For this month’s Centre Ice Podcast, we sat down with Calgary Northstars General Manager Jesse Hale to discuss how their association gives back to the community throughout the season, and especially during the holidays.
Centre Ice Podcast
Home Ice Feature
Hockey Gives Back
Throughout 2022, the hockey community has rallied together. This holiday season, teams from across the province have committed good deeds in their communities. Hockey Alberta is featuring some of those teams who have given back this season.
Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels
Red Deer U15 AAA Rebels held a food drive at their game on November 26 against the Calgary Northstars, generating an impressive food donation to the Red Deer Food Bank and a $265 cash donation.
Red Deer U13 A APLS Chiefs
The Red Deer Minor Hockey U13 A APLS Chiefs collected and assembled over 50 hygiene kits for at-risk youth. Items were donated by organizations in the Red Deer area and are being donated to the Red Deer High Risk Youth Coalition. Kits include soap, towels, dental health, deodorant and a card filled out by each player with a message of kindness, hope and inspiration.
Lacombe Minor Hockey Association
Lacombe MInor Hockey Association has launched the "Rockets Give Back" program, in partnership with the Broom Tree, an organization that focuses on serving women in Central Alberta facing a variety of challenges. U5 - U18 teams can choose a way to give back to the Broom Tree through donating for their Blessing Bags, the Noel Family Project, purchases in their cafe, volunteering, donating money or goods. Launching on November 15, the Rockets Give Back has raised the equivalent to $1,200 so far.
NE401 Crush
Hockey Edmonton’s NE401 Crush has dedicated their time to giving back this season. The U11 HADP team has collected food to donate to the Veterans Food Bank in Edmonton, where they met veterans and heard their stories. They stocked shelves and created family hampers for families in need. On December 28, the team will be volunteering at the Junior C Tyler Palmowski Memorial Game to help raise money for DIPG research.
St. Albert Sting
The St. Albert U15 A Sting have filled six boxes for children in need for Operation Christmas Child. Each box is filled with love in hopes to make a child smile this holiday season.
Junior Oilers U18 AAA
The Junior Oilers are supported the fourth annual Ty’s Toy Drive. When the Junior Oilers Orange faced off against the Junior Oilers Blue on November 30, the AEHL U18 AAA teams collected two overflowing boxes of toys and a $280 cash donation for the drive.
Calgary Buffaloes U17 AAA Bulls
On December 11, the Calgary Buffaloes U17 AAA Bulls will be hosting the Veterans Food Bank Drive and Teddy Bear Toss in support of the Women’s Centre at the Cardel Rec Centre.
Calgary Buffaloes U15 AA Hawks
The Calgary Buffaloes U15 AA Hawks volunteered with the Magic of Christmas on December 8. The Magic of Christmas collects donations to gift presents to families in need throughout Calgary. A list of families was given to the Hawks and they selected gifts for each member of the family to open on Christmas.
Knights of Columbus U16 AA Spurs
Together with the Canadian Athletics Club, the Knights of Columbus U16 AA Spurs collected food and monetary donations for the Edmonton Food Bank. In total they filled five large boxes to drop off at the local fire hall.
U17 AAA AEHL Showcase
The U17 AAA Alberta Elite Hockey League Showcase collected food to donate to the local food bank.
Red Deer Cambridge Hotel U11 A Chiefs
The Red Deer Cambridge Hotel Chiefs volunteered at the Red Deer and District Food Bank to build food boxes for families, loaded pallets and sorted inventory. Combined, thee team donated 270 lbs of food as well.
Simons Valley Hockey Association U7 Junior Team 2 White
Simons Valley Hockey Association U7 Junior Team 2 White spread cheer to their local senior community centre by creating 95 cards for each senior!
U11 SU403 Sturgeon Mustangs
The U11 SU403 Sturgeon Mustangs conducted a "friends and family" equipment drive as part of their community initiative. Players worked for almost a month collecting and donating as much equipment as they could find in the Morinville, Legal and surrounding areas. The equipment they collected was donated to Sport Central to help kids less fortunate get into sport!
