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Coach of the Month - Candace Patten

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta’s Coach of the Month for January, sponsored by Players Bench Team Apparel, is Candace Patten of Battle River.

Candace is the currently the head coach of the Battle River Knights U11 Female team, and has been coaching hockey for three years now.

With her eye on growing the female game, Candace thought it would be great for the young girls in her community to have more female mentors on the ice and in the dressing room, which is why she started coaching.

"Coach Candace has taken every kid and made them into hockey players. She gets a huge variety of skills on the team from basically learn to skate to very skilled players, and some how she gets the girls to gel and bond as a team," said the parent who nominated Candace. "She see the potential in every player and encourages them to be their best and to work hard. Candace is the type of coach our little girls need - she doesn’t get upset, she doesn’t raise her voice, and she see the game from their perspective, as she also played growing up."

While she doesn’t have a specific favourite coaching moment that stands out to her, often times when she runs into girls she’s coached out in public or at the rink, the bond is still strong. It makes her feel like she has had a positive impact on their early years in hockey.

"The best year of hockey I ever played was at a college level for a female coach who made the biggest difference in my gameplay by instilling confidence in myself," said Candace. "Sometimes when I start to get caught up in some of the competitiveness or chaos that can arise when coaching, I try to take a step back and remember at the end of the day the highest importance should be placed on maintaining or building my players’ confidence."


Hockey Alberta News

The Coach of the Month award is presented every month during the Minor Hockey season, based on nominations submitted to Hockey Alberta.

Minor hockey coaches will be selected throughout the hockey season and will receive a coaching package from Players Bench Team Apparel valued at over $500, which includes a helmet, gloves, track suit, coach bag, puck bag, rink board, and coaching resources.

Nomination Form >

News

Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA Team Up to Present the Hockey Alberta Members Summit

RED DEER – Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA are teaming up with Hockey Alberta to present the Hockey Alberta Summit, June 10-12, in Red Deer.

All Hockey Alberta member organizations are invited to attend the weekend of development, education and networking. The Summit will foster collaboration, innovation and community amongst the hockey community – aligning with Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA’s innovative partnership.

“Sprung Structures is excited to announce our alliance with two Alberta based companies, ready to deliver turnkey arenas to communities across the province,” said Maclean Sprung, Sprung Structures Business Development. “The alliance between Sprung, Stantec and CANA has provided a solution unlike anything we have ever seen before. Together, this trio will not only be able to provide an efficient construction timeline and a cost-effective pricing model, but saving valuable time, effort and energy needed to plan, permit, design, and build a new arena.”

The Sprung Community Arena packages are designed by the best in the business to provide the ultimate solution for rural communities when it comes to a place to gather, celebrate, and connect.

Sprung Arenas has partnered with Stantec, an award-winning architecture and engineering firm known for their design excellence and quality execution, and CANA, construction leaders with over seven decades in industry, to deliver three affordable complete arena solutions for rural communities. Together, the trio is revolutionizing the construction industry by minimizing the time, effort and energy needed to plan, permit, design and build an arena.

“Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA are industry-leading examples of Hockey Alberta’s values – collaboration, innovation and community,” said Mike Klass, Hockey Alberta’s Director of Business Operations. “To partner with them to present the Hockey Alberta Summit is an opportunity to showcase these values and present solutions to communities and members who face facility challenges.”

For more information on Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA visit sprungarena.com. To learn more about Hockey Alberta and the Hockey Alberta Summit, visit hockeyalberta.ca or follow on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Centre Ice Podcast

Centre Ice Podcast - Episode Twenty: Black History Month

RED DEER - With Black History Month being celebrated all of February, Episode Twenty of the Centre Ice Podcast features three Albertans who have all experienced success in the game of hockey, but also adversity in the form of racial inequality, and are each working to make the game more inclusive for everyone - Toronto Maple Leafs Coaching Development Associate T.J. Millar, St. Albert U16 AAA Flyers forward Turner McIntyre, and Chairperson of Hockey Alberta’s Diversity Inclusion Committee Anton Joseph.

Hockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta NewsHockey Alberta News


Episode Links: WHL Draft Pick Turner McIntyre Hopes to Break Barriers > | Team AB U18 Female CWG Coaching Application > | Team AB U16 Male CWG Coaching Application > | Coach of the Month >

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!

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Photo credit: Rob Wallator / WHL


Team Alberta U16 Male accepting Assistant and Video Coach applications for 2023 Canada Winter Games | Serge Lajoie announced as Head Coach

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is seeking two Assistant Coaches and one Video Coach for the Team Alberta U16 Male team that will compete in the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island February 17-25, 2023.

Applicants must:

  1. Be fully qualified at the NCCP High Performance 1;
  2. Be in good standing with Hockey Alberta and/or member Branch;
  3. Have a strong knowledge base and understanding of systems and strategies; and
  4. Be fully compliant with the Canada Games vaccination policy.

Apply Now >

Key dates include the 2022 Alberta Cup (April 27 - May 1), Team Alberta Summer Camp (July 4-10), Team Alberta December Camp (December 2022), Team Staging (January 14, 2023) and Team Training (February 2023).

All inquiries can be directed to Michael Kraichy, Manager, Elite Male Hockey at [email protected]


Team Alberta U16 Male names Serge Lajoie Head Coach for 2023 Canada Winter Games

Team Alberta U16 Male will have a familiar face behind the bench at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, as Serge Lajoie was named Head Coach by Hockey Alberta.

Lajoie – currently the Head Coach of the OHA Edmonton U18 Prep team – has a storied history in the Team Alberta program. He was an assistant coach with the Team Alberta Male squad that won the bronze medal at the 2011 Games in Halifax, and head coach of the gold medalist U16 male squad at the 2013 Western Canada Challenge Cup. He served as Head Coach for Team Alberta once again at the 2021 WHL Cup, earning a silver medal

“It is an honour and a privilege to lead Team Alberta at the 2023 Canada Winter Games,” said Lajoie. “I have very fond memories from the event in 2011, and I am excited for the opportunity and the challenge that lies ahead.”

Lajoie previously spent three season as Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears, winning a national title in 2018, and was also an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2016 IIHF U18 World Championship. As a player, Lajoie participated in the inaugural Alberta Cup, winning a silver medal in 1986.

News

Lloydminster hosts successful Female Hockey Day

LLOYDMINSTER – Hockey Alberta hosted the fourth annual Female Hockey Day, presented by ATB Financial, in Lloydminster on January 29.

Over 120 female hockey players, parents, coaches, and supporters gathered at the Servus Sports Centre Zoom on January 29 to engage and learn on and off-ice skills from accomplished coaches and speakers. Each age group went through an on-ice skills session, off-ice movement and games session, and a classroom session.

Joining each session as group leaders were players from the U18 AAA Lloydminster PWM Steelers.

Many participants stuck around for the feature game of the day between the AFHL’s U15 AA Lloydminster Jr. Steelers and Sherwood Park Royals.

The day was capped off with a free skate that featured the U15 Steelers, along with a number of participants from the day’s events.