Over 4,600 coaches benefit from clinics and other development opportunities

RED DEER – More than 4,600 hockey coaches in Alberta attended National Coach Certification Program (NCCP) and other professional coach development clinics offered this season through Hockey Alberta.

"One third of all coaches in Alberta have attended a Hockey Alberta hosted clinic so far this season. These coaches are showing great dedication to the game and their players by building their knowledge,” said Stephen Pattison, Manager, Central Regional Centre and Player Development for Hockey Alberta.

While the overall numbers are impressive (4,618 coaches in total attended a clinic), the benefits experienced by players across the province are the most important outcome. For every coach who has attended a clinic and learned current coaching techniques and philosophies, that coach is able to provide learning and development for the 15-20 players on his or her team, as well as other team members and members of their minor hockey association.

“Ultimately it is the players who really see the benefits from the skills and tactics learned at these clinics,” said Pattison.

Hockey Alberta offers two types of coach development - NCCP certification clinics and Instructional Stream clinics.

Specified levels of NCCP certification are required to coach certain age divisions, and more than 3,000 coaches completed that required certification this year.

In addition, another 1,600 coaches have attended at one of 75 free Instructional Stream and Professional Development coach clinics covering such topics as Creating Offense, Developing Defencemen, Goaltending, Small Area Games, Skating, and Skill Development.

The Instructional Stream program was created by Hockey Canada to provide opportunities for coaches of all levels to enhance their knowledge and development in specified areas of the game throughout the season. The clinics consist of three hours of classroom and on-ice instruction and offer coaches practical sessions on teaching skills and tactics. The clinics provide a welcoming environment for coaches to educate themselves on new skill development techniques for their players.

Instructional Stream clinics are offered free of charge to coaches in Alberta and are delivered by Hockey Alberta-trained instructors. Clinics are ongoing at various locations around the province until the end of January.

UPCOMING CLINICS >

NCCP coach clinic season begins in late August and runs until the coach certification deadline on November 15. This year, 164 NCCP clinics were hosted by Hockey Alberta instructors over the course of 15 weeks, including Coach 1, Coach 2, Development 1 and Checking Skills.

For more information on Coach development and certification, go the COACHES TAB at hockeyalberta.ca.

Breakdown by clinic:

RED DEER – A new partnership between Indigenous Sport Council Alberta (ISCA) and Hockey Alberta will provide improved and enhanced opportunities for Indigenous hockey participants across the province.

The partnership, which was formalized in November, has a two-pronged focus:

• Working together to facilitate the growth and development of Indigenous hockey across Alberta; and
• Operating the Team Alberta Female and Male squads attending and competing in the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

“For Hockey Alberta, this partnership is an opportunity to grow our game for Indigenous players and communities across the province,” said Winston Delorme, Chair of Hockey Alberta’s Indigenous Hockey Committee. “We always appreciate the opportunity to partner with other provincial organizations, but ultimately this is about the players, and ensuring they get the chance to participate and compete.”

Off the ice, work undertaken by the Indigenous Hockey Committee will be the focus. A key goal of the committee is to provide a forum for Indigenous communities to discuss and develop recommendations for improved opportunities for Indigenous players.

The ISCA will be represented on the committee in its role of advocating and promoting increased participation opportunities for youth and leaders at all levels.

“ISCA has been working hard this past year to develop relationships with our Provincial Sport bodies and it is only natural this includes a partnership with Hockey Alberta. With Al Blackwater as our representative on the Indigenous Hockey Committee, we feel very strongly this partnership will be in the best interests of our youth across the province,” said Jake Hendy, Executive Director of ISCA.

On the ice, Hockey Alberta will be overseeing and coordinating the selection process for the players and coaches representing the province at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships in Regina in May. That process is already underway, and includes recruiting and selecting the Indigenous coaching staff, registration and selection camps for players, team training, and the procurement of equipment and uniforms.

Details on registration, selection camp dates and locations, and other information pertaining to the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships will be posted in the coming weeks at hockeyalberta.ca and indigenoussportsalberta.com.