Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund Returns with $1 Million to Support Return to Hockey for Young Albertans

RED DEER - Three Albertans heard their names called and had their dreams realized during the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft on Friday evening.

The first round of the draft, which was done virtually for the second straight year, saw three athletes from Alberta drafted, including Dylan Guenther, who was the first Albertan selected when the Arizona Coyotes selected him ninth overall.

Guenther’s Edmonton Oil Kings teammate Sebastian Cossa was the next Albertan to go, and was the first goaltender off the board as the Detroit Red Wings traded up to select him 15th overall.

Brooks Bandits defenceman Corson Ceulemans was the third and final Albertan selected in the first round, going to the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 25th pick.

All three players are Alberta Elite Hockey League alumni, and also all suited up for Team Alberta (Cossa at the 2017 WHL Cup, Ceulemans and Guenther at the 2019 Canada Winter Games).

Rounds two through seven of the 2021 NHL Draft will conclude on Saturday.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta will conduct a U11 AA Pilot Project in the 2021-22 season that implements an amended regional hosting structure, player movement rules, league schedule and coach and player development standards. This pilot project is based largely off of the final report and recommendations of the Non-Sanctioned Hockey Workgroup of last season.

We will be working in collaboration with the Northern Alberta Interlock League (Host League), the North East Alberta Hockey League, the All Peace Hockey League and, of course, their member MHA’s. We are looking to create a series of actionable recommendations that will be identified in time for implementation of a new, province wide, U11 model in the 2022-2023 season.

The outcome of this pilot is to identify the best overall structure for the top level of U11 and to ensure alignment and progression within the entire hockey system. The principles of Long-Term Athlete Development and Hockey Canada’s U11 Pathway will be adhered to within all recommendations. The best philosophy for developing players is to create an environment where similarly skilled players can compete together and against each other.

To make it fair and equitable for all teams within the pilot, regions have been established. These regions ensure there is an opportunity for all players that reside within the pilot areas that want to play and have the skill to play at the top level of U11, can. These regions largely follow the U13AA recruitment areas. The established regions allow for the progression of players from Tiered Minor Hockey programs, through to the host programs within this pilot.

Hockey Alberta has established a Workgroup for this U11AA Pilot Project, members include:

Brett Kelly – Hockey Alberta Staff, Innisfail, AB

Mike Applegate – Hockey Alberta Staff, Lloydminster, AB

Hudson Kelly – Hockey Alberta Staff, Red Deer, AB

Randy Mak – NAI Liaison, Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Rick Nordstrom – Grande Prairie, AB

Jason Grinevitch – Bonnyville, AB

If you have any questions, please contact Brett Kelly, Manager, Officiating at [email protected]

Registration is now open for the 2021 Indigenous Hockey Summit, which runs virtually on August 27-28, beginning with a Keynote Panel on August 27 featuring Wacey Rabbit, his father, Marvin Yellowhorn, and Jordan Courtepatte.

Register > | Keynote Speaker Bios >

Note: There is no immediate charge to register for the Indigenous Hockey Summit, but there will be an eventual charge for coach and official clinics. More information will be sent out after registration is complete.

Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, is running this virtual summit to gather hockey leaders from around the province to continue the growth of the game in Indigenous hockey communities, and allow for networking and sharing best practices.

The Indigenous Hockey Summit kicks off on the evening of Friday, August 27 with a keynote discussion. Training sessions and clinics follow on Saturday, August 28, with three streams: MHA administration, coaches, and officials.

The Friday night keynote panel is open to all minor hockey associations, coaches and officials across the province, while the Saturday MHA Stream will focus on the Indigenous Minor Hockey Associations, with the opportunity for any other Minor Hockey Associations to attend and participate. Coaching and Officiating clinics will only be available for members of Indigenous Minor Hockey Associations and other Indigenous hockey leaders.

For more information, please contact Bryden Burrell, Coordinator, Hockey Programs at [email protected]

Grant MacEwan University has developed the “Grow the Game” initiative for online anti-racism resources for hockey. The goal of the project is to fill the gap around racism information, education, awareness and its impact on those in the hockey community, both on and off the ice.

