Hockey Alberta Announces Team Alberta Coaching Staff For Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup

Hockey Alberta announced on Friday the coaching staff for Team Alberta U16 Male that will compete at the 2012 Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup. Date and location to be confirmed.

“We have a very talented coaching staff and we’re all looking forward to this opportunity,” said Team Alberta Head Coach, Bryce Thoma. “We’re excited to begin the process of selecting a team that we feel will be successful at the tournament in November.”

Bryce Thoma (Red Deer), Head Coach – Thoma comes to Team Alberta after spending four years behind the bench as an assistant coach for the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He has been involved with Team Alberta in the past, particularly in the U17 program, as a selection camp coach. Thoma has played university hockey in the CIS for the University of Saskatchewan as well as three years of professional hockey in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). In 2001, Thoma won a Memorial Cup as a player for the Red Deer Rebels.

Jay Pylypuik (Calgary), Assistant Coach – Pylypuik is currently the head coach for the Calgary Royals of the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL). Jay has coached at a variety of levels including serving as an assistant coach for the Canmore Eagles of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) from 2008-2010.  Pylypuik has been involved with the Team Alberta program for several years serving as a coach and a coach mentor at the Alberta Cup winning the event in 2011 with Team Calgary South. Pylypuik was also the video coach in 2011 for Team Alberta U16 Male that won gold at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup.

Kyle Tapp (Lloydminster), Assistant Coach – Tapp is currently an assistant coach for the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and was also an assistant coach for the Olds Grizzlies during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. Tapp has competed as a head coach in the Alberta Cup for the past two years, most recently winning the event in 2012 with Team Northeast.

Stefan Bieber (Calgary), Video Coach – Bieber is currently an assistant coach with the Calgary Northstars of the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL). Bieber has been involved with the Team Alberta Program since 2007 where he has held positions of coach and coach mentor at the Alberta cup as well as a camp coach in the U17 program.

J.F. Martel (Calgary), Goaltending Coach – Martel is Hockey Alberta’s lead goalie instructor where he trains and develops both goalie coaches and goaltenders. He is also the Vice President of Operations for World Pro Goaltending. 

The Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup is a partnership between the four Western Provincial Hockey Branches - Hockey Alberta, BC Hockey, Hockey Manitoba and the Saskatchewan Hockey Association – and the Western Hockey League (WHL). The event takes place in the off years of the Canada Winter Games which is every four years.

The Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup is the final event in the first year of the Team Alberta Male program. Selected players then advance to the second year of the program (U17) where they compete for a roster spot on Team Pacific.

Team Alberta U16 Male has captured gold at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in both 2009 and 2011. 

Former Team Alberta players include 2011 WHL Rookie of the Year, Matt Dumba, and NHL’ers Jordan Eberle, Jay Bouwmeester, Devan Dubnyk, Devin Setoguchi and Tyler Myers. 

For the second time in the three years the Sherwood Park Stealth has been crowned playoff champions in the Alberta Men’s Roller Hockey League (http://www.amrhl.org/). They defeated the Edmonton Backhanders on June 28th in the final game of the best-of-3 series by a score of 4-3 at the Russ Barnes Arena in Edmonton.

The team is comprised of the following 1992 born players: Clark Adcock, Graeme Alexander, Jeremy Cowan, Michael Figgures, Bret Lewis, Shayne Maloney, Danny Rudd, Sammy Spurrell and Brayden Stauch. Rylan Gaudet served as coach this year and Tommy Nixon was the team’s backup goaltender. Seven members of the Stealth played for Team Alberta Inline in 2009 and 2010. Nixon is a member of the 2012 Team Alberta Inline.

The Stealth faced considerable adversity going into the final game against the Backhanders. They had previously lost Rudd to a knee injury for the last round of playoffs. Then starting goalie Figgures sustained a collar bone injury in game two the previous night, setting the stage for 17-year-old Nixon to backstop the Stealth to victory.

The Stealth opened the season at the Alberta Adult Ice Breaker in Edmonton in early April, compiling a 4-0-1 record on their way to winning the tournament. They followed this up by capturing the gold medal at NARCh Alberta Regional Qualifier event in Red Deer in mid-May.

During the regular season, the Stealth compiled a 11-4-0-1 record, finishing fourth in the 13-team league. They followed this up with 6 wins and a single loss (to the Backhanders) during three playoff rounds.

