Coach of the Month - October

RED DEER – Host bid applications for the 2017 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, are due today (November 15).

The Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are some of the most exciting and high profile events in which Hockey Alberta’s membership takes part each season, bringing together the top teams from across the province in each category.

Attending a Hockey Alberta Provincial Championship is often a career highlight for a young player. The thrill of playing in this exciting event makes hosting a Hockey Alberta Provincial Championship tournament a unique and special opportunity.

2017 Bid Guidelines and Application Package >

This Bid Guidelines document outlines the requirements involved, and the opportunities available, for a Local Minor Hockey Association interested in submitting a bid to host a Hockey Alberta Provincial Championship event.

For more information, contact Hockey Alberta at [email protected]

LETHBRIDGE/MEDICINE HAT – Hockey Alberta has partnered with the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association, and the Medicine Hat Minor Hockey Association to offer a series of coach development workshops, hosted by Hockey Alberta’s South Regional Centre.

The Coach Workshop Series will equip coaches with the tools to better teach fundamental skills and team tactics, improve player evaluation skills, and provide new ideas on how to deliver a practice and to develop their ability to progress and regress drills to best suit their athletes.

The seminars are free of charge and open to coaches of all levels. To RSVP, please contact Matt Weninger, Consultant, Hockey Alberta South Regional Centre.

Lethbridge

Medicine Hat

REGINA - Team Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 6-4 Saturday afternoon to finish the National Women’s U18 Championship in fifth place.

Alberta took a 2-1 lead out of the first period thanks to goals from Chloé Puddifant and Courtney Kollman,and led 4-2 heading into the third after Taylor Sawka and Tyra Meropoulis scored in the second period. Saskatchewan made tied the game with goals just 15 seconds apart early in the third, before Dara Greig put Alberta ahead for good six minutes later. Kollman later netted her second goal of the game with an empty Saskatchewan net. Sawka was named Team Alberta’s Player of the Game.

In her second start for Alberta, goaltender Camryn Drever made 33 saves to earn her first win of the tournament. Both Drever and Amanda Zeglen finished the tournament with a 1-1 record in net.

REGINA - Team Alberta fell 3-1 to Team B.C. on Friday morning, missing out on a semi-final berth at the National Women’s U18 Championships.

B.C. got off to a hot start with two goals in the first ten minutes of the game, before Ireland Perrott answered for Alberta to make it a 2-1 game. Following a scoreless second period, B.C. put up an insurance marker seven minutes into the third for a 3-1 final.

Amanda Zeglen put up her second-straight 30-plus save performance, stopping 31 shots as Team Alberta was out-shot 34-28. Forward Courtney Kollman was named Alberta’s Player of the Game.

Team Alberta Roster > | Box Score > | Game One Results: Quebec 6, Alberta 2 > | Game Two Results: Alberta 2, Manitoba 1 >

After finishing third in their pool with a 1-2- record, Team Alberta will wrap up tournament play Saturday at noon in the fifth-place game at noon.

For stats, a full schedule, and more information on the U18 Nationals, click here.

REGINA - Team Alberta evened its record at 1-1, with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Team Manitoba on Thursday morning at the 2016 National Women’s U18 Championship.

Captain Taylor Sawka opened the scoring half-way through the second period to give Team Alberta a 1-0 lead. Ashton Bell tied the game eight minutes into the third period for Manitoba.But, Alberta took advantage of some good fortune, tallying what proved to the game-winner less than two minutes later on an own-goal by Manitoba. Tyra Meropoulis was credited with the goal.

Amanda Zeglen stood tall in net for Team Alberta as Manitoba fired 38 shots her way, including a barrage of 21 shots in the third period alone. She was named Team Alberta’s Player of the Game for her 37-save performance.

Team Alberta Roster > | Box Score > | Game One Results: Quebec 6, Alberta 2 >

Team Alberta finishes round-robin play Thursday morning at 9 am against Team B.C..

For stats, a full schedule, and more information on the U18 Nationals, click here.

REGINA - Team Alberta opened the 2016 National Women’s U18 Championship with a 6-2 loss to Team Quebec on Wednesday afternoon.

Quebec got off to a quick 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of the game, before Alberta answered back with a power-play goal from Emily Moore. Quebec would go on to score three unanswered goals before Dara Greig replied for Alberta. Defender Alexa McMillan was named Team Alberta’s Player of the Game.

Quebec out-shot Alberta 35-16, with goaltender Camryn Drever making 29 stops. Her counterpart, Édith D’Astous-Moreau, stopped 14 of 16 shots for the win.