Federally funded by the Canada Heritage Anti-Racism Program, Grow the Game was created by Alim Tharani and Irfan Chaudhry as a virtual summit in December 2020. The summit featured a diverse line-up of experts to speak on a variety of different racial experiences in hockey including: the impact, anti-racism, unconscious bias and barriers in addressing racial discrimination.

“The biggest thing that we heard from people is just having a baseline of what racism is and how it manifests in the sport of hockey; and what can be done about it,” said Chaudhry. “People don’t know where to turn or what to do and then it (racism) often times does not get addressed in a meaningful way.”

Grow the Game resources are available online. To begin the education process, there is a “Starter Kit” available with definitions, articles and videos to highlight the impact of racial discrimination in hockey. As well, the website includes recordings of the discussions at the virtual summit in December.

For more information on Grow the Game, visit growthegame.hockey or contact Tharani and Chaudhry by clicking here.

With Hockey Alberta ready for Stage 3 of the Government of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan, the Hockey Alberta Foundation and Every Kid Every Community has teamed up with Sports Central, Calgary Flames Sports Bank and KidSport to help eliminate the financial barriers of playing hockey.

Sports Central provides sports equipment at no cost to kids in need. Based out of Edmonton, the volunteers also accept gently-used equipment by donation.

Calgary Flames Sports Bank helps kids and families across southern Alberta access equipment at no cost. The organization works with KidSport Calgary to breakdown the cost of fees and equipment to ensure every child has an opportunity to play sports. The Calgary Flames Sports Bank operates with the help of volunteers and donations.

KidSport offers grants to help cover the registration costs for sport, allowing all kids to play. Grants can be applied for online and the organization welcomes donations.

Every kid in every community should have the opportunity to play hockey. Contact the partner organization in your area or Hockey Alberta.

The Alberta Amateur Hockey Association (Hockey Alberta) is seeking qualified candidates for three (3) Director at Large positions on its Board of Directors. Deadline to submit a nomination package is AUGUST 31, 2021.

APPLICATION / NOMINATION FORM >

Hockey Alberta is the governing body for organized amateur hockey in the Province of Alberta. The Board of Directors builds and monitors the strategy of the organization through its vision, mission, values and strategic direction. The Board operates under a Policy Governance Model and delegates operations to the Chief Executive Officer. The Board is elected by and accountable to the members of Hockey Alberta.

The Board holds regular meetings, either in-person in Hockey Alberta’s head office in Red Deer or via phone/ digital platform.

Candidate Qualifications

The Board of Directors is focused on being a diverse group comprised of individuals with a variety of skill sets and experiences. For 2021, candidates with previous board experience are being sought to fill the three available positions. Criteria to be considered by the Nominations Committee for each candidate include:

I. Skills/ Experience

• Advocacy (such as government relations/ lobbying)
• Communications/ Marketing/ Social Media
• Equality, Diversity, Inclusion
• Human Resources
• Environmental and Social Responsibility

II. Diversity

• Female
• Visible Minority
• Indigenous
• Younger Age Demographic

In addition:

• Previous experience on the Hockey Alberta Board is an asset.
• Previous experience on a not-for-profit board and knowledge of the workings of a board from a good governance perspective are preferred.
• Experience and understanding of the workings of a Provincial Sport Organization is an asset.
• Successful completion of a Criminal Record Check is required.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE JOB DESCRIPTION >

Process Overview

The Governance Committee of Hockey Alberta has created an external three-person Nominations Committee that includes a former Chair of the Board of Directors.

All submitted applications are reviewed by the Nominations Committee. Through the application and interview process, the Nominations Committee will prepare a group of qualified candidates to be presented to the membership for election.

Board of Director positions are elected by the Members of Hockey Alberta at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Elected individuals will serve a term of three years.

To be eligible for the Board of Directors, a candidate is required to be nominated by a Member of Hockey Alberta, as defined in Article 2 of the Bylaws of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association.