In 2010, the Stealth were also victorious in their inaugural entry in league play, finishing fourth during the regular season and going 6-1 in the playoffs. The Stealth seem to rise to the occasion. Considering their age and the competition they have faced, two playoff championships in three years constitutes a remarkable accomplishment.

The Alberta Men’s Roller Hockey League constitutes the most elite level of competition of its kind in the province.

Hockey Alberta would like to congratulate its 17 alumni that were selected in the 2012 NHL Draft this past June 22-23 in Pittsburgh.

“We couldn’t be prouder of the players that were selected. They worked extremely hard to get to this point in their careers,” said Hockey Alberta’s Senior Manager of Hockey Development, Tim Leer. “These players getting drafted is a great sense of accomplishment not only to the players and their families, but to Hockey Alberta, all the Minor Hockey Associations, coaches and teammates that were there along the way; such a positive for hockey and hockey development in Alberta.”

Of the Hockey Alberta based players drafted, 11 participated in Team Alberta programs between 2009 and 2011. The 17 picks in 2012 are up from the 14 that were selected at last year’s draft.

Four of the Hockey Alberta picks; Parayko, Holland, Benning and Tomkins, were selected out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The other 13 played in the Western Hockey League last season.

The 2012 NHL Draft had seven rounds where a total of 211 prospects from all over the world were selected by one of the 30 NHL teams.

Hockey Alberta announced on Wednesday the Team Alberta Inline roster that will represent the province at the “State Wars” international roller hockey tournament, August 4-8, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Team Alberta Inline is comprised of 10 skaters and two goalies born in 1994 or later. The team will compete in the AAA division for that age group at the tournament. Players attended an identification camp from June 1-3 in Red Deer before getting selected to the team. In addition to the players, the team staff will consist of two coaches, one trainer and one director of operations.

Team Alberta Inline has four returning players - Terry Martin (Ardrossan, Alta), Aric Schinke (Sherwood Park, Alta), Jarret Evans (Sherwood Park, Alta) and Christopher Rauckman (Red Deer, Alta) - from last year’s team where they were able to capture the silver medal when the event was hosted in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“We’re excited about this group of athletes,” said Team Alberta Inline’s Director of Operations, Drew Dixon. “We are fortunate to have some experienced players on the team and we hope to build off our silver medal from last year.”

State Wars brings together the top inline hockey talent from around North America in all age divisions.

Inline hockey is played on inline roller skates with its own unique puck within the confines of a hockey rink or indoor soccer pitch. Games are played four-on-four plus goalies and there are no line violations like icings and off sides. Penalties are similar to ice hockey, but body checking is not allowed at any level even in international play. The equipment used is the same as ice hockey with the exception of the skates and pants. Hockey pants are allowed, but most players prefer inline pants.

Hockey Alberta’s 2012 Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was attended by over 200 delegates from across the province, concluded Sunday in Red Deer.

Hockey Alberta’s 2012 AGM brought together the governing body’s board of directors, officers, life members, and member organizations, as well as from councils that oversee female hockey, junior hockey, minor hockey, senior hockey and hockey development.

Highlights from Hockey Alberta’s AGM include:

- Hockey Alberta hosted a Body Checking Seminar on Friday, June 8 where the membership discussed current body checking standards in the province. Delegates took part in a survey and workshop session intended to provide Hockey Alberta with data to guide a review process moving forward. Hockey Alberta will appoint a body checking review committee to review the topic and current regulations over the next year.

- The Hockey Alberta membership approved a motion to introduce new bylaws as a result of its governance review over the past two seasons. The change, subject to final approval from Alberta Corporate Registry will see Hockey Alberta’s board become a “policy board” of eight members.

- Hockey Canada will launch a membership card national loyalty program for the 2012-13 season which will provide value to participants through providing discounts at national and provincial corporate partner locations. The program will also provide a credit back to the participant for every purchase to off set registration costs.

- Hockey Alberta intends to host a provincial hockey summit in 2013 bringing together all stakeholders in hockey from all level to discuss the current state and the future of hockey in Alberta.

- The Bentley Generals will host the 2013 Allan Cup.

