Welcome to the 2022-23 Hockey Season

RED DEER – Rachel Wiebe turned heads last year when she was named an assistant coach with the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey team.

In her new role, the 23-year-old became the first female coach to join the program, continuing her progression in a coaching career that started when concussions ended her playing career as a teenager.

“I still wanted to be a part of the game,” said Rachel. “It’s a big part of who you are and I didn’t want to lose that, so I got into coaching. I started coaching on a women’s team in Grande Prairie and once I transferred to the University of Alberta for school I started coaching with the Pandas and then the Bears.”

As a player, Rachel’s goal was to play for the Pandas. When she realized she couldn’t participate as a player, she still wanted to achieve that goal in some capacity – even if that meant filling water bottles. She reached out to Howie Draper, Head Coach of the Pandas, who took her on as an assistant coach.

Ian Herbers, Head Coach of the Golden Bears, laughs as he recalls poaching Rachel from the Pandas.

“Rachel once a week, maybe every other week, would pop her head in and come say hi. We had a chance to talk and she always came in with a ton of energy, very positive, very passionate about the game and very passionate about the Bears’ program,” said Herbers. “In the summertime, we were looking and wanted to add one more person (to the coaching staff). I thought of Rachel right away just because of the passion she had.”

As the possibility of coaching with the Golden Bears began to become a reality, Rachel needed one more nod from a crucial group - the players.

“I wanted to make sure it was good with the guys first before I said yes,” said Rachel. “I wanted to make sure they were comfortable first and foremost (with a woman joining the coaching staff) because if they aren’t comfortable, I’m not going to serve a beneficial purpose.”

Herbers was confident it wouldn’t be an issue.

“I knew we had a great group of guys with the Bears and the leadership we had on the ice and in the dressing room that it wouldn’t be an issue,” said Herbers. “(T)hey were excited…. I don’t think many of them have had a female coach so it’s something different for them.”

With 11 of her 14 playing years spent as one of a few females on male teams, Rachel’s transition to the Golden Bears was seamless.

“The coaching staff has been really supportive, the players are really receptive to feedback, they’re very respectful,” said Rachel. “People always ask how the year’s gone, what it’s been like and if there are any challenges with it and other than winning a national championship, it couldn’t have been better. It was phenomenal and a great first year.”

Rachel’s passion for the Golden Bears program doesn’t fall far from the tree. Her father, Dan Wiebe, played in the program for four seasons (1987-1991). After a coaching stint in the East Coast Hockey League, Dan returned to Alberta where he has given back to the game in a minor coach and mentor capacity.

“Having the opportunity to play and then get into coaching … at a semi-professional league, I learned a lot about the game and really my knowledge of the game would come from the Golden Bear program,” said Dan, who admits to fatherly pride in seeing Rachel’s achievements. “Having seen (Rachel) have the opportunity with that tradition and that history, I can’t say enough about it…. Hopefully down the road she will have the opportunity to share that with other coaches and players and develop her own style and grow her game as well.”

Growing up, Dan coached Rachel through the minor ranks. Now as she begins her own coaching career, although her style has some of Dan’s influence, she’s starting to create her own style too, including working to complete her High Performance 1 coach certification.

“This is such an ideal situation. It’s great to bounce ideas off each other because it’s not just me going to him and asking for advice, now he comes to me too,” said Rachel.

For Herbers, Rachel has emerged as a key part of his coaching staff because she looks at the game from a different perspective.

“She’s always looking for something different than I am,” said Herbers. “I liked the way she thought the game, what she saw development wise …. I’m always looking for ways to challenge our players and our team to keep getting better and she’s done that for us.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hockey Alberta encourages everyone to take the time to recognize and thank a coach in their community this week for National Coaches Week. National Coaches Week runs from September 17-25, 2022.

RED DEER – Para Ice Hockey in Canada got its start in Medicine Hat.

With that history, it is only natural that Medicine Hat native Tara Chisholm - who is the head coach of Canada’s Women’s National Para Ice Hockey Team - found her way to the sport.