The links below to the Hockey Alberta website provide more information on Hockey Alberta Bylaws, and the Board’s Governance Model, Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest policy. Candidates are required to complete a conflict of interest declaration with their application.

I. BYLAWS AND REGULATIONS >

II. BOARD GOVERNANCE, STRUCTURE AND POLICIES >

For more information, please contact:

Rob Virgil Rob Litwinski

Nominations Committee Chair, Hockey Alberta CEO, Hockey Alberta

[email protected] [email protected]

780-915-2873 403-342-6777

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta and TeamGenius, the leading hockey player evaluation app based out of Minneapolis, MN, have entered into a partnership to improve tryouts at minor hockey associations across Alberta.

TeamGenius solves a unique problem for minor hockey associations with its customizable hockey player evaluation platform. The platform allows staff and board members to prepare for tryouts by setting up criteria, uploading players, scheduling ice sessions, and more.

“SPMHA adopted TeamGenius three seasons ago to help streamline our player evaluation process,” said Brad Hunka, General Manager, Sherwood Park Minor Hockey. “Their software has allowed us to minimize our volunteer requirements during evaluations while increasing the speed, accuracy, integrity, and oversight of evaluation data. They’ve been a welcome addition to our evaluation process.”

Coaches use a mobile app rather than paper to evaluate players during tryouts. Scores and notes are submitted in real-time to avoid the time-consuming paper and spreadsheet transfer, and the TeamGenius analytics back-end will give coaches a deeper view into the data they need to make important roster decisions.

“Tryouts should be celebrated as the kick-off to a new hockey season for association staff, coaches, players, and parents alike,” said Chris Knutson, CEO of TeamGenius. “Our goal is to shift the old narrative that tryouts are a stressful and time-consuming event. This partnership will open the door for hockey associations looking to improve the lives of their staff and coaches, so they can further their commitment to providing a positive playing experience for all athletes.”

Board members and staff interested in learning how to improve the tryout process for this upcoming season should go to TeamGenius.com for more information.

About Hockey Alberta

Hockey Alberta is the Provincial Sports Organization and governing body for organized amateur hockey in the Province of Alberta, encouraging competition on both a competitive and recreational level for those who enjoy hockey for the sportsmanship, skill, and enjoyment it can provide. For more information, visit hockeyalberta.ca.

About TeamGenius

TeamGenius is the leading hockey evaluation software provider for minor hockey associations. Founded in 2015, TeamGenius serves thousands of youth athletes, coaches, staff and volunteers with an easy-to-use platform for managing tryouts, clinics, coach & player development programs. TeamGenius is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For more information, visit http://teamgenius.com.

A Message to the Members:

Today is June 30, 2021.

Exactly one year ago Hockey Alberta released the initial version of our Return to Hockey Plan.

In the ensuing 12 months, the Return to Hockey Plan has been updated several times, and renamed Hockey’s Path Forward, and now Ready For Hockey!

Each change in requirements and guidelines by the Government of Alberta led to changes in the Return to Hockey plan. And that resulted in the ongoing need by our Member organizations and Leagues to create new plans, procedures and programming.

Thank you for your hard work over the past year despite being faced with constantly changing circumstances in our province and our sport. Everyone did a remarkable job in working on behalf of players, parents, coaches, trainers, board members, officials and volunteers across Alberta.

Tomorrow, Stage 3 of the Government of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan opens.

With Stage 3 expected to contain few (if any) restrictions, Hockey Alberta is planning that 2021-22 will be a full hockey season.

This is exciting for everyone involved in our sport.

Many of our Minor Hockey Associations are already well into registration and planning for the 2021-22 season.

And Hockey Alberta is READY, as we continue to work with the Government and our member organizations to focus on health and safety, and ensuring our participants have the best hockey experience possible.

As new information becomes available, we will make sure our Members and the hockey community are informed. And you can always check our Return to Hockey page for current requirements and guidelines.