Calgary U13 AA Northstars Green
In support of the Calgary Drop-in Centre’s Fill a Sock program, the Calgary U13 AA Northstars Green collected donations of various basic needs items. In total, the team stuffed 20 socks filled with soap, razors, shampoo, gloves and toques to donate to those in need in Calgary.
Red Deer Motors U13 A+ & U18 AA Elks
The Red Deer Motors U13 A+ and U18 AA Elks have teamed up to spread Christmas cheer around Red Deer by visiting over 200 homes to deliver Christmas cards and collect donations for the Red Deer Food Bank. The players were able to fill an entire truck box with donated food items.
NWCAA U18 AA Bruins
The NWCAA U18 AA Bruins have dedicated their time to giving back off the ice this season. In October, they partnered with Street Sisters Society, an organization that helps vulnerable women and girls in need, to make lunches. In early December, the team supported the Airdrie Lightning U18 AA team in their food drive and provided a donation to support Ryan Couling’s family, a Lightning alumni who lost his battle with cancer. Most recently, the team joined forces with the Calgary Firefighters Toy Association to stuff goodie bags and wrap presents for kids in need. The Bruins are busy delivering a little holiday magic this year!
Elk Island U15 Wild
At their last game, Elk Island’s U15 Wild held a "Fill the Net" campaign. They invited all those attending to donate toys for children and toiletries for seniors for Christmas. They collected over 150 items and $150 in cash donations. All donations are going to be distributed throughout Lamont County.
Knights of Columbus U17 AAA Centennials
The U17 AAA Centennials are giving back this season by participating in community events. As a team, the Centennials volunteered at the St. Jerome Family Christmas Evening where they helped with Christmas crafts, serving snacks, snapping photos and selling raffle tickets. The following week, the spent the evening helping out at the Edmonton Food Bank.
Hockey Alberta Staff
Members of the Hockey Alberta staff spread some holiday cheer at the Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer by volunteering to cook dinner for the families staying there.
Barrhead U15-2 Bruins
The Barrhead U15-2 Bruins hosted a donation drive for the seniors at the Hillcrest Lodge. When they dropped off the donations, the team sang Christmas carols while the seniors ate supper.
Coaldale Cobras U13
The U13 Coaldale Cobras sponsored a family via the Coaldale Food Bank this holiday season. The players, coaches and families donated time and money and went on a shopping spree. Their good deed lead to a challenge, where they challenged the rest of Coaldale Minor Hockey to do the same.
U7/U9/U11 Coaldale Cobras
Accepting the challenge from the U13 Coaldale Cobras, the U7, U9 and U11 Coaldale Cobras each sponsored a family to ensure they had food and presents under the tree this year.
Coaldale U11 Cobras
In addition to sponsoring a family, the Coaldale U11 Cobras ran a food drive at their tournament in support of the local food bank!
U13 Knights 2 White
The U13 Knights 2 White organized a Skate-a-Thon and hot chocolate for their community. The players and their families raised over $1,800 towards Hockey Fights Cancer!
Warburg Sharks U9-1
With the frightful weather outside, the Warburg Sharks decided to give back to their small town by shovelling snow off sidewalks throughout the community and at the local seniors lodge.
To share how your team or association is giving back this season, complete the following form:
For any questions or to send pictures, please contact Kara Spady, Marketing and Communications Coordinator.
News
2023 Provincial Championship hosts announced
RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the host communities for the 2023 Provincial Championships, presented by ATB.
A total of 34 provincial champions are slated to be crowned during March and April, including 30 weekend championship tournaments. The remaining four provincial champions are determined through league playoffs.
Championship tournaments are being hosted in locations across the province – from La Crete in the northwest, to Cold Lake in the east, and Lethbridge in the south.
ATB is returning as the presenting sponsor of the 2023 Provincial Sponsorships.
“The Provincial Championships are an exciting time and opportunity that each team strives for from the beginning of the season,” said Kris Noble, Senior Manager, Sponsorship and Community Investment. "We are excited to be back as the Presenting Sponsor of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships and look forward to making these events a special experience for everyone involved.”
