The puck has dropped, and Red Deer College is skating full speed ahead with its plans to create a sustainable men’s hockey team. RDC officials are committed to bringing back Kings Hockey, and are committed to beginning the application process to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
“We listened when you asked for a return of the Kings Hockey team to RDC. Through the support of our community and creation of the College’s Athletics Leadership Fund, the Kings Hockey team is just one example of RDC’s commitment to creating a sustainable future for Athletics where our student-athletes can continue to participate and deliver on their tradition of excellence in sport,” says Joel Ward, President & CEO.
The Athletics Leadership Fund was announced earlier this year as part of RDC’s long-term fund development strategy. This Fund augments base budget dollars invested by the College in Athletics programming, serving as a means of community investment in RDC’s Kings and Queens student-athletes.
Funds raised through the Athletics Leadership Fund will support all existing RDC Athletics teams and athletes, in addition to RDC Kings Hockey, should the College’s application to re-establish this team be successful.
RDC is proud to offer student-athletes the opportunity to pursue a post-secondary education while competing in a strong Athletics program. The College has more than 175 student-athletes competing in 11 sports. Since opening its doors, RDC has racked up 137 Conference (ACAC) team titles, 28 Conference (ACAC) individual titles, and 16 National (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) titles, in addition to countless individual honours bestowed on student-athletes and coaches for both academic and sporting achievement.
The ACAC Men’s Hockey League has grown over the years, with more opportunities for a future Kings Hockey team to play other collegiate-level teams than before the College’s men’s hockey team was disbanded in 2004. Currently, eight men’s hockey teams exist at Alberta’s other colleges and technical institutes.
“Through the Athletics Leadership Fund, we’re excited about future growth potential for RDC Athletics, such as a revitalized Kings Hockey Team,” says Keith Hansen, Athletics Director. “We’re hopeful that the ACAC reviews our application for a men’s hockey team and recognizes what this new RDC team can contribute to the league, and that opportunities would exist for our student-athletes to hone their skills and compete in a vibrant league filled with many talented individuals across the province.”
Hansen and his team are working now to submit the application for creation of an RDC Kings Hockey team. The deadline is November 15, 2011. If the application is successful, the RDC Kings Hockey team would hit the ice as early as September, 2013.
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News
Head Contact Rule Info
Hockey Alberta would like to remind all of its members and participants that the new Head Contact Rule is in effect immediately for the 2011-12 hockey season.
"Safety of participants is always our number one priority and we feel the implementation of the Head Contact Rule will minimize the risk on the ice and help reduce the number of concussions and other serious injuries caused by head contact,” said Hockey Alberta General Manager, Rob Litwinski.
The new rule is a zero tolerance measure for all head contact in minor, female, junior and senior hockey. The rule is as follows:
Minor and Female Hockey
• A minor penalty shall be assessed for all accidental hits to the head, while a double minor penalty, or a major and game misconduct at the discretion of the referee based on the degree of violence of impact, shall be assessed for any intentional contact to the head.
Junior and Senior Hockey
• A minor penalty and misconduct or a major penalty and a game misconduct shall be assessed for all checks to the head, at the discretion of the referee. A major penalty and a game misconduct, or match penalty, shall be assessed to any player who injures an opponent under this rule.
“This rule makes it clear that head contact is unacceptable and it is the responsibility of the referee to penalize a player who contacts an opponent above the shoulders,” said Hockey Alberta’s Referee-in-Chief, Curtis Nichols. “Anytime there’s a significant rule change, there is always a transition period while people adapt to the rule. We are asking coaches, fans, parents and players to fully support and embrace this rule during its implementation and understand its purpose is to create a safer environment on the ice for all participants.”
The new Head Contact Rule was approved by Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors at the national governing body’s Annual General Meeting which was held in May in Calgary.