Yours in hockey,

Rob Litwinski, CEO
Hockey Alberta

If you have questions throughout the summer as your organization is preparing for the upcoming season, please reach out to your contacts in Member Development at Hockey Alberta, or email us and we will connect with you:

Email: [email protected]

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta has selected Ashley Shrode (Barrhead) to lead Team Alberta as the head coach of the 2021 U18 Female team.

Joining Shrode on the bench as assistant coaches are Shanya Shwetz (Edmonton) and Chris Leeming (Olds). Rounding out the coaching staff are Annette Jensen (Lloydminster) as video coach and Marlène Boissonnault (Calgary) as goaltending coach.

“It is an exciting time for Team Alberta as we get to resume our selection process for the 2021 U18 Women’s National Championships,” said Kendall Newell, Manager, Female Hockey for Hockey Alberta. “We are extremely pleased to announce this staff group and to get the process started as we look forward to summer camp."

Team Alberta will hold summer camp in August in Red Deer to select the U18 Female team that will represent the province at the 2021 Women’s National Championships slated for later this fall in Dawson Creek, BC.

Shrode was named the 2021 BFL Female Community Coach of the Year for Alberta, and has spent her most recent years coaching in the Barrhead and Whitecourt Minor Hockey Associations. She has also spent time within the Team Alberta program as a Head Coach at the 2018 Alberta Winter Games and 2019 Alberta Challenge, before moving on to become a Coach Mentor at the 2020 Alberta Winter Games.

Shwetz has spent the past three years with the Edmonton Female Athletic Club (EFAC) as a head and assistant coach with the U15 AA Pandas. With Team Alberta, her experience has been vast, as she has coached at the U16 Female Summer Camp twice, was an assistant coach at the 2019 Alberta Challenge, and head coach at the 2020 Alberta Winter Games. At the U18 level, Shwetz was named as the video coach for the 2019 Women’s National Championships in Morden & Winkler, MB. She was also named as the Alberta’s BFL Female High Performance Coach of the Year in 2019.

Leeming is the heading into his fourth season as head coach of the ACAC’s Olds College Broncos, where he was named the 2019-20 ACAC Women’s Hockey Coach of the Year. He has been a head coach at both the 2019 Alberta Challenge and 2020 Alberta Winter Games.

Jensen is the head coach of the Lloydminster U18AAA PWM Steelers, with ten years of coaching experience, and Boissonnault is currently a goaltender with Team Scotiabank of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association and goaltender coach with Top Prospects Goaltending.

Other members of the staff for Team Alberta U18 Female include: Barry Medori (Spruce Grove), coach mentor; and Kendall Newell (Red Deer), director of operations.

Registration for Team Alberta’s U18 Female Summer Camp, Fuelled by Gatorade, which will take place on August 10-15 (dates determined by region), is now open.

U18 Female Summer Camp Registration >

Do you have a child aged 6-10 years who is ready to fall in love with hockey? Registration is now open for the 2021-22 NHL/NHLPA First Shift program.

The NHL/NHLPA First Shift program is designed to ensure a positive experience for new-to-hockey families by offering a low-cost entry program to hockey.

Register For the First Shift Program Now >

Hockey Alberta is proud to once again host a First Shift program in Red Deer, February 19 - March 26 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Register >

The First Shift will be offered in eleven locations across Alberta in the winter

• Brooks - Fall
• Calgary (Hockey Calgary) - Fall
• Carstairs - Fall
• Edmonton (Edmonton Oilers & Hockey Edmonton) - Fall & Winter
• Grande Prairie - Fall
• Red Deer (Hockey Alberta) - Winter
• Lamont - Fall
• Leduc - Fall
• Lethbridge - Fall
• Ponoka - Winter
• Siksika - Fall

To register for a First Shift program near you, and for more information, click here.

Nearly 20 years ago, Kyle Dodginghorse stepped behind the bench for the first time to coach at the Alberta Treaty Hockey Games and Native Provincials.

He now sits on Hockey Alberta’s Indigenous Hockey Committee and is the Hockey Coordinator for Tsuut’ina Nation.