Team Alberta Roster > | Box Score >

Up next for Team Alberta is a 9 a.m. match-up against Team Manitoba on Thursday morning. Manitoba is coming off a narrow 3-2 loss to Team B.C. on Wednesday morning.

For stats, a full schedule, and more information on the U18 Nationals, click here.

REGINA - The quest for gold for Team Alberta’s U18 Female team starts now, as the 2016 National Women’s U18 Championship kicks off in Regina.

Team Alberta opens play today (Wednesday) at noon against Team Quebec, followed by back-to-back 9 a.m. match-ups on Thursday and Friday against Team Manitoba and Team B.C., respectively, to close out round-robin play. Semi-final and consolation round games are set for Saturday, with the gold and bronze medal games to be played on Sunday.

Team Alberta U18 Roster >

The five-day tournament sees eight teams - Alberta, host Saskatchewan, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario Blue, and reigning champs, Ontario Red - go head-to-head for national supremacy.

All preliminary-round games, placement games, semifinals, and the bronze-medal game will be streamed live online at www.hockeycanada.ca/nwu18c, while TSN will broadcast the gold-medal game Sunday, Nov. 13 starting at 5 pm Mountain Time.

For a full schedule, and more information on the U18 Nationals, click here.

REGINA - This year’s National Women’s U18 Championships will be a blast from the past for a trio of Team Alberta coaches.

Head Coach Carla MacLeod, Assistant Coach Cassea Schols, and Goalie/Video Coach Amanda Tapp come into the tournament sharing the same distinction - coaching the team they once suited up for.

Having represented Team Alberta twice at the Canada Winter Games in 1995 (as a 12 year-old) and in 1999, MacLeod says it’s an honour to return to her roots.

“It’s pretty awesome, actually,” she said. “You know, you look back on your ‘good old days,’ and obviously, having an opportunity to play for Team Alberta was a major step in my career when I was a younger player, and memorable. So, to fast forward here and to have the opportunity to work with the young players here in Alberta and to be a part of Team Alberta again, it’s very special.”

Along with her Team Alberta experience, MacLeod brings a winning pedigree to the program, with numerous international medals to her name as a member of Team Canada, most notably back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2006 and 2010.

“I think what you learn from sports, regardless of what level you play, is that the values of sport are what matter, and that’s making sure you’re a good teammate and taking care of the people around you,” MacLeod said. “Of course these girls have dreams about winning Nationals, and we’re going to do everything we can to help them reach those dreams, without a doubt, but I think ensuring that the experience we provide them is a positive one is what’s most critical.”

For Tapp, 2016 will mark her fourth year as part of the Team Alberta staff, and the second straight year coaching alongside MacLeod, her teammate at the 1999 Canada Winter Games.

Tapp says, whether it’s on the ice or behind the bench, representing her province never gets old.

“It has been an absolute privilege every single time I’ve been asked to represent Team Alberta,” Tapp said. “I still remember the first time I had the honour of putting on the (Team Alberta) jersey and taking to the ice alongside the very best players in our province. For most of us, the U-18 National Championships was our first taste of high performance hockey at its best, both on and off the ice. Hockey Alberta has given me many opportunities to study the sport and receive mentorship from the best in the game. I will forever be in debt to Hockey Alberta for all it has done for me, both as a player and coach. ”

A member of Team Alberta at the 2007 Canada Winter Games, Schols is set to make her coaching debut for the program she attributes a large part of her success to.

“To give back to the program that helped me grow into the person that I am and the hockey player that I was has been the greatest honour,” Schols said. “Hockey Alberta and all of the coaches that have come through the program devote so much of their time and energy to each and every player to make sure they achieve their best, and after coming up through the program, I wanted to be a coach that gave the same time and devotion that was given to me.”

While the entire Team Alberta staff brings a wealth of knowledge from all sides of the game, MacLeod says the trio of Team Alberta alumnae can bring their personal experience to the program.

“Our whole staff is awesome, and really dedicated, and certainly for Amanda, Cassea and myself, we get to relive our glory days a little more - we keep bringing them up anyways. We all thought we were hot stuff back in the day, so it makes for some good laughs,” MacLeod said. “There’s an ownership to the program, in a sense, because we took pride in it as a player, and certainly as a coach, you want to do right by Hockey Alberta and Team Alberta, and what that program has done for us. I think for the three of us, it’s a unique opportunity; it’s a special occasion for us. It’s not the main focus, by any means, but every once in a while we take the time to appreciate where we’re at and the opportunity we’ve been given.”

Team Alberta opens the National Women’s U18 Championships Wednesday at noon against Team Quebec. For a full schedule, and more information on the U18 Nationals, click here.

