DAWSON CREEK, British Columbia – Ontario Red has won its sixth-consecutive gold medal at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, defeating Quebec 3-2 in overtime at the Ovintiv Events Centre on Saturday night.

Ontario Red has captured gold in 13 of the 14 national championships since the inaugural tournament in 2001, while Quebec earned its eighth silver medal and first since 2016.

Mackenzie Alexander (Toronto, ON/Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) scored the golden goal, knocking in a rebound on an Ontario Red power play just 25 seconds into overtime. The goal left her tied for the tournament lead in goals (five) and points (nine).

After a scoreless first period, Rosalie Tremblay (Sherbrooke, QC/Stanstead College, JWHL) struck first for Quebec 4:01 into the second period. Claire Murdoch (Toronto, ON/Burlington, OWHA U22 Elite) and Alexander scored power-play goals at just over two minutes apart in the third period to give Ontario Red its first lead before Victoria Veilleux (Saint-Georges, QC/Champlain-Lennoxville, RSEQ) tied the game for Quebec with 4:18 left to force overtime.

“I was just lucky enough to be right there to tap it in,” Alexander said of her overtime winner. “We are such a tight-knit group, so to win gold with these girls is such an honour. This is an absolute dream come true.”

Marilou Grenier (Québec, QC/Québec, LHEQ U18) made 43 saves in a terrific performance for the silver medallists, while Hannah Clark (Oshawa, ON/Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) stopped 16 of 18 to record the win for Ontario Red.

“[Heading into overtime] I went in right away and told the girls we are winning this, we have this,” Ontario Red head coach Joe Butkevich said. “[This experience] has been phenomenal, from the host committee to the volunteers. It is a small-town community with a great feel; everyone wanted to put Dawson Creek on the map, and they did that this week.”

British Columbia takes down Alberta to win bronze

Earlier in the day, British Columbia earned its third bronze medal in the last four national championships, downing Alberta 3-1. After Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL) and Hannah Dods (Chilliwack, BC/Fraser Valley, BCEHL) scored for the hosts in the second period, Claire Carruthers (Crossfield, AB/Edmonton, AFHL) pulled Alberta within one on the power play 4:24 into the third. Danica Maynard (Osoyoos, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL) added an insurance marker on the power play in the final five minutes to secure the bronze for B.C. on home ice.

“This has been really fun getting to bond with my new teammates, everyone has been so positive. The little things all added up; we worked together, bonded and came through today,” British Columbia captain Gracie Graham (Kelowna, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL) said. “It was amazing to have all our fans out there watching us, you do not always get that experience. It was a great time.”

It is the fourth bronze medal for B.C. at the national championship and first since 2017.

Following the gold medal game, the tournament awards were announced:

Most valuable player: Sara Manness (La Salle, MB/Burlington, OWHA U22 Elite)
Top forward: Morgan Jackson (Courtenay, BC/Shawnigan Lake, CSSHL)
Top defence: Rosalie Breton (Saint-Bernard, QC/Limoilou, RSEQ)
Top goalie: Hannah Clark
Most sportsmanlike player: Mackenzie Alexander

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram, and by using #U18Nationals.

Jessie Olfert and Jane Kish can still remember the roar of the crowd when they stepped on the ice at the Ovintiv Events Centre. Hundreds of students cheering on British Columbia and Saskatchewan as the teams competed at the 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

“It’s the first time as a player that you’re experiencing a loud barn,” Olfert says. “Dawson Creek definitely showed up to fill the barn and cheer us on, which was pretty amazing.”

Eleven years later, Olfert and Kish are returning to the Peace Region—this time as members of the Alberta coaching staff. Although more than a decade has passed, the memories are still vivid for both ladies.

“I’m from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, originally, and then Dawson Creek had about around the same population,” Kish says. “I remember getting there and I was like, ‘This feels like a nice, close-knit community.’”

The quality of the hockey and the ability to connect with players from other provinces also stand out in their memories.

“It was the fastest hockey that I had played up to that point,” Olfert says. “I remember thinking, ‘This is so much fun. I want to find more ways that I can continue to be involved with this type of high-level game.’”