The position with Tsuut’ina Nation came about through a side project, Dodginghorse Development, that he and his wife founded when they noticed that Indigenous children often missed out on opportunities to participate. They hosted hockey camps that incorporated hockey, yoga and personal fitness on holidays and over the course of the summer.

“We wanted to do our own little hockey camps to get kids on the ice for a low cost to get them on the ice and give them the extra development,” said Dodginghorse. “There was an opportunity on the reserve with this building (7 Chiefs Sportplex) opening, that they wanted someone to run the hockey program. It was everything I wanted to do, and now I take care of everything hockey for our kids.”

Though his title has changed, the passion for providing opportunities to Indigenous youth and getting more kids into the game is still prominent for Dodginghorse.

“I run an afterschool hockey program for kids to get extra ice time. Every day there’s a different age group from U7-U18 and it gives them time to work on skills they can’t work on in practice. During the summer we transition to a daily drop-in with their designated age groups,” said Dodginghorse. “We started the Little 7 Chiefs Hockey Program two years ago. It’s for anyone who hasn’t played hockey before but it’s geared toward the 4-7 year-olds who aren’t ready to play hockey in an association. It’s a chance to get comfortable on the ice and see if it’s for them. In the two years we’ve ran it, we’ve had a lot of success, with about 30 new kids each year. So that’s 30 new kids ready to go to the association the next year.”

Dodginghorse has worked to develop a partnership with Hockey Calgary, one that he said was instrumental in bringing the First Shift Program to Tsuut’ina Nation.

Committed to delivering programs that eliminate barriers, Dodginghorse has also created an equipment exchange program at the 7 Chiefs Sportplex. Through his efforts of giving youth an opportunity to play hockey, Tsuut’ina Nation is also a recipient of an Every Kid Every Community grant from Hockey Alberta.

“(Every Kid Every Community) helped us huge. I’m kind of a one-man army so that will allow me to bring in extra instruction for our youth. Maybe it’s someone that will focus on stickhandling, shooting, powerskating, but just to give them another voice and another point of view as well. There’s a lot of wear and tear on our stuff so to be able to get new equipment is nice. We’re excited to have that grant,” said Dodginghorse.

As Dodginghorse continues to grow the sport in his community, he is disheartened that racism is still happening in today’s game.

“Sometimes you deal with the racism. Unfortunately I don’t think it’s going to go away in the near future. It’s not just in sports, it’s everywhere,” said Dodginghorse. “With Ethan Bear, I obviously commend him for standing up and saying what he said because it’s not easy to do that. That’s the hardest thing because you don’t know how to stand up to it. You don’t know how it’s going to be dealt with or if it’s going to be swept under the rug.”

Dodginghorse has experienced racism at all levels and believes the first step to treating everyone equal, is to make people aware that the discrimination is happening, which is something that social media is doing.

“I’m so proud to be Native. We have a beautiful culture. We’re so family oriented and always cheering for each other,” Dodginghorse said. “Every time I see someone else succeed it brings me so much joy. I hope to see some of our kids at that (professional) level in the future.”

Yet Dodginghorse does not measure success of Tsuut’ina Nation’s hockey program through level of play. He determines it by the life-long relationships players develop through their time in the game and the life skills they learn. And he’s adamant that hockey is the best game that you can play.

June is not only Pride Month, but also National Indigenous History Month, and Hockey Alberta has been celebrating both throughout the month.

Episode Thirteen of the Centre Ice Podcast features Glenn Witman, the Co-Founder of the You Can Play Project, and 2003 Canada Winter Games gold medalist and 2007 Memorial Cup Champion Wacey Rabbit, a proud member of the Kainai Nation.

Episode Links: You Can Play Project > | Save the Date: 2021 Indigenous Hockey Summit > | 2021 Future Leaders Program > | 2021-22 First Shift Program Registration > | Team AB U16 Male Summer Camp > | Team AB U18 Female Summer Camp > | Team AB U16 Female Development Camp >

More Episodes >

Centre Ice is the brand-new Hockey Alberta podcast, featuring the latest news and views on amateur hockey across the province. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast app!

Hockey Alberta and its member minor hockey associations are READY and encouraging you to get registered for the 2021-22 hockey season.