Participating teams for the provincial championship tournaments are determined through league playoffs.
Most Minor Tiered and Minor Female events will feature eight teams – the host, a wild card, and the champions from each division’s respective leagues: Hockey Calgary, Edmonton Federation Hockey League, Central Alberta Hockey League, Northern Alberta Interlock, All Peace Hockey League, North Eastern Alberta Hockey League, Rocky Mountain Female Hockey League, and East Central Female Hockey League.
Week one (March 23-26) is the busiest weekend, with the following tournaments on the schedule: U18 Female AAA, U16 AA, U15 AAA, U15 AA, U15 Female AA, U15 Tier 1, U15 Tier 2, U15 Tier 3, U15 Tier 4, U15 Female A, U15 Female B, U13 Tier 1, U13 Tier 2, U13 Tier 3, U13 Tier 4, and U13 Female B.
Week two (March 30-April 2) features: Junior C, U18 Female AA, U18 AA, U18 Tier 1, U18 Tier 2, U18 Tier 3, U18 Female A, U18 Female B, and U13 AA.
The final weekend of 2023 provincial play wraps up April 6-9, as the tournaments showcase Senior AA, Junior B, and U17 AAA.
Senior AAA, Junior A, Junior Female, and U18 AAA provincial champions are decided through league playoffs.
Hockey Alberta is still accepting applications for the U18 Tier 4 and U13 Female A events. Interested hosts should contact Michelle Skilnick, Manager, Member Services ([email protected]) as soon as possible.
Team Alberta
Next up, Canada Winter Games
RED DEER – Over the weekend, Team Alberta hosted the December Development Camp.
Both the Male U16 and Female U18 teams gathered in Red Deer for three days of preparation ahead of the Canada Winter Games. Sessions included team bonding, on and off ice development sessions and two exhibition games apiece.
The camp was the only time the Team Alberta squads will gather between the roster announcements in November and at the Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. The male hockey competition runs February 18-25, while the female competitions is February 27-March 5.
On the weekend, Team Alberta U18 Female faced off against Alberta Elite Hockey League’s U15 AAA division teams. On Friday, Team Alberta fell 7-1 to the Okotoks Oilers. On Sunday, Team Alberta skated to a 3-1 over the Leduc Oil Kings. To prepare for tournament conditions, each game featured a five-minute overtime and a shootout.
Team Alberta U16 Male defeated Red Deer U18 AAA Optimus Chiefs 14-3 on Saturday in a modified game that focused on special teams and in-game situations. On Sunday, Team Alberta lost 3-2 to the St. Albert U18 AAA Nektar Raiders.
Team Alberta
Team Staffs announced for 2023 Spring Showcase
RED DEER - Hockey Alberta has selected the 111 volunteers who will lead teams at the 2023 Spring Showcase.
Each team will consist of a director of operations, coach mentor, head coach and two assistant coaches. Teams at the Alberta Cup and Alberta Challenge will include a trainer. Staff for each Alberta Challenge team also includes an apprentice coach.
Volunteers for each team are listed below. The Prospects Cup is still accepting applications for trainers.
2023 Alberta Challenge Team Staff
The Spring Showcase features the Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup in back-to-back-to-back weekend action, beginning with the Alberta Cup on April 26. Events take place at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer Polytechnic.
Registration and details regarding regional camps for each event will be released in the new year.
Team Alberta
Team Alberta Female roster set for Canada Winter Games
RED DEER – Twenty female athletes will lace ‘em up for Team Alberta at the Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.
Two goaltenders, six defence and 12 forwards comprise the Team Alberta lineup playing in the U18 competition in Charlottetown, February 27 – March 5.
Team Alberta’s roster features:
- Two forwards (McDermid, Smith) who played in the 2022 Alberta Challenge.
- Nine athletes (Brokenshire, Davidson, Devlin, Lawrence, Makokis, Perrier, Rizarri, Trudeau and Walker) who represented Team Alberta at the 2021 Western Regional Championship.