“The connections that I built and the experience that I had—it was very neat to be a part of,” Kish adds.

With that passion for high-level intensity hockey ignited in Dawson Creek, both Kish and Olfert pursued playing the game in university. Kish finished her career at the University of Regina as the all-time leader in wins (38) and shutouts (15). Olfert played at the University of Alberta for three years before she hung up her skates.

“I called a past coach of mine, who was a really big mentor in my life, and I asked her, ‘After you leave your sport, what do you do with your life?’ And she said, ‘You simply find another way to get involved in it.’”

For both Kish and Olfert, coaching was an excellent way to stay connected to the game they love in a new capacity. When Olfert made the decision not to play a fourth year with the Pandas, her coach Howie Draper helped her find her first coaching position to get her foot in the door.

After completing a kinesiology and education degree, Kish was thinking about balancing substitute teaching and goalie training after university when she was presented with the perfect job opportunity at the South Alberta Hockey Academy in Medicine Hat.

“It was the best of both worlds,” she says. “It’s allowed me to be an assistant coach and have my goalie stuff, but also doing all the fun teaching stuff in school.”

For Kish and Olfert, becoming a coach has been one of the best things that has helped the transition into life after playing high-level hockey.

“Ending the playing career, sometimes an athlete might get lost a little bit,” Olfert says. “It feels like a part of your life has kind of ended, which it has. So, harnessing all that energy into something else, that can be incredibly rewarding.”

“I love it because I’m learning every day,” Kish adds. “Seeing the sport in this light has been very cool for me because I’m like, ‘Oh my goodness, when I was a player, I didn’t even think about this.’ But now I’m seeing all these different things and it’s a different viewpoint. That has been very exciting for me.”

Despite competing against each other at U18 Nationals and in U SPORTS, Kish and Olfert didn’t officially meet until both were brought on to Alberta’s coaching staff ahead of the 2023 tournament. With the experience playing in the tournament themselves, it provides a unique perspective for coaching Alberta’s athletes.

“I remember going in there and being very nervous,” Kish says about playing in the tournament. “You want to do exceptionally well because you have all these expectations riding on you.”

“Sometimes I find your athletes forget that you had a childhood, that you grew up as well and you’ve been through some of these things,” Olfert adds. “They can look to you and be like, ‘What do we do here?’ And you actually have an answer because you know where their feet are, you know what’s going through their heads.”

The return to Dawson Creek for Kish and Olfert is full of nostalgia. It’s a familiar city, a familiar rink and a familiar schedule for what is in store for each team during the week. As two of 1,578 girls who have competed in this tournament since 2001, Kish and Olfert hope Team Alberta can embrace this opportunity and be truly present in this moment.

“This tournament is a reminder of what all these girls have gone through to get here. Now, they get to enjoy it and experience it just like Jessie and I did 11 years ago,” Kish says.

“Life has changed a lot in the last 11 years, but it’s also been a lot of really good changes and a lot of personal growth,” Olfert says. “This is really cool to have a full circle moment of returning back to Dawson Creek and getting to relive it, but in a very different way.”

CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada has confirmed the dates and host communities for seven events taking place during the 2023-24 season, including the return of the National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

“Today is an exciting day for Hockey Canada as we announce seven events that play a critical role in the development of men’s, women’s and para hockey athletes, coaches and staff,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We hope that hosting these tournaments will help introduce new fans to the game, create lifelong memories for Canadians and have a positive impact in each community long after the medals have been handed out.”

The 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will be played Nov. 2-11 in Charlottetown and Summerside, PE, marking the first time in the tournament’s 37-year history that it will be hosted in the province.

Featuring some of the best young women’s hockey players in Canada, the 2023 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will run Nov. 5-11 in Dawson Creek, BC, bringing the event back to the Peace Region for the first time since 2012.

Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will compete for gold with three other countries at the 2023 Para Hockey Cup, which will be held Dec. 3-9 in Quispamsis, NB, marking the fourth Hockey Canada event that Quispamsis has hosted.

Top Canadian and international players will be showcased at the 2023 World Junior A Hockey Challenge from Dec. 10-17 in Truro, NS, as the tournament returns to Atlantic Canada for the fourth time and to Truro for the second time.