Not sure where to go or who to contact to register? Here’s what to do:

1. Check the Hockey Alberta Region Map.
2. Determine the region in which you live, and contact the Regional Minor Administration Coordinator. If you are not sure of your regional service area, contact the Hockey Alberta office.
3. Contact your MHA for all the information you need to register. Many MHAs have their own websites which provide valuable information to their members.

If you are in need of financial assistance, accessing equipment or support for programming, information on these resources can be found through our Hockey Alberta Foundation page.

RED DEER - Registration is now open for Hockey Alberta’s 2021 U16 Female Development Camp, Fuelled by Gatorade, which runs July 26-29 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer.

This is a position specific skill development camp and is open to 2006 and 2007-born female athletes from Alberta who were registered with a Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta sanctioned program in the 2020-21 season. Each position will participate in 4 on-ice position specific skill sessions over two days:

• July 26-27 Goaltenders: positioning, movement, puck skills & tactics
• July 26-27 Defence: skating skills, puck skills, defending & shooting
• July 28-29 Forwards: skating skills, puck skills, deception & goal scoring

Register >

It is important to note that there are no evaluations or selections associated with this camp.

NOTES:

1. Registration is limited at each position.
2. Only Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta Registered female athletes born in 2006 and 2007 are eligible to register.
3. The deadline to register is Wednesday, July 14.

Refund Policy >

Cost for the camp is $200 plus GST.

For any registration inquiries, please contact Taryn Baumgardt, Coordinator, Female Hockey at [email protected]

About Gatorade

Gatorade is a proud partner of Hockey Alberta. Gatorade Sports Drink was created to fuel athletic performance. Over the last 50 years, countless hours in the lab and on the field enabled us to ensure that every single ingredient within it is a reflection of that mission. For more information on the science behind the fuel, or its products visit Gatorade’s website.

RED DEER – If you can play, you can play.

It’s that simple for those involved with the You Can Play Project.

The You Can Play Project began as an effort to continue the work done by Brendan Burke, son of Brian Burke, the president of hockey operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Brendan Burke, who came out as an openly gay man in 2009, died in an automobile crash in 2010. Brendan’s brother Patrick, along with Brian Kitts and Glenn Witman began the You Can Play Project to continue Brendan’s work to eradicate homophobia in the National Hockey League (NHL) and beyond.

“Every day we’re out there trying to make sure that all athletes are judged based on their heart, their talent, their character, not their sexual orientation, not their gender identity,” said Witman. “Just be a good teammate, and we want you on the team.”

In 2012, You Can Play officially launched their partnership with the NHL by releasing a video called “The Faceoff”, featuring numerous NHL players, with the goal of the video to “carry on Brendan’s legacy, and ensure that LGBTQ+ athletes around the world are afforded equal opportunity; judged only by their talent, character, and work ethic in their sport.”

Along with the NHL, You Can Play has partnered with numerous other leagues and corporations. The National Football League, Canadian Football League, National Women’s Hockey League, Major League Soccer, and others help make the You Can Play Project initiatives possible, such as Pride Night collaborations and the development of educational platforms.

“(These partners) are the bread and butter of You Can Play. You need to have ambassadors and people that understand our mission that are out there trying to spread the word,” said Witman.

You Can Play encourages everyone to get involved as an advocate, ambassador, or volunteer. They have an excellent collection of resources on their website that can help educate players, coaches, parents, and teams about the importance of safety and inclusion for all LGBTQ+ athletes.

To contact You Can Play, please click here.

RED DEER - Registration is now open for the 2021 Team Alberta U18 Female Summer Selection Camp, Fuelled by Gatorade, which runs August 10-15 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer.

The Summer Selection Camp is the first step in the identification and selection of potential players for Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta program that will represent the province at the 2021 U18 Female National Championship. It is open to 2004 and 2005-born female athletes from Alberta who were registered with a Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta sanctioned program in the 2020-21 season.

*NOTE - Registration is now closed*

Cost for the camp is $200 plus GST. Each player will participate in one on-ice session and three games with an additional session for goaltenders.

