CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday that forty-one of the top female hockey players in Canada will be in Calgary from September 17-21, 2008 for the first National Women’s Team camp of the 2008-09 season.
The camp will be used to determine which athletes will be part of the group that will work towards the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship and Olympic centralization. In February 2009, 22 players will be selected to play for Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship. In the summer of 2009, up to 30 athletes will move to Calgary as part of centralization to train and work towards the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC.
The September camp is the first of several camps that Hockey Canada will hold throughout the year (see below for more information). The camp roster includes four goaltenders, 15 defencemen and 22 forwards.
Two players – forwards Brianne Jenner (St. Catharines, ON/Mississauga, CWHL) and Katie Weatherston (Thunder Bay, ON/Montreal, CWHL) – were invited to the camp but are unable to participate due to injuries.
“The week will be an evaluation of players who are working towards the 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship and final Olympic centralization roster,” says Melody Davidson, head coach of the National Women’s Team. “It’s therefore an important week for these players as we will be selecting our player pool as we look ahead to the next two years.”
At the September evaluation camp, the players will be divided into two teams – Team Red and Team White. The two teams will face Midget AAA teams from the Calgary area in a tournament, with each team playing four games. The Midget AAA teams are Calgary Flames and UFA Bisons. Following a round-robin, the top two teams will play on Sunday, as will the teams that finish in third and fourth.
All practices and games will be held at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary. Also, practices and games will be open to the general public.
Important dates for 2008-09 National Women’s Team season
September 17-21 – Evaluation camp in Calgary, AB
October 8-14 – Training camp in Moncton, NB
October 29-November 3 – Pre-comp camp, Montreal, QC
November 4-9 – 4 Nations Cup in Lake Placid, NY
December 27-31 – Training camp (location TBD)
March 24-April 3, 2009 – Pre-worlds camp, Finland
April 4-12 – 2009 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Hameenlinna, Finland
May 2009 – Olympic centralization roster announced |