In the spring, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship will be decided at the Esso Cup in Vernon, BC from April 21-27, while the Men’s U18 National Club Championship will be played April 22-28 in Membertou, NS.

The best Junior A teams in Canada will take to the ice at the 2024 Centennial Cup in Oakville, ON, with the Oakville Blades hosting the national championship from May 9-19.

“We are thrilled to share the list of communities that will host Hockey Canada events during the 2023-24 season,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of strategic partnerships and community impact. “The support we have received from host committees has been outstanding and we are confident that participants, volunteers, partners and fans will have fantastic experiences at each tournament.”

Ticket information for all seven events can be found here. Tournament schedules will be announced at a later date. 

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When tragedy struck one of their own, the hockey community in Brampton came together.

Last December, Amy St. John, a 12-year-old goaltender for the U15 Brampton Canadettes, was seriously injured when she was struck and dragged by a school bus on her way to school.

Paramedics rushed her to Toronto Sick Kids Hospital, but she was transferred to St. Mike’s Hospital due to the extent of her injuries. Amy suffered a crushing injury to the back of her pelvis and significant nerve damage to her left leg, and needed reconstructive surgery.

When Tina Kelloway, vice-president of the Brampton Canadettes Girls Hockey Association (BCGHA), heard about Amy’s accident, she reached out to Amy’s mom, Joelle, right away to see how the association could support the St. John family.

“I was absolutely heartbroken and just thinking about it still makes me want to cry,” Kelloway says. “I’ve known Amy for years as she came up through our house league divisions and hockey was always a joy for her – she adored playing and she always has a smile on her face when she came to the rink.

“I can’t begin to imagine the trauma Amy was going through and what her family had to go through with her. It was such a horrendous event.”

Amy is the youngest of five children. With the accident, Joelle has been unable to work in order to care for her daughter.

With the significant financial strain to the family, as well as the extent of physiotherapy and care that Amy needed right after the accident and into the future, the Canadettes quickly came together to figure out a way to help.

“Another mom and I started the fundraising page, but asked the league to step in to help build awareness,” says Jill Hartling, the Canadettes team manager. “The girls were shocked and devastated for what happened to Amy and the team just wanted to jump on board and help her.”

Over the Christmas period, the team put together a gift basket with beauty products and arts and craft materials for Amy to help life her spirits.

“Amy was home at the time when we dropped that basket off and it was nice to talk with her and see how she was doing,” says Hartling. “The team rallied around the St. John family and they were always thinking of Amy this season.”

The league previously held a fundraiser in 2018 for another player who needed help after an accident and used that experience to build awareness for Amy and her family. Every spring, the BCGHA holds its annual Easter Tournament, which is one of the largest girls’ hockey tournaments in the world. This year, it included 380 teams.

Through that tournament, the Canadettes held a silent auction with various pieces of sports memorabilia, and shared Amy’s story to create awareness for donations.

“The majority of teams that participated in the tournament provided a donation or silent auction bids,” says Kelloway. “The vast support we and Amy received from the community was nice to see. We raised a lot of money for Amy’s recovery through the silent auction and donations.”

Donations came in from players, teams and anonymous donors across the Greater Toronto Area. Throughout the past few months, the league and the family has felt the power of the hockey community.

“This has shown just how amazing the hockey world is. The hockey community is incredible … how everyone comes together to rally to help others,” Kelloway says. “It is overwhelming how generous teams, players and families have been. You can see through the donations how supportive and encouraging everyone has been towards someone they may have never interacted with before. The generosity everyone has shown is incredible. After the last couple of years with the pandemic, this story shows the positive and caring side of community and that’s refreshing.”

While Amy has shown strength and determination in her recovery, her prognosis is still unknown. Kelloway and the BCGHA are hoping the funds raised will help the family in any way they need it.

In a written statement, Joelle shared how much everything has meant to her and the family: “As a mother going through one the hardest times, I am overwhelmed by the love and support of the Canadettes and how without hesitation, they rallied around my kids and I. When you have a child recovering from this type of accident, everything changes, and your child’s recovery must take priority. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”

The fundraiser for Amy St. John is still ongoing and will remain open to donations.