- Eighteen athletes who played in the 2020 Alberta Winter Games.
- Nine athletes (Brokenshire, Davidson, Devlin, Holbein, Lawrence, Makokis, Pearce, Rizarri and Walker) who debuted in short-term competition at the 2019 Alberta Challenge.
“These athletes have worked incredible hard through this process and we are excited to announce the roster of athletes who will be competing for Team Alberta in Charlottetown,” said Kendall Newell, Director of Operations for Team Alberta. “The staff is confident that we’ve selected a strong group of athletes and we are excited to get this group together in the coming weeks to begin our final team preparations heading into the competition in February.”
The selection process for the Canada Winter Games began in the 2021-22 season, where athletes were evaluated with their Hockey Canada sanctioned club team. In July, Hockey Alberta invited 72 female athletes born in 2005-07 to the U18 Summer Camp, in Red Deer. Twenty-eight players were shortlisted and invited back to Red Deer in September for the U18 Fall Selection Camp. Following the selection camp, athletes continued to be scouted with their club teams through the fall.
Round robin action begins on February 27 vs Nova Scotia. Other Team Alberta games include: February 28 vs Manitoba and March 1 vs Ontario. Playoffs start March 2 with medal games on March 5.
Team Alberta are the defending champions, after winning gold in 2019 in Red Deer. Historically, Team Alberta has three golds (2019, 2011, 1991) and two bronze medals (2015, 1999).
Female hockey was added to the Canada Winter Games in 1991. The Winter Games brings together thousands of athletes for the largest amateur multi-sport event in the country. They span over 25 different sports and is held every four years.
News
Samletzki re-elected Hockey Alberta Board chair
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Len Samletzki |
Allan Mowbray |
Danielle Paradis |
RED DEER - Len Samletzki of St. Albert was re-elected as chair of the Hockey Alberta Board of Directors during the 115th Annual General Meeting held virtually on December 1.
Also re-elected to the Board of Directors for a three-year term is Calgary’s Allan Mowbray. Joining the Board for her first term is Danielle Paradis of Edmonton after being elected as a new Director.
Paradis will step into a new elected Director position created through the approval of two Bylaw amendments during the AGM. In part, the amendments remove the position of Past Chair, and replace that with an elected director.
Biographies and short videos for Samletzki, Mowbray and Paradis can be found on the Hockey Alberta website. They join returning directors Al-Amin Vira, Karen Lee, Bill Gourlay, Kirstan Jewell and Francois Gagnon.
In his opening remarks, Samletzki thanked everyone who worked hard during the 2021-22 season as hockey returned after the COVID-19 pandemic. He also cited the work undertaken by the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee in working to ensure that hockey is free from maltreatment and discrimination.
Samletzki also recognized the recent announcement of a new Hockey Alberta Life Member - Loren Krukowski (Warburg). A video tribute on Krukowski’s career as a hockey volunteer can be found by clicking the link below or going to Hockey Alberta’s YouTube channel.
To conclude the meeting, it was announced that Fran Zinger is stepping down from the Board of Directors. Samletzki thanked Fran for her 16 years of service, and introduced a special tribute video that includes memories and reflections from Zinger, fellow board members and staff at Hockey Alberta.
In addition to the elections, two Notices of Motion were passed by the Members pertaining to amendments of Hockey Alberta’s Bylaws. The Notices of Motion pertain to Article 5 - Nominations, and Articles 1, 5, 7 - Board Positions.
Following the completion of the formal AGM agenda, operational updates were provided to the Members. Dennis Zukiwsky, chair of the Hockey Alberta Foundation, recapped a very busy year for the Foundation. Mike Klass, Director of Business Operations for Hockey Alberta, provided a financial update. And Hockey Alberta’s CEO Rob Litwinski provided a review of the 2021-22 and an update on work undertaken in 2021-22 towards achieving the Objectives and Key Results that are shaping the organization’s strategic priorities between now and 2025.
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Fran Zinger receiving her Hockey Alberta jersey from Board Chair Len
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