World Hockey Tour, Closes Out After Three Hills Event

Hockey Alberta’s World Hockey Tour, Presented by RBC Play Hockey, ended last night, following the Tour’s last stop in Three Hills, Alberta.

“From start to finish, the World Hockey Tour has brought so many Albertans together and gotten the entire province in a frenzy leading into the World Junior Champion ship,” said Hockey Alberta’s Senior Manager of Business Development, Scott Robinson. “A huge thank you to all the people that took part in these events, this couldn’t have been possible without the help of the volunteers and our staff.”

The World Hockey Tour, Presented by RBC Play Hockey, touched 14 communities across Alberta between December 3 and 23, 2011. Each of the selected communities hosted a day of on and off-ice festivities, including a 4-on-4 Novice and Atom hockey tournament where the players wore the jersey’s of all the teams competing at the World Junior Championship, coaching clinics, a replica Team Canada locker room and a Giant “I Was There” hockey puck for photo opportunities as well as numerous giveaways and prizes for fans.

World Hockey Tour, Presented by RBC Play Hockey, Dates and Locations:

December 3&4 – Stettler
December 6 – Falher
December 9 – Cold Lake
December 10 – Thorhild
December 13 – Innisfail
December 17 – Edmonton
December 19 – Calgary* December 20 – Okotoks*
December 20 – Olds*
December 20 – Red Deer*
December 21 – Camrose*
December 22 – Brooks*
December 22 – Lethbridge*
December 23 – Three Hills*

*Events that ran in conjunction with World Junior pre-competition games

The World Hockey Tour included over 1,500 children, hundreds of coaches and countless volunteers.

The World Hockey Tour, presented by RBC Play Hockey, was delivered by Hockey Alberta in partnership with the Government of Alberta, Hockey Canada and the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Hockey Alberta and the Hockey Alberta Foundation announced Tuesday the 2011 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame inductees.

“We look forward each year to honouring those who have made hockey in Alberta, Canada and around the world what it is today,” said Scott Robinson, executive director, Hockey Alberta Foundation. “The Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame is an important showcase of our game’s history in Alberta and all of these inductees have made significant contributions.”

The following four individuals, two teams and one organization were selected by the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee to enter the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011:

Achievement Category:

Roger Bourbonnais - Riviere Qui Barre, Alberta
1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80 Red Deer College Kings – Red Deer, Alberta - Rosters
1999-2000 University of Alberta Pandas – Edmonton, Alberta - Roster

Builder Category:

Leo Wurtz – Lloydminster, Alberta
Dave Manning – Red Deer, Alberta
Loretta Normandeau – Sherwood Park, Alberta

Pioneer Category:

Edmonton Northlands - Edmonton, Alberta

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE INDUCTEE BIOS

These inductees were chosen from nominations based on select criteria. Nominees must have lived in Alberta for at least five years, must have personal and or professional accomplishments in the game of hockey, must have made an impact in the game beyond a local or regional level and must have received significant other recognitions. Nominations could be made for either an individual or team active or retired.

The Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame gallery is located within the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Red Deer. The Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame gallery is designed to preserve and celebrate Alberta’s hockey history. Items that are on display date back to the beginning, to those first days of Hockey, including old jerseys, autographed photographs and other items. The Hall of Fame maintains legacies of professional and amateur hockey in Alberta for people to enjoy forever.

The 2011 inductees were recognized at the Hockey Alberta Awards Gala on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Capri Hotel & Convention Centre - 3310 50 Ave, Red Deer, Alberta.

Making small towns a great place to live takes volunteers and like all small towns in Alberta a man winter nights, a hunk of frozen water at the local arena becomes the numbers place to be, watching the Senior hockey team. Over the plays 20 plus years, volunteers Bill Kotyk (pictured right) and Mel Vollman (centre) spend much of their free time ensuring, through the love of the game, Senior hockey comes to life season after season for the Spirit River Rangers of the NPHL.

Kotyk was the manager of the Rangers from 1988 to 2003 and has been assistant manager since. He’s been an active member of the NPHL and a yearly participant in Provincials since 1990.

Vollman was the coach of the Rangers from 1989 to 2009 and took over the managerial duties in 2003. In 2009 he returned behind the bench as an assistant coach while keeping up the management side of things. Like Kotyk, he is an active member of the NPHL and a yearly participant in Provincials since 1990.

"This award is meant to recognize the work that is put in by those involved in Senior Hockey around Alberta," said Senior Council Chairman, Kim Marsh. "The work they put in is extraordinary, and it ripples throughout the communities and the province."

The awards were presented in late November in Spirit River before the Rangers hosted the High Prairie Regals.

Hockey Alberta announced on Friday the U16 female rosters for the eight zone teams that will compete at the 2012 Alberta Winter Games, February 9-12, 2012 in Spruce Grove.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ROSTERS

“It’s always exciting for the athletes to participate in a provincial event like the Alberta Winter Games,” said Team Alberta Female Coordinator, Mike Kraichy. “We had a solid turnout at each of the zone camps and we are excited to start preparing the athletes for the competition.”

Close to 600 athletes tried out in total at the eight different zone camps that occurred around the province in December. From each camp 20 athletes were chosen to represent their zone. Only female players born from 1997-2000 were eligible to try out.

The Alberta Winter Games is the first stage of the Team Alberta Female program and occurs every second year opposite of the Team Alberta Challenge. The tournament leads to the selection of 60 athletes to attend the Team Alberta U16 Female summer development camp. From there athletes are identified to continue into the Team Alberta U18 program.

The Alberta Winter Games were established in 1974 as multi-sport event to provide develop opportunities for amateur athletes and help them advance their skills in a competitive yet friendly environment. The Alberta Winter Games will host over 2800 athletes, coaches and referees all participating in 2