“The original sled was brought over from Sweden. They asked a whole bunch of larger disability organizations … if they wanted to start sledge hockey,” said Chisholm, “Then a women called Jean Lane in Medicine Hat said, ‘I’ll start it if no one else wants to.’ So she worked with a local playground manufacturer and they built the first ever sleds in Canada.”

HISTORY OF PARA HOCKEY >

Chisholm’s passion for hockey began like most in Alberta – coming up through the minor ranks. When she moved on to university in Edmonton, she turned to coaching. Mentoring under Howie Draper, head coach for the University of Alberta Pandas, she couldn’t get enough of the game so she reached out to a number of organizations, including a Para program. The Para program was looking for on-ice support so Chisholm began volunteering after school and Panda practices.

That was in 2008.

“At the time I got into Para ice hockey, there was also a young guy named Matt Cook who was playing junior A hockey and had osteosarcoma. He ended up losing his leg to cancer. So him and I were both trying to figure out Para hockey at the same time,” said Chisholm. “To have somebody else to stumble through it with was really nice because we knew what we were supposed to do on the ice but to be able to actually skate and get there was a different story. You have a whole new set of skills you have to learn but the game itself is the same.”

When she returned to Medicine Hat in 2013, Chisholm revived the program that Lane had begun years prior. She worked with groups from Edmonton to help write grants, get sleds in the community and book ice times to grow the program to what is now one of the largest Para programs in the province.

In 2014, Chisholm added to her volunteer resume by starting her tenure in the role she still holds as head coach of national women’s Para team.

What began as a grassroots community program is now a high-performance program with elite standards that continues strive to get the female game into the Paralympics, similar to the men’s side.

“I’ve been really fortunate to work with a lot of people who just truly love the game of hockey and want women with disabilities to be able to showcase their skills in the game of hockey and are passionate about that. When you’re around passionate people the hard work doesn’t seem quite as hard or at least you’re lifted with other people,” said Chisholm.

The first Women’s World Para Hockey Challenge took place in Green Bay, Wisconsin in August. It featured teams from Great Britain, Canada, the United States and “the World”. Team Canada earned the silver medal, losing to the USA in the final.

But Chisholm considers the event a win for the Canadian players because of the hurdles they had to go through just to get on the ice.

Players and staff paid their own way to the Challenge, supplementing some money from fundraisers with their own cash. The team wears Hockey Canada jerseys, but is not associated with the organization, nor is it funded by Sport Canada. The staff is composed of passionate volunteers, while the players pay to play. Personal holidays/ time off are used so staff and players can participate in the team’s events.

“Our immediate goal is to become funded, similar to our USA Hockey counterparts,” said Chisholm. “Right now, USA Hockey has decided to fund the women’s national program, even though they are not in a World Championship or Paralympic Games. They decided that it’s a priority for them to give equitable access to their women the same that they do as their men’s team. So that’s what we’ll be looking for in the short term.”

For the World Challenge, Chisholm worked to keep costs as low as possible for the players. Tryouts were hosted in April, but some players were unable to attend. So Chisholm and her assistant coach Derek Whitson (who is also her husband and a former Para ice hockey player) travelled across the country to host regional camps. With players spread coast to coast and one in England, Chisholm created an online course on terminology and systems, and scheduled team workouts over Zoom a few times a week. With the leadership of veteran players, many felt it was the closest team they had ever been on – even though most didn’t meet in person until day one of the Challenge.

As performances on the international stage become more consistent, Chisholm’s long-term goal for Women’s Para Ice Hockey is to see it in the Paralympics and a World Championship.

“Our amazing group of volunteers hope that if we can take some of the pressure of raising money for Canada off our plate, we’re able to help other countries more. Which is what we need internationally for this sport,” said Chisholm. “My husband and I have been very fortunate to travel to a few different countries to help jumpstart their programs. The less work I have to do here in Canada with other Canadians supporting our women, then the more work I can do internationally.”