Do you have an idea for a Community story? Let’s hear it!

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has announced the dates and host communities for six events taking place during the 2022-23 season, including the return of the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup and World Junior A Challenge for the first time since 2019.

The communities of Langley and Delta, B.C., will host the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Nov. 5-12, bringing some of the top young players in the world to Metro Vancouver.

The 2022 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup will run from Nov. 27-Dec. 3 in Bridgewater, N.S., marking the first time that the event has been held in the Maritimes since 2016.

A showcase of Canadian and international Junior A talent, the 2022 World Junior A Challenge will take place in Cornwall, Ont., from Dec. 11-18.

Two of Hockey Canada’s national championships will return to their typical April schedule in 2023, with the puck dropping at the Esso Cup in Prince Albert, Sask., on April 23 and the TELUS Cup beginning April 24 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que.

The Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, will be hosted in Portage la Prairie, Man., in May 2023, bringing Canada’s National Junior A Championship to Manitoba for a fourth time.

“We are excited to announce the host communities for six events taking place in 2022-23, and we cannot wait to bring some of the top hockey events in the world to fans across Canada,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties for Hockey Canada. “Hosting events of this magnitude would not be possible without our incredible local partners, and we are very grateful for their support as we count down to puck drop.”

Tickets are available now for the 2022 World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall, Ont., at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, while on-sale dates for the remaining events will be announced at a later date.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, become a Hockey Canada Insider, or follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The hockey community is unlike any other. In times of need, hockey families across the country have proved time and time again that they are ready and willing to help their communities.

When record-breaking rainfall hit southwestern British Columbia in November, several local hockey associations came together to support communities that were impacted by devastating flooding and landslides. Here are a few ways these associations and teams worked to help.

Summerland Minor Hockey Association

The Princeton Posse may be a long-time rival of the Summerland Jets, but that rivalry was set aside to put community first after the destructive flooding. When Summerland’s U9 team hosted the Posse, players, parents and staff organized a food drive to send some essential items back with the Posse’s families. Along with the food drive, the team made goody bags for each Princeton player that included packs of Pokemon and hockey cards.

Check out this article on the great work done by the Summerland U9 minor hockey team to help out their rivals from Princeton during these tough times 👏👏 https://t.co/JZ1Fbk323r

— BC Hockey (@BCHockey_Source) November 24, 2021

Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association

After hosting the Merritt Centennials, the Vernon Junior Vipers’ U11 Development C team invited its opponents for a pizza dinner in a dressing room. Players from the Vipers helped to set up the dressing room before the game, hoping the small gesture would make the Centennials feel supported by other communities in B.C.

There was another act of kindness by the association when the Abbotsford Hawks, who were supposed to travel to Vernon for a tournament, had to cancel their travel plans due to the flooding. According to the GVMHA’s Facebook page, participants and spectators at the tournament worked together to raise $1,000 for the Hawks ahead of the holiday season.

Penticton Vees — British Columbia Hockey League

Following a weekend win in Trail, B.C., the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies travelled to Penticton for what was originally planned to be an overnight stay. However, with the historic storm, the team was stuck and unable to travel home.

With the unexpected extended stay, the Penticton Vees stepped up and gave the Grizzlies a dressing room and ice to practice on while they were in town.

"When the puck drops, we want to beat the other team, but we're partners and we wanted to make sure we made their stay as comfortable as possible," Vees president, head coach and general manager Fred Harbinson told CTV News.

The boys are headed home following a very extended weekend on the road due to highway conditions.

Thank you @cityofpenticton for everything, the citizens, the @PentictonVees, @pentictonresort and all the local area businesses.#Community #Okanagan pic.twitter.com/crTsC6vhd7

— Victoria Grizzlies (@BCHLGrizzlies) November 17, 2021

Squamish Minor Hockey Association

After the Squamish Eagles U13 A2 team had a game against Chilliwack cancelled due to the storm, the players decided to run a food drive instead. The team gathered outside a local grocery store to encourage shoppers to help fill a hockey net with food to support the Fraser Valley flood victims.