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].

JARVENPAA, FINLAND - Former Team Alberta goaltender Emerance Maschmeyer earned yet another medal in international competition on Sunday, bringing home silver with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Cup following a 5-3 loss to the United States.

It’s the second silver medal in as many years for Maschmeyer and Team Canada, having narrowly missed out on gold last year against the U.S..

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO - Four skaters from the 2015 gold medal-winning Team Alberta U16 squad came away with a silver medal at the World U17 Hockey Challenge after a narrow 2-1 loss to Sweden.

Ty Smith, Eric Florchuk, Sean Comrie and Chase Wouters all helped Team Canada Black reach the final game of the tournament, and came up just one goal short of earning a second straight gold medal for Canada. With two goals and two assists in six games, Smith was named one of the tournament’s All-Star defencemen.

In total, nine Team Alberta alumni suited up for the World U17 Hockey Challenge: Jonathan Tychonick, Elijah Brown and Tristen Nielsen finished in fourth place with Team Canada White, while Carl Stankowski and Josh Tarzwell finished right behind in fifth place with Team Canada Red.

In August 2016, Hockey Alberta partnered with Powerscout Hockey and St. Albert Minor Hockey to conduct a study on the effectiveness of smaller ice surfaces in skill development. The study featured 40 Initiation-aged players (five- and six-year-olds) who participated in a series of tests to collect data on a number of game and practice scenarios.

Hockey Alberta has worked with Minor Hockey Association Development Directors over the past couple of years to implement the Initiation guidelines. As part of that process, Hockey Alberta has received feedback that asks whether the smaller surface limits skating development, rather than enhancing it.

With regard to skating development, specific data for skating speed and acceleration was collected from the following scenarios:

• 200-foot sprints
• cross-ice games
• half-ice games, and
• a full ice game.

Overall, an analysis of the data and observation of the on-ice sessions reinforce that using a smaller ice surface at the Initiation level helps in the overall positive development of skating skills and skating acceleration for our youngest players, thereby better preparing them for when they are old enough to move to higher levels of hockey.

To read more about the findings from this study, click here.

RED DEER - Three Alberta officials will have the opportunity to represent their province on home soil at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville.

Referee Cody Rude (Edmonton), along with Linesmen Deion Foster (Edmonton) and Jared Mackey (Calgary) have received the assignment to officiate the annual international Junior A challenge.

Hockey Alberta and its Provincial Officials Committee congratulate all three officials for having their hard work rewarded with a chance to represent Alberta at the World Junior A Challenge.

RED DEER - An exciting opportunity awaits coaches and therapists across the province, as Hockey Alberta is now accepting applications for coaches and therapists for the 2017 Alberta Cup and Alberta Challenge.

Hockey Alberta is seeking one head coach, two assistant coaches and one athletic therapist for each of the eight Alberta Cup and six Alberta Challenge teams.

The Alberta Cup and Alberta Challenge are core development programs for male and female players, respectively. The events provide players, coaches, therapists, equipment managers, administrators and referees an opportunity to discover the great qualities of competitive hockey.

Alberta Cup Coaching Application > | Alberta Cup Therapist Application >

Alberta Challenge Coaching Application > | Alberta Challenge Therapist Application >

“The Alberta Cup and Alberta challenge both present tremendous learning opportunities,” said High Performance Coach Mentor Barry Medori. “Both programs allow coaches and therapists to learn from some of the best in the province, as well as their peers, which will help them reach the next level.”

The Alberta Cup returns to Canmore for a third year April 26-30, 2017, while the Alberta Challenge runs May 4-7 in Olds.

The deadline for all applications is November 4.

About the Alberta Cup

The Alberta Cup is the first step in the annual process that includes the U16 Male Provincial Camp, and the selection of Alberta’s U16 Male provincial team. The 2017 Alberta Cup features 2002-born make players, and begins in March each year with zone selection camps. There are eight Alberta Cup zones, and players are attempting to land one of 20 spots available on their zone team.

If you have any questions about the Team Alberta Male Coaches program, please contact Dustin Moore.

About the Alberta Challenge

The Alberta Challenge aids in the preparation, evaluation and identification of potential players for Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta U-18 Female program. The Alberta Challenge is held in alternating years with the Alberta Winter Games, beginning in March, with North and South regional selection camps. The 2017 Alberta Challenge features 2002 and 2003-born female players, who are competing for berths on one of three teams selected from each region to participate in the tournament.

If you have any questions about the Team Alberta Female Coaches program, or the Team Alberta Therapists program, please contact Mathieu Provencher.