National Women’s U18 Championship brings up fond memories for Bree Kennedy

RED DEER - The opening of the 2023 National Women’s U18 Championship, which dropped the puck on Sunday, November 5 in Dawson Creek, B.C., stirred up memories for Team Alberta alumni Bree Kennedy.

Kennedy was a member of Team Alberta that competed in the 2019 tournament in Morden and Winkler, Manitoba.

“As always, when putting on the Team Alberta logo, I was filled with a sense of pride and deep commitment to represent my province in the best way possible,” Kennedy recalled. “Knowing my role and embracing it was a necessity, as was applying what I had learned before the tournament with unwavering effort and precision. Although we didn’t achieve the results we had strived for, I firmly believe we had the potential to go even further.”

“What’s also amazing is that I had the privilege of sharing this unforgettable experience with so many of my current teammates (at the University of Alberta). I’ve had the pleasure of watching each one of them grow tremendously from our Team Alberta days to now.”

Kennedy is now suiting up in USports with the Pandas and while the result of the tournament didn’t fall in Team Alberta’s favour with a sixth-place finish, she gained the confidence to know she could play at the next level.

“When competing against the top opponents from each province, I was motivated to play as meticulously and gritty as I could. Understanding my role on the team was important, too,” Kennedy said.

“In competing at this elite level where everyone excels, knowing and appreciating why you were chosen to represent your province is important. In this championship, where all players are elite, if you thought you were good before, you may find yourself questioning your abilities. It’s important to play to your strengths to the best of your abilities and control what you can control.”

The 21-year-old forward also highlighted her time with Hockey Alberta as a special experience for her, one that helped her grow both on and off the ice as she went through Hockey Alberta’s Elite Female Pathway.

“The impact these experiences (with Team Alberta) have had on my athletic development and personal growth. Taking part in many of the development camps and being part of various teams enhanced my understanding of the game and bolstered my confidence,” Kennedy said.

“I also gained an appreciation for the concept that winning demands 100% effort from every individual involved in the team. Above all, my experiences with Team Alberta taught me the importance of controlling what you can control, which ultimately means not worrying about what everyone else is doing and focusing on what I can do. Playing for Team Alberta also paved the way for me to play at the university level and fueled my passion for taking the game as far as possible.”

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is proud to announce that Rob Virgil of Edmonton has been recognized with Life Membership status for his decades of service to minor hockey.

Life Membership is the highest honour which may be bestowed by Hockey Alberta, recognizing individuals who have dedicated their time and support to making the game of hockey better in Alberta.

"Rob Virgil has been a dedicated hockey volunteer in Alberta for almost four decades, serving at almost every level of the sport, and he continues to give his time as chair of the Nominations Committee for the Board of Directors,” said Fran Zinger, Chair of the Life Member committee. “We are pleased to be able to recognize his commitment to hockey for life in Alberta.”

Virgil got involved in minor hockey originally coaching his son’s team in the Carlisle area in Edmonton. He eventually became involved at the executive level as a division director, league director and president, district president and chair of the Edmonton Federation Hockey Council and Edmonton AA Hockey Council. He also started a non-contact recreational program in the Edmonton area and played until 2003.

At the provincial level, Virgil first joined Hockey Alberta’s Board of Directors as the Zone 8 Director for the Edmonton area, chairing several Board committees. In 2007, he moved to the executive level, serving as Vice President Operations and Vice President Development, before being elected Hockey Alberta President in 2011. He served as Past Chair from 2013-2019 and he currently is chair of the Board’s nominations committee.

Virgil’s decades of work to improve hockey in Alberta have been recognized locally, provincially and nationally:

• 2001, President’s Award from the Edmonton Federation Hockey Council
• 2007, Hockey Alberta Centennial Award
• 2010, Life Member with the Edmonton Federation Hockey Council
• 2012, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and
• 2014, Hockey Canada’s Order of Merit award, as “an individual who has served amateur hockey faithfully.”