President’s Award Winner - Len Samletzki (Edmonton) - Hockey Alberta’s Chief Financial Officer

Hockey Alberta Board of Directors for interim period waiting for Alberta Corporate Registry approval:

President: Rob Virgil (Edmonton)

VP Development: Wayne Curry (Grande Prairie)

VP Operations: Fran Zinger (Sherwood Park)

Past President: Annie Orton (Blairmore)

Chief Financial Officer: Len Samletzki (Edmonton)

Zone 1 Director: Craig Reid (Lacrete)

Zone 2 Director: Randy Hupka (Boyle)

Zone 3 Director: Karen Hoflin (Spruce Grove)

Zone 4 Director: Graham Parsons (Sylvan Lake)

Zone 5 Director: Bob Bartlett (Lethbridge)

Zone 6 Director: George Kallay (Drumheller)

Zone 7 Director: Robert Friesen (Strathcona)

Zone 8 Director: Lorne McDonald (Edmonton)

Zone 8 Director: Paul Schmidt (Edmonton)

Zone 9 Director: David Sevalrud (Calgary)

Zone 9 Director Perry Cavanagh (Calgary)

Junior A Director: Greg Wood (Camrose)

Senior Council Director: Kim Marsh (Red Deer)

Female Council Director: Greg Nesom (High River)

Minor Council Director: Fred Horbay (Blairmore)

Junior Council Director: Terry Engen (Eckville)

Referee Council Director: Curtis Nichols (Sylvan Lake)

WHL Representative: Brian McNaughton (Lethbridge)

Minor Female Rep (North) - Vacant

Minor Female Rep (South) - Bob Stinn (Cochrane)

Female South Rep - Lil Fulton (Calgary)

Female North Rep - Anna-Lynn Sanche (Edmonton)

Board of Directors - In waiting (Subject to approval from Alberta Corporate Registry):

Chairman of the Board - Rob Virgil (Edmonton)

Vice Chair of the Board - Terry Engen (Eckville)

Past Chair - Annie Orton (Blairmore)

Director of Operations - Fred Horbay (Blairmore)

Director at Large - Fran Zinger (Sherwood Park)

Director of Finance - Len Samletzki (Edmonton)

Director at Large - Laury Schmidt (High River)

On Saturday, the Hockey Alberta Foundation hosted the Hockey Alberta Awards Gala. Over 450 people attended and over $20,000 was generated supporting the Hockey Alberta Foundation. The following people and organizations were presented with a Hockey Alberta Award for 2011-2012:

Hockey Alberta Award Winners:

Minor Hockey Association Executive of the Year:

- Ken Morris (Calgary) - Hockey Calgary

Minor Hockey Association of the Year:

- Smoky River Minor Hockey Association

Meritorious Award winners:

- Lorna LeBlanc (Grande Prairie)

- Vern Davis (Edmonton)

- Cara Sheppard (Gleichen)

Hockey Alberta Development Award Winners:

- Paul Carson (Calgary)

- Kevin Sharp (Sherwood Park)

- Guy Doucet (Edmonton)

Investors Group Exceptional Provincials Host Site Award:

- Manning Minor Hockey Association

- Taber Minor Hockey Association

Hockey Alberta Officiating Award Winners:

Zone Awards:

- Scott Walker (North East), Shayne Davis (North Central), Chris Despot (Peace), Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds (South), Jay Crockett (North), Dustin Pysyk (North), Dwayne Yakubow (North), Stewart Hill (Central), Mark MacIsaac (Central), Sean Walsh (Central)

Ernie Boruk Award (Officiating):

- Dion Pollard (Vermilion)

Dave Ganley Award (Officiating):

- Jody Ginther (Lethbridge)

- Monty Wood (Edmonton)

Hockey Alberta Referee Council Life Membership Award:

- Duncan MacDougall (Edmonton)

Future Leader Scholarship Winners (Distinguished Leaders):

- Brandin Cote (Red Deer) - $2,750.00

- Cody Reynolds (Sylvan Lake) - $2,750.00

Future Leader Officiating Scholarship Winners (Distinguished Leaders):

- Matt Schoenroth (Lethbridge) - $2,500.00

- Brett McElroy (Sherwood Park) - $2,500.00

The 2012 inductees into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame were also recognized at the Hockey Alberta Awards Gala.

Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Inductees:

- 1994 University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Men’s Hockey Team

- 1984-85 NAIT Ooks Men’s Hockey Team

- Allan Ferchuk (Red Deer) - Red Deer College Kings

- Wally Popik (St. Albert) - Past Hockey Alberta Referee-in-Chief

- Ross Perkins (Edmonton) - Former Edmonton Oilers player and amateur hockey coach

- George H. Harvie (Deceased) - Former AAHA President (Pioneer Category)