With support from the Cloverdale Community Kitchen for distribution, the Eagles raised $530 and gathered several boxes of food for those affected in Chilliwack.

Squamish hockey team supports flood victims in Chilliwack https://t.co/a0IrZRLHhl

— Surrey Now-Leader (@SurreyNowLeader) November 29, 2021

Mission Minor Hockey Association

When the Mission Stars heard about the historic flooding, the association organized a “Fill the Trailer“ event. From non-perishable food items to things like blankets, winter jackets, socks and toiletries, the Stars ran the event for four hours at a community centre all to give back to communities affected by the storms.

Mission hockey trying to Fill The Trailer https://t.co/qYwSiejQ9U

— Mission City Record (@MissionRecord) November 27, 2021

Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey Association

The Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey U18 C1 team was preparing for a hockey tournament in Abbotsford when the flooding occurred. When the team saw the devastating impact in Abbotsford, it decided to donate $300 to the Abbotsford Disaster Relief Fund to support Abbotsford hockey families and others affected by the flooding.

We are SUPER proud of our U18 C1 team for presenting a certificate of donation, to the Abbotsford Flood Relief Fund, to their @abbotsfordminor opponents during their last game. We are one #hockeyfamily #rustlerpride #rustlerrespect
You can donate here: https://t.co/OGXpN2TNpF pic.twitter.com/Eu5ZbSJ2zj

— Ridge Meadows Hockey (@RustlersHockey) November 29, 2021

Cloverdale Minor Hockey Association

The Cloverdale Minor Hockey Association had previously planned a 50/50 draw for its U21 team in December. After the destructive storms in November, the association also wanted to use its fundraiser to support the flood relief efforts. Cloverdale announced that 25 per cent of the proceeds from its 50/50 draw would support victims of the flooding.

Our U21 50/50 has gone ONLINE!

Prize will be drawn on Dec 22nd @ 6PM

While our tournaments are important fundraisers for our Association, we also want to help the victims of the recent floods. So - 25% of the proceeds will be donated to flood relief! … https://t.co/0y1PmRjsc3 pic.twitter.com/OT7OJi6GfB

— Cloverdale MHA (@CloverdaleMHA) December 10, 2021

North Delta Minor Hockey Association

The North Delta Minor Hockey Association decided to organize an association-wide bottle drive to support the residents of Merritt, B.C., who were evacuated due to flooding. The idea was created and spearheaded by Tam Manery, who was inspired to run the drive when her son’s tournament in Merritt was cancelled.

Although the weather could have been better during the bottle drive, parents and players helped with picking up and sorting bottles. The association says there was a steady stream of bottles and generous cash donations, which will all go towards a great cause.

^^^ Thanks everyone! pic.twitter.com/5I2FdehEt3

— North Delta Hockey (@ndminorhockey) November 29, 2021

Thank you to these hockey teams, and to everyone who stepped up to help their surrounding communities in a time of need. Your positive impacts in your communities have inspired us all to make a difference.

Do you have an idea for a Community story? Let’s hear it!

Certain colours can hold special meanings and unite communities. For example, when Canadians think of red, we think about the pride of representing the Maple Leaf.

In Regina, Sask., the colour lavender is the talk of the town. That’s because Hockey Regina is running its Lavender Days campaign in association with the Canadian Cancer Society.

“Cancer touches so many, and it’s important to me to have the players remember that there’s bigger stuff than them,” says Joanne Eberle, the media and events manager with Hockey Regina. “The kids really take ownership of it.”

Now in its third year, about 170 teams in Regina participate in the fundraising drive to support Hockey Fights Cancer through November and December. Lavender tape is put on sticks, decals are placed on helmets and the two AAA teams in town wear lavender jerseys that are later auctioned off for the campaign. From Timbits U7 to U18, the players on each team decide how they want to raise money and give back to their community.

“They were pieing their coach, they were doing candy guess jars, they were doing all kinds of stuff,” Eberle says. “We have some teams that will shovel snow, they’ll donate their allowance, or they’ll do a read-a-thon or a walk-a-thon or exercise in some way. We really left it open to all the teams.”

Eight-year-old Aliya Hartney had her own creative idea to help raise money for Lavender Days.