For any registration inquiries, please contact Kendall Newell, Manager, Female Hockey at [email protected]

About Gatorade

Gatorade is a proud partner of Hockey Alberta and its Team Alberta athletes. Gatorade Sports Drink was created to fuel athletic performance. Over the last 50 years, countless hours in the lab and on the field enabled us to ensure that every single ingredient within it is a reflection of that mission. For more information on the science behind the fuel, or its products visit Gatorade’s website.

RED DEER - Registration is now open for the 2021 Team Alberta U16 Male Summer Selection Camp, Fuelled by Gatorade, which runs August 3-8 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer.

The Summer Selection Camp is the the first step in the identification and selection of potential players for Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta program that will represent the province at the 2021 WHL Cup. It is open to 2006-born male athletes from Alberta who were registered with a Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta sanctioned program in the 2020-21 season.

The Camp will be broken into three two-day camps based on region:

• August 3-4: South Region
• August 5-6: Central Region
• August 7-8: North Region

Register >

NOTES:

1. Registration is limited at each position at each camp.
2. Only Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta Registered male athletes born in 2006 are eligible to register.
3. The deadline to register is Friday, July 2.

Registration Directory >

Each player will participate in three on-ice sessions, with an additional session for goaltenders.

For any registration inquiries, please contact Mike Kraichy, Manager, Elite Male Hockey at [email protected]

About Gatorade

Gatorade is a proud partner of Hockey Alberta and its Team Alberta athletes. Gatorade Sports Drink was created to fuel athletic performance. Over the last 50 years, countless hours in the lab and on the field enabled us to ensure that every single ingredient within it is a reflection of that mission. For more information on the science behind the fuel, or its products visit Gatorade’s website.

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta has selected Serge Lajoie (St. Albert) to lead Team Alberta as the head coach of the 2021 U16 Male team.

Joining Lajoie on the bench as assistant coaches are Alex Mandolidis (Calgary) and Kyle Tapp (Lloydminster). Rounding out the coaching staff are James Poole (Calgary) as video coach and Derek Purfield (Calgary) as goaltending coach.

“We are extremely excited to not only resume the Team Alberta process, but to do so with such an exceptional staff,” said Michael Kraichy, Manager, Elite Male Hockey for Hockey Alberta. “The combined experience amongst these coaches is second-to-none, and we’re looking forward to seeing what this group can accomplish.”

Team Alberta will hold summer and fall camps in August and September in Red Deer to select the U16 Male team that will represent the province at the 2021 WHL Cup slated for later this fall.

Lajoie – currently the Head Coach of the OHA Edmonton U18 Prep team – has a storied history in the Team Alberta program. In 2011, he won a bronze medal at the Canada Winter Games as an assistant coach. In 2013, he was the head coach of Team Alberta at the Western Canada Challenge Cup (now the WHL Cup), leading the team to the gold medal.

Mandolidis is entering his third season as an assistant coach with the Mount Royal University Cougars. He has also been a fixture within Hockey Alberta programming. As video coach with Team Alberta, he won a bronze medal at the 2019 Canada Winter Games and silver at the 2017 WHL Cup. He has also had various roles at the Alberta Cup.

Tapp is the head coach of the Lloydminster U18 AAA Bobcats of the Alberta Elite Hockey League. He brought home a silver medal as an assistant coach with Team Alberta from the 2012 Western Canada Challenge Cup. He has also volunteered as a coach and mentor in the Alberta Cup program.

Poole is a head coach at the Edge School for Athletes in Calgary and Purfield is the goalie coach for the Okotoks Oilers of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Other members of the staff for Team Alberta U16 Male include: Bobby Fox (Calgary), head scout; Barry Medori (Spruce Grove), coach mentor; and Michael Kraichy (Red Deer), director of operations.

Registration for Team Alberta’s U16 Male Summer Camp, Fuelled by Gatorade, which will take place in August (dates determined by region), will open on Friday, June 11 at 10 am, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Team Alberta Path Forward >