In addition to her work locally, nationally and internationally, Chisholm also sits on Hockey Alberta’s Para Hockey Committee, which meets monthly to discuss the growth of the program in the province.

“We’ve seen more growth and are starting to become a leader in the sport. (W)hen I first started it was Ontario and Quebec that were leading the way,” said Chisholm. “Now people are looking to Alberta for ideas for how to get the sport growing in their own province or even in their own country. We get asks from all over the world about what we’re doing here.”

Hockey Alberta is hosting a Para Kick-Off Weekend September 10-11 in Red Deer at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. On Saturday, para players, or those interested in trying para, are welcome to participate in a one-day camp. Then, on Sunday, Chisholm will be hosting a para coaching clinic. Those interested can still register online.

For more information on Para ice hockey in Alberta, check out the Hockey Alberta website for a list of clubs throughout the province.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is recruiting five volunteers to oversee investigations and decision-making pertaining to Maltreatment infractions and allegations based on discriminatory grounds.

The appointment of a Maltreatment Officer and four Maltreatment Investigators is part of the ongoing work to provide a safe and inclusive environment for all hockey participants by establishing a consistent process for investigation and decision-making pertaining to allegations of Maltreatment and Discrimination.

To facilitate these new positions, Hockey Alberta has amended its ‘Maltreatment, Bullying and Harassment’ Policy.

Full details on the policy, Section 11 – Maltreatment in the Hockey Canada rulebook, and the online reporting form for incidents of Maltreatment and Discrimination can be found on the Hockey Alberta website:

Maltreatment, Bullying and Harassment >

The Maltreatment Officer will work with Hockey Alberta staff to set out the requirements and guidelines for the investigation and adjudication process, as well as ensuring investigations are completed in accordance with Hockey Alberta Policy. The Maltreatment Officer will receive reports from the Maltreatment Investigators and issue all decisions. The Maltreatment Officer has been selected for the 2022-23 season.

The Maltreatment Investigators will conduct all investigations and/or hearings related to infractions and allegations based on discriminatory grounds. The Investigators will compile written reports of their findings and recommendations and submit them to the Maltreatment Officer.

Hockey Alberta is seeking qualified applicants to fill the Maltreatment Investigator positions. Included with this Bulletin is the Maltreatment Investigator Job Description. Qualified applicants should have strong communication, questioning, interview and analytical skills, and knowledge of Hockey Canada/ Hockey Alberta Bylaws and Regulations, Human Rights Legislation, Natural Justice and sanctioning to influence positive behavior.

Those interested in applying are encouraged to submit their application HERE.

BULLETIN 22-02

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Hockey Alberta office by email at [email protected].

Malcolm (Mac) MacLeod, a Life Member of Hockey Alberta and an Honoured Member of the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, passed away on Friday, September 2, at the age of 89.

A resident of Mannville, Mac was involved in hockey for over 60 years as a player, coach, volunteer, bus driver and anything else required to assist to make the game possible for local youth.

Beginning in 1990, Mac joined Hockey Alberta as volunteer, including positions as Zone 2 Minor Hockey Chair (1990-94), Zone 2 Director (1994-98), and Hockey Alberta President for two years and Past President for two years. In 1998 he was awarded the Chairman’s award for his dedication to the game and exceptional service to the sport in Alberta.

In 2003, Mac received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medallion and was honoured as a Hockey Alberta Life Member. Three years later, he was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.

He will be forever remembered by his children: Debbie MacLeod (Garry Poliakiwski), Bonnie MacLeod (Pam Oakden), Terri (Murray) Zelinski, Scott MacLeod (Rhonda Milton). As well as survived by his grandchildren: Meggan, Lyndon, Brendan, Keyaira, Mack, Jaidyn, Tyler, Courtney and Taylor; great-granchildren: Laurel, Seth, Karsen, Jarrett, Karley and Erik; and great-great-grandchildren: Paisley and Westyn.

Mac’s service is September 10 at 1 P.M. at the Mannville Community Centre.