Team Alberta U18 and U16 Female Camp Invites Announced

RED DEER - A total of 114 female athletes from across Alberta are about to take the next step in Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta program.

Invitations have been extended to 68 players to attend the Team Alberta U18 Female Summer Camp July 9-14 in Red Deer, which is the next step in the selection process for the 2019 U18 Nationals in Morden & Winkler, MB. 46 players have also been invited to the Team Alberta U16 Female Summer Camp, which runs in conjunction with the U18 camp from July 11-14.

U16 Female Summer Camp Invites >

U18 Female Summer Camp Invites >

"Summer camp is a big event for these athletes and for Hockey Alberta," said Kendall Newell, Manager of Female Hockey. "The talent level that we have this year at both the U16 and U18 level is very encouraging to see, and we are excited to see these players show their skills."

The U16 camp list includes six goalies, 16 defence, and 24 forwards, while the U18 camp will host eight goalies, 24 defence, and 36 forwards. The selection process is based on the Team Alberta scouting process throughout the 2018-19 season, as well as the 2019 U16 Alberta Challenge in Leduc in May. From the Summer Camp, a shortlist will be established, with those players scouted with their club teams and 25-27 players continuing on to Fall Camp where the 20 players who will comprise the roster for Team Alberta are named.

U16 Summer Camp game schedule:

U18 Summer Camp game schedule:

RED DEER -The coaching staff who will lead the Team Alberta U18 Female squad at the 2019 U18 National Championships has been announced by Hockey Alberta.

The team will be led by head coach Craig Perrett, who was on the bench as an assistant during the U18 Female gold medal run at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. Flanking him will be assistant coaches Dayna Janzen and Brett Wold, who both recently finished head coaching stints at the 2019 U16 Alberta Challenge. Other coaching staff members include goaltender coach Engi Lim, who has experience with the Team Alberta U16 program, and video coach Shanya Shwetz, who was an assistant coach at the 2019 U16 Alberta Challenge.

"We are very excited about the experience level of this particular group of coaches," said Kendall Newell, Manager of Female Hockey. "With the staff in place, we can now begin the process of building towards another successful year for the Team Alberta U18 Female program."

Invitations will be sent out to 68 players by the end of May to participate in the summer selection camp running from July 9-14 in Red Deer. A shortlist of players will be selected to participate in the final selection camp taking place September 27-29, where the final roster will be chosen. The team training weekend October 18-20 will be the final preparation before departing for the competition in Morden & Winkler, MB, November 3-9.

2019 Team Alberta U18 Staff

Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the team staff that will lead Team Alberta U18 Female at the 2019 U18 Nationals.

RED DEER - It was another solid year for Alberta at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver.

A total of 12 players with Alberta roots were selected, including seven in the first two rounds.

Four Team Alberta alumni were taken in the first round alone, with Fort Saskatchewan’s Kirby Dach going third overall to the Chicago Blackhawks, making him the highest-drafted Albertan since Jay Bouwmeester went third overall to the Florida Panthers in 2002.

Dach’s Team Alberta teammate Bowen Byram was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the next pick, while Peyton Krebs and Brayden Tracey went 17th and 29th to the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks, respectively.

Carter Gylander of the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Sherwood Park Crusaders was the lone Alberta netminder selected in the draft, going to the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh round.

A full list of Albertans/Team Alberta alumni drafted can be found below:

ST. ALBERT - Grade 4 classes at Lois E. Hole Elementary School in St. Albert held a True Spirit of Hockey Day event in March, putting their creative abilities to work while showcasing their passion for hockey. The students each illustrated and explained their suggestion for a Hockey Alberta Digital Mascot, which could be used to highlight the positive impact of hockey. With such overwhelming participation, and to thank the students for their incredible effort, Hockey Alberta presented a plaque and hosted a pizza party for the classes.

It’s no surprise that these students showed great passion for this project, as Lois E. Hole Elementary School boasts a Hockey Academy as part of their programming. The Hockey Academy is open to male and female students of all skill levels who are passionate about the game, want to improve themselves, and have a desire to learn and commit to improvement and progression. Their philosophy is one of growth and development. The academy promotes both on-ice and life skills in student athletes, creating quality citizens who will make wise choices, be respectful, enthusiastic, confident, cooperative and independent.

The students were also provided with a number of different items to keep their fandom for the game burning, including foam fingers, clappers and thunders sticks. Thank you to Melissa Kueber and Cindy Jeffery, who were instrumental in leading this initiative and making this day special for their students. Hockey Alberta would also like to extend a special thank you to Dominos St. Albert, who generously donated all of the pizzas for this event.

RED DEER - John Jacobs, an Honoured Member of the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame and a Life Member of the Hockey Alberta Referee Council, passed away on Thursday, May 30 at the age of 65.

John’s officiating career begin in 1967. Over the course of his career, John obtained a Level 4L the highest ranking a linesman can achieve. He worked numerous national and international events, including serving as a linesman in six Viking Cups and several Team Canada Cups. Off the ice, John worked as a supervisor at three Viking Cups, and once at the Royal Bank Cup.

John’s list of contributions to officiating in Alberta is a lengthy one, starting in 1982 when he began instructing at the Hockey Alberta Officiating Development Camp, and was the Development Camp Coordinator for over 10 years, with 25 years of involvement with the camp. He was the Chair of the North Central Zone Referees Committee for four seasons, followed by six seasons as Hockey Alberta’s Referee Council Chair. He also served as a member of Hockey Alberta’s Board of Directors, as the officials’ representative.

John’s decades of work with officials in Alberta was recognized with a number of awards, including Hockey Alberta’s Hockey Development Award (2004), the Ernie Boruk Award (2008), and the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation Award (2008).

John is survived by his wife of 43 years, Donna; his daughters Terine (Derek) Forrester and Penny (Scotte) Titus; sister Val (Merv) Zwicker; mother-in-law Betty Hansen; sisters-in-law Carol (John) Zerkee and Lorraine Hansen; brothers-in-law Ted Hansen and Tim (Sandra) Hansen, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

For his contributions to hockey in Alberta, John was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. And he was honoured as an Officials’ Life Member in 2011. Officials are encouraged to wear their uniforms, and golfers and encouraged to wear their golf shirts.

Donations in John’s memory can be made to Stettler Minor Hockey, the Stettler Food Bank, or another charity of your own choice.

A celebration of John’s life will be held on Friday, June 7 at 1:00 p.m. in his hometown of Stettler, at the arena where John spent so many of his weekends.