OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Forty of Canada’s top female hockey players under 22 years old will be in Ottawa, ON from August 13-27, 2006 for Canada’s National Under-22 team Development and Selection Camp/Tournament.
After an extensive 2005-06 scouting season throughout all of Canada and parts of the United States, Wally Kozak, Hockey Canada’s Women’s Program Head Scout, in consultation with Canada’s National Under-22 Head Coach Peter Smith, identified forty-one players that will be attending this month’s Development Camp. Kozak and a team of scouts attended games, tournaments and championships all over North America, including but not limited to, the Esso Nationals, the CIS Nationals and the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and the Western Women’s Hockey League (WWHL) Championships.
The Camp roster features two players (Agosta and Vaillancourt) who won gold medals with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2006 Winter Olympic in Turin, ITA and two more players who were part of the Olympic centralized Women’s Team (Bonhomme and Riggs). Thirteen of the 20 gold medalists on the 2006 Women’s Olympic Hockey Team started their international careers with Canada’s National Under-22 program.
The camp roster has been divided into Red and White teams who will participate in a mini tournament with Finland’s National Women’s Team which is also in Ottawa to train.
At the conclusion of the U-22 Development Camp, a roster of 22 players will be selected to play against the U.S. National Women’s Under-22 Team in a three-game series at the University of Ottawa (ON) on August 24th, 25th and 27th.
CANADA U-22 vs. FINLAND
Game Schedule (August 14-19, 2006)
UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA (ON)
* ALL GAMES ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FREE OF CHARGE
Monday, August 14 @ 5:30 pm (ET)
Canada U22 Red vs. Canada U22 White
Tuesday, August 15 @ 5:30 pm (ET)
Canada U22 White vs. Finland
Wednesday, August 16 @ 5:30 pm (ET)
Canada U22 Red vs. Finland
Thursday, August 17 @ 5:30 pm (ET)
Canada U22 Red vs. Canada U22 White
Friday, August 18 @ 6:30 pm (ET)
Canada U22 White vs. Finland
Saturday, August 19 @ 4:00 pm (ET)
Canada U22 Red vs. Finland
“This years’ August camp and competition against Team Finland will showcase some of today’s outstanding prospects and the future prospects,“ said Wally Kozak. “The Talent pool is getting bigger and better across the country. For instance, returning players from the under-22 program will be challenged by many new players, which shows Canada’s depth of talent. The quality of competition will help in making the best decisions for selecting players that will continue to elevate the high standard of play achieved by our Olympic Champion Women's team.”
Hockey Canada launched the National Under-22 Program during the 1998-1999 season. The program provides female hockey players aged 18-21 with an opportunity to gain international experience such as playing on the international ice surface, high performance coaching, international travel and different playing styles and systems. The Under-22 program identifies and develops players that have the potential to move on to Canada’s National Women’s team and/or Women’s Olympic team in the future.
National Women’s Under-22 Development Camp roster
For more information on Hockey Canada’s Female Program of Excellence and the National Women’s Under-22 Team, visit Hockey Canada’s official website at www.hockeycanada.ca.