term Player Development for Hockey Alberta. The successful candidate will be part of a team of six regional employees based around the province who work together to ensure that Hockey Alberta supports and services Minor Hockey Associations, Coach Development and Player Development.

The focus for the Calgary Centre Consultant is to facilitate the development of coaches and players at all levels. The position includes working with volunteers to ensure effective delivery and implementation of Hockey Alberta programs. Travel throughout the region and evening/weekend work is expected in order to carry out the duties of the position.

Home Ice Feature

Team Alberta alumnae invited to National Women’s Development Team and U18 Camps

CALGARY - Six Team Alberta alumnae have received an invite to attend Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Under-18 Team selection camps.

Codie Cross (Airdrie), Jess Healey (Edmonton), and Abagael Thiessen (Red Deer) are among the 25 players invited to the National Women’s Development Team camp. Karly Heffernan (Sherwood Park) was also invited, but is unable to attend. Dara Greig (Lethbridge) and Courtney Kollman (Calgary) are among the 42 Under-18 invitees.

Former Team Alberta Coaches Carla MacLeod (Calgary) and Adam Tresoor (Edmonton) will also be in attendance, as both were recently named to the Development Team’s staff.

Both camps are part of the Hockey Canada National Teams’ Summer Showcase, and run August 5-13 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.


Hockey Alberta is proud to unveil a new section at hockeyalberta.ca. Home Ice Feature stories will focus on interesting stories about the individuals and groups who make a difference within the hockey community in Alberta. If you have a suggestion for a Home Ice Feature story, email [email protected].

Hockey Alberta Foundation

Photo credit: LA Media


2017 Rinks to Links – The experience of a lifetime

CANMORE - “This has been the best day of my life.”

In nine words, one of the 33 participants summed up the 2017 Rinks to Links program, hosted by the Hockey Alberta Foundation on July 25 in Canmore.

The participants were youths from Calgary, most of whom had never played golf or skated before, and it was a day none will ever forget.

The day started with a bus trip to Canmore, where the kids hit the driving range and putting green at the Stewart Creek Golf Club, with a lesson from the course professionals.

After lunch, the group made the quick trip over to the Canmore Recreation Centre, where each participant was outfitted with a full set of hockey equipment, provided by Comrie’s Sports Equipment Bank in Calgary.

The kids then hit the ice for a one-hour introduction to hockey, with instruction from Hockey Alberta staff, and numerous volunteers, including members and staff of the Canmore Eagles.

There was plenty of positive feedback from the kids after the event, including “First time I’ve ever felt like I was part of a team”, “I have never been on a road trip that was so cool,” and “best thing that has ever happened to me.”

On behalf of all Rinks to Links participants, the Hockey Alberta Foundation would like to thank presenting sponsor, ATB Investor Services, as well as SportCentral in Edmonton, Tundra Process Solutions, Stewart Creek Golf Club and the Canmore Eagles for their support.

For photos from the event, click here.

Hockey Alberta Foundation

AHHF Class of 2017 inducted in Canmore

CANMORE - Five outstanding individuals, and perhaps one of the most celebrated families in all of hockey comprise the 2017 Induction Class for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF).

Mel Davidson, Bill Hay, Tony Kollman, Perry Pearn, Glen Sather, and the entire Sutter family were enshrined in Alberta’s hockey history on Sunday night at the AHHF Awards Gala, held at the Coast Hotel in Canmore.

Hockey Alberta News

Mel Davidson is probably best known for her work behind the bench of the Canadian Women’s national team that won Olympic gold medals in 2002 (Salt Lake City, Assistant Coach), 2006 (Torino, Head Coach), and 2010 (Vancouver, Head Coach). She was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2011. Click here for Davidson’s full bio.

Hockey Alberta News

Bill Hay arguably enjoyed a hall of fame career at the junior, collegiate and professional levels, with many significant achievements over his 16 years on the ice. But when his accomplishments and work off-the-ice are included, he has had a major impact on the sport of hockey - in Alberta, across Canada and around the world. Click here for Hay’s full bio.

Hockey Alberta News

Few have matched the legacy left by Tony Kollman on amateur hockey in Alberta in the 1960s and 70s. In another era, he might have been a star at the professional level. For Kollman, his profession as a hospital administrator meant that his hockey skills would be largely on display in Alberta, with appearances at the national and international levels. Click here for Kollman’s full bio.

Hockey Alberta News

Perry Pearn was a national champion as a player. But it is through his continuing role as a coach at the collegiate, international and NHL levels for more than four decades that he made his biggest impact on the Alberta hockey community. Click here for Pearn’s full bio.

Hockey Alberta News

With 18 games remaining in the 1976-77 World Hockey Association season, Glen Sather assumed the dual role of player-coach with the Edmonton Oilers - a rather unheralded start to one of the most successful careers as a head coach, general manager and president in the National Hockey League. To date, Glen has been enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame (1997), the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame (1996), and the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame (2010). Click here for Sather’s full bio.

Hockey Alberta News

For any hockey fan in central Alberta, and especially in their hometown of Viking, when you say the names Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Gary, Rich, Ron, Grace and Louis, the last name isn’t necessary. They are, simply, the best known, most recognizable and most famous hockey family in the world - the Sutter Family. Six brothers played in the National Hockey League. Four of them went on to become coaches and/or general managers. Click here for the Sutter family’s full bio.