RED DEER – More than 40 tournaments are scheduled across Alberta this weekend, and hosts are ensuring participants have the opportunity to pay their respects on Remembrance Day, and throughout the weekend.

Many tournament hosts are ensuring that poppy stickers are placed on each player’s helmet for the duration of the tournament as well as a moment of silence taking place at 11 am on Saturday, November 11.

Olds Minor Hockey is hosting its U13 Ice Showdown Tournament, and the organizing committee is collaborating with the local Royal Canadian Legion as part of the commitment to honouring the veterans.

“In support of the Legion’s cause, poppy sales are being facilitated on their behalf. A poignant tribute is planned for November 11th, where a moment of silence will be observed across all ice surfaces, accompanied by the solemn notes of the Last Post,” said Heather Boone, Olds Minor Hockey U13 Coordinator. “Additionally, special recognition of the veterans is included in our programs, which will be distributed to more than 190 players and their families, emphasizing the significance of remembrance and gratitude for the sacrifices made. This commemorative event stands as a heartfelt tribute to our Canadian veterans, honouring their courage, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment to our country.”

Strathmore Minor Hockey is also hosting a U13 tournament with games in Strathmore, Standard and Gleichen.

“We are lucky to have the support of the Strathmore Legion, who graciously donated over 400 poppy stickers for each player to wear on their helmets through the tournament and beyond,” said Kendra Milne, tournament coordinator for Strathmore Minor Hockey Association Tournament Coordinator.

In addition to the poppy stickers and a moment of silence, the U13 Indus Hurricanes are going the extra mile to honour the veterans.

“We’re holding a Veterans food bank challenge,” said Jayme McHattie, Manager of the U13 club. “The team that brings the most items of food will win a prize for the team.”

Tournaments in Millet and High Country will have poems read once their moment of silence concludes. In High Country, there will be a bagpiper performing a traditional song.

In Taber, in addition to honouring Remembrance Day, teams will partake in a Memorial tournament for Rowan Beckie, a U13 player who passed away in February.

“We are having a moment of silence after the Act of Remembrance is read for Remembrance Day,” said Melanie Jespersen, Taber tournament organizer. “We want to show our respect for our veterans and all they have done for our country. We are balancing that with honouring our lost teammate and friend. So we have two very focuses and we will do our best to honour them both.”

In honour of Remembrance Day, please check out previous stories:

Honouring the Human Behind the Uniform

https://www.hockeyalberta.ca/news/112021/honouring-human-behind-uniform-1470/

Lest We Forget
https://www.hockeyalberta.ca/news/112020/lest-we-forget-1281/

RED DEER – As part of the second annual Maltreatment Awareness Day (11.4 Day), Hockey Alberta is continuing an initiative that began last season.

Starting last year on November 4 (11.4 Day), Hockey Alberta partnered with 17 AAA and AA programs around the province to circulate ‘These Don’t Belong’ banners.

“Our goal is to nurture a positive hockey culture throughout Alberta,” said Darcy Smith, Manager, Hockey Alberta Foundation, and one of the people who spearheaded the signage project. “We need to eliminate maltreatment in our game in order to achieve this.”

The banners highlight that hockey is a game for everyone and racism, discrimination, sexual mistreatment or harassment, as well as emotional, physical and verbal abuse will not be tolerated. The campaign expanded to sending 1,172 Maltreatment Awareness posters to every hockey facility in Alberta. The final step was completed when each Hockey Alberta Provincial Championship host, as well as 16 other associations, was provided with banners to display at their tournaments.

The initiative was started to create awareness around Section 11 (Maltreatment), and more specifically Rule 11.4 (Discrimination) of Hockey Canada’s rule book, while directly connecting Hockey Alberta’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee to the campaign. This was done to show the steps Hockey Alberta is taking as an organization to educate on maltreatment in the game, where it exists and how to identify and report it.

The campaign has had positive feedback thus far on the messaging and impact these banners have had to create awareness.

“This is a great campaign. We welcome it here and will help out wherever we can,” said a member of Fort Saskatchewan Minor Hockey Association.

Due to the positive reviews, Hockey Alberta is continuing the campaign to remind everyone that this type of negative behaviour doesn’t belong in the game of hockey and that everyone belongs in the sport.

Maltreatment Awareness Banner Request Form >

Hayleigh Craig of the University of Alberta Pandas is now a three-year veteran on the team and a mainstay on one of the top teams in the country, as the Pandas were listed third in the nation amongst USport teams in the most recent rankings on October 24.

They are looking to end a seven-year drought, and bring home their ninth USports national championship to add to their already record leading eight since the Golden Path Trophy was handed out for the first time in 1998.

But before Craig was tasked with helping the Pandas achieve these goals, she was part of the team selected to represent Alberta at the 2019 National Women’s U18 Championship in Morden and Winkler, Manitoba.

“I remember it went by really fast,” Craig recalls of that tournament in which she played in all four games as Team Alberta finished sixth. “We didn’t do as well as we wanted in that tournament, but we had a great group of girls, so it was a really good learning experience.”

The tournament features the best players from across Canada, something that Craig said really helped her prepare for the university level.

“I learned a ton. You go from playing AAA or in one of the school leagues, where there’s a little more variety of skill level to playing for your province where it’s best-on-best,” Craig said. “You have to adjust quickly in a tournament like that. You have to play faster, think faster and I think it’s a really good steppingstone for those looking to move onto the next level. A lot of the girls from our team as well as others are now playing in USports or the NCAA and I think a lot of that has to do with all the tips and tricks we learned from that tournament and the coaching we got, and getting shown a professional environment such as living in a hotel for a week and having to come together quickly with a bunch of people from different backgrounds.”

Craig wasn’t the only member from Team Alberta to make her way to the Pandas. Three other members from that 2019 squad - Bree Kennedy, Natalie Keiser and Jaydnn Morden – also are suiting up for the University of Alberta.

“It’s super cool,” Craig said. “At that time, I think Bree and I were the only ones who had committed, but obviously the others followed suit. It’s nice having the familiarity with them and made the adjustment at the university level a bit easier. We played together at the Canada Winter Games too, so I’ve spent a lot of time with them, and it’s been a really great experience.”

Coincidentally, the 2023 version of Team Alberta that will be competing in the National Women’s U18 Championship November 5-11 in Dawson Creek, B.C., took on Craig’s Pandas in an exhibition match to help determine Team Alberta’s final cuts ahead of this year’s tournament.

“This year I noticed they were big and strong. They had some really skilled girls as well, but stepping onto the ice for the first time with them I really noticed how strong they were,” she said. “They were really hard on the puck and sometimes you don’t really find that with 16 or 17-year-old girls. Hopefully they have some success this year and bring a gold medal back to Alberta.”

Team Alberta will begin its tournament against Quebec. The team’s full schedule can be found below:

RED DEER – The hockey competition at the 2024 Alberta Winter Games will have a slightly different look than previous events.

New for 2024, the competing teams at the Alberta Winter Games will be club teams - U15 AA for the Male competition and U13 AA for the Female competition. The Games take place February 16-19 in Grande Prairie.

In keeping with the Zone format established for the Alberta Winter Games, teams will be selected to represent each of the eight zones.

For the Male competition, U15 AA teams had to declare their interest in representing their zone by October 12. The team in each zone with the highest win percentage in its respective league, as of December 19, will be selected to compete at the Games. Male teams that have declared their interest in participating in the Alberta Winter Games are:

For the Female competition, U13 AA teams in the Alberta Female Hockey League will have a different selection process. Zones with more than one team eligible will see those teams face off in a play down tournament, with each winning team earning the right represent its zone at the Games.