“I did a video and I talked about cancer and why we help people because you want to help people to not lose their loved ones from cancer,” she says.

That sentiment hits close to home for Hartney as her grandmother died from brain cancer when her mother was only four years old. Her video helped to raise $1,505 for Lavender Days.

“I like helping people,” she says. “The more money we raise, the closer we can get to find a cure for cancer.”

The campaign takes on a deeper meaning when people in the hockey community have personal connections to cancer. Following the conclusion of a previous Lavender Days campaign, a player received a cancer diagnosis. Their team responded by bringing back lavender tape for their sticks to show support.

“It’s something that doesn’t just stick with them for the two months that we do it,” Eberle says. “It’s something that they carry through the whole season.”

For the special AAA Lavender Games, each home team chose someone associated with the team that had a cancer story for a ceremonial puck drop. The Regina Pat Canadians chose a 12-year-old hockey player who was battling cancer. The Regina Rebels chose their trainer’s two-year-old nephew, who was also fighting cancer.

“If there was a dry eye in that house, I’d be surprised,” Eberle says. “It was such a big impact, having this little guy come out there and drop the puck and knowing why he was there.”

Daren Haygarth has been a hockey coach for close to 20 years. The support for Lavender Days in his community has had a profound effect on him based on his family’s connection to cancer.

“My sister-in-law has gone through nine surgeries related to a breast cancer diagnosis and gone through chemo,” he says. “When my son tapes up his sticks and writes her name on them, all of those things tug at my heartstrings a lot.”

Last May, Haygarth began his own personal cancer journey. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent successful surgery in July 2020. Haygarth initially kept his diagnosis private, but over time he began to tell his friends in the hockey community.

“Of course, my family was super supportive, but you start to realize how supportive the hockey world is,” he says. “The support was just overwhelming.”

Haygarth is now cancer free, but the support he received from his community after his experience reinforced how many positives come from a fundraising campaign like Lavender Days.

“There’s no such thing as a tough time where other people won’t be there to help you through it. I think that’s what I’ve really come to appreciate about Lavender Days and the fundraising efforts that go with it. It’s just raising that kind of awareness that things are bigger than ourselves.”

His U13 AA team, the Regina Royals, is running 50/50 draws this month to support Lavender Days.

“I wasn’t surprised [when] one of our parents won the 50/50 and they just donated it all back,” he says. “Our goal is to raise over $1,000 this month, and we’re way beyond probably going to meet that goal.”

Huge congrats to our players on becoming the recipients of a philanthropic award in the Outstanding Youth Philanthropist category!
This is for their amazing contributions to Hockey Fights Cancer
Thanks Katelyn for accepting on behalf of our players.#hockeyreginafightscancer https://t.co/QVg8VUUudP

— Hockey Regina (@HockeyRegina) November 5, 2021

Although Hockey Regina couldn’t do as much fundraising last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has managed to raise over $26,000 in the past two years. Earlier this month, Hockey Regina’s youth players were the recipients of a philanthropic award for Outstanding Youth Philanthropist for their efforts with Lavender Days.

“That’s really exciting for them,” Eberle says. “It’s a youth award, so it doesn’t have anything to do with the adults… it’s about the players and what they’ve done as a whole.

“This is a great way to show kids that your little efforts can turn into something big.”

The goal this year is to raise over $20,000 for Hockey Fights Cancer. Haygarth credits Eberle for leading the creation of positive social interaction between teams while raising money for a good cause.

“It takes somebody within the organization to spearhead these things and create that culture shift,” he says. “I think Joanne’s been a big catalyst here in Regina towards thinking a little differently about hockey and what being a hockey player means.”

For Eberle, the fact the entire community is rallying around a unified cause while decked out in lavender warms her heart.

“Being able to do this as a minor hockey association as a whole is really exciting,” she says. “It unites everybody. Hockey is competitive, but they [put] that aside and turn into one big team. I absolutely love that.”

Sometimes, decisions are made in life that are meant to be. Just like how the little voice in trainer Haley Patyna’s head told her not to forget her medical bag as she went to Cardel Rec South in Calgary on Oct. 7.