Sunday’s AHHF Gala kicked off in the afternoon with a VIP reception for the 2017 inductees, and included dinner and the awards presentation. The 2017 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Awards Gala is presented by the Hockey Alberta Foundation, Hockey Alberta, and ATB Investor Services.

The 2017 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Awards Gala runs in conjunction with the Hockey Alberta Foundation Golf Classic, a key fundraiser for the Hockey Alberta Foundation’s Every Kid Every Community Program.

The 12th annual Golf Classic also takes place in Canmore, beginning Monday evening with a special reception for all participants, as well the celebrity golfers. The tournament goes Tuesday at the Stewart Creek Golf Club. Celebrity golfers include Mel Davidson, Perry Pearn, Jamie McLennan, Rob Brown, Curtis Glencross and more. For the 11th consecutive year, ATB Investor Services is the presenting sponsor of the Golf Classic.

In addition to the Golf Classic, Stewart Creek will also host the first half of the Hockey Alberta Foundation’s annual Rinks to Links program on Tuesday morning, where 30 first-time hockey players will take part in a golf lesson. From there, the participants will head to the Canmore Recreation Centre to be outfitted head-to-toe with new equipment, and take to the ice for the very first time.


The Every Kid Every Community program was launched in 2011, with the goal of ensuring a gateway to play hockey for any child in Alberta who is interested in the sport. The goal is to provide every child in Alberta the opportunity to play hockey, have fun and, in many cases, experience the sport for the first time. Funding through Every Kid Every Community is available to assist amateur sports organizations, minor hockey organizations, youth groups, recreation groups, or any community group with an idea, project or program that helps establish an event or program to get local children active in hockey.

News

Photo credit: MT Action Photography


Female Hockey - Why We Play

RED DEER - Female hockey is currently one of the fastest growing sports in our province, with close to 8,000 females already participating. Hockey Alberta and our associations are working hard to create new programs to introduce the game to new female hockey players as well as developing our current participants.

Female hockey offers the opportunity for young girls to engage in a healthy, active lifestyle while learning valuable life lessons and developing new friendships that will last after the hockey season ends. Whether your daughter is just starting out or has been playing for a number of years - there are a number of great opportunities for her to become involved in female hockey at the grassroots level.

As the number of female hockey players in Alberta grows, the need for female coaches and officials grows with it. You can join our team as a coach or official, and help inspire the next generation of players in your local association by sharing, your knowledge, skills and memories.

For more information on Minor Female Hockey, and for a list of FAQs, please click here.

News

Photo Credit: Rob Wallator


Introducing Hockey Alberta’s Regional Goaltending Leads

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce its six Regional Goaltending Leads, as part of the Provincial Goaltender Development Plan.

The Goaltending Leads are strategically located around the province, and will work as part of Hockey Alberta’s Regional Centre network. Each Regional Goalie Lead will provide leadership and support to minor hockey associations and Regional Centre Consultants in implementing Hockey Alberta’s Goaltending Development Plan throughout their region.

Hockey Alberta News

Mitch Paradis

Northwest (Grande Prairie)

Goaltender Coach, Grande Prairie Jr. A Storm

Hockey Alberta News

Dwayne Keichenger

Northeast (Lloydminster)

Goaltending Consultant, Eli Wilson Goaltending

Hockey Alberta News

Ian Gordon

Edmonton

Goaltender Consultant & Owner of Ian Gordan Goaltending

Hockey Alberta News

Kraymer Barnstable

Central (Red Deer)

Goaltender Consultant & Owner of Stable in the Net

Hockey Alberta News

Derek Purfield

Calgary

Senior Goaltender Consultant, World Pro Goaltending

Hockey Alberta News

Matt Wong

South (Medicine Hat)

Goaltending Consultant, King in the Net

These goaltending consultants are available for Minor Hockey Associations and teams to aid in the development of goaltenders from the grassroots to elite levels. Our Regional Goaltender Leads can provide:

  • Instructional Stream: Goaltending Training for Coaches
  • Try Goalie Events
  • MHA Goalie Nights
  • Training to MHA/Team Goaltender Coaches
  • Practice Integration Skills; Good Habits to including goalies in practices
  • Support for Teams, Coaches, Goalies and Parents

To work with a Regional Goaltender Lead, or for more information, please contact the appropriate Regional Centre.

All six Goaltending Leads attended Hockey Alberta’s 2017 Development Seminars in Sylvan Lake in June, where they took part in a weekend of training and strategizing on how to carry out Hockey Alberta’s Goaltender Development Plan throughout the Province.

In addition to the Development Seminars, Hockey Alberta held three Goaltender Development Camps in May and June; a North and South Goaltender Camp in Edmonton and Cochrane, and an Elite Goaltender Development Camp in Sylvan Lake.

“Hockey Alberta is excited to launch our new goaltending development plan, as well as enlist passionate volunteers and regional coaches to provide resources for local minor hockey associations to utilize in their day to day goaltender development," said Kendall Newell, Hockey Alberta’s Manager, Female Hockey. "We have only just begun to provide information to our members, coaches, goaltenders and their parents and we are excited to launch more resources in the Fall of 2017.”

With the initial stages of the plan now complete, Hockey Alberta will continue to prepare for full operation of the Provincial Goaltender Development Plan starting in September for the 2017-18 season.


For more information, please contact Matt Weninger, Consultant, Regional Centre South.