June 12, 2007
NR.087

SEVENTEEN ELITE UNDER-22 AND UNDER-19 GOALTENDERS TO ATTEND 1ST EVER HOCKEY CANADA NATIONAL WOMEN’S GOALTENDING CAMP IN CALGARY, JUNE 14-17

CALGARY – Hockey Canada announced Tuesday that the first ever National Women’s Program Goaltending Camp will be held at the Norma Bush Arena in Calgary, AB from June 14-17.

Seventeen goaltenders – eight in the under-22 age category, eight in the under-19 category and one from the National Women’s Team – will get the opportunity to work with Denis Sproxton, goaltending consultant for the National Women’s Program, during the four-day camp.

Sproxton will be joined by six other instructors: Matt Cockell (Winnipeg, MB/ goaltending coach, University of Manitoba women’s hockey, CIS), Amey Doyle (Smith Falls, ON/ assistant coach, McGill University women’s hockey, CIS), Sarah Howald (Regina, SK/ head coach, University of Regina women’s hockey, CIS)Joe Johnston (Lower Sackville, NS/ assistant coach and goaltending coach, Dalhousie University, CIS), Marco Marciano (Laval, QC/ goaltending coach, Quebec Avalanche, NWHL) and Jen Price (New Westminster, BC/ goaltender, BC Breakers, WWHL).

NOTE: Shannon Szabados will attend the camp, but will not take part in any on-ice sessions due to injury. In addition, Charline Labonté (Boisbriand, QC) and Kim St-Pierre (Châteauguay, QC) received invitations to camp, but are unable to attend.

The goaltenders were selected by Hockey Canada to be part of the Under-19 and Under-22 programs based on evaluations done by Wally Kozak, head scout for the National Women’s Program, along with his regional scouts during the 2006-07 season. These evaluations included performances with their respective club teams, along with the Canada Winter Games for the Under-19 goaltenders. These goaltenders also took part strength and conditioning/skating camps in May.

“This camp is a terrific opportunity to develop some of the best young goaltenders in Canada,” says Julie Healy, director of female hockey for Hockey Canada. “It gives these goaltenders the unique opportunity to learn from some of the best instructors our country has to offer.”

The camp will include both on-ice and off-ice sessions. All of the on-ice sessions will be held at Norma Bush Arena in Calgary, AB and will be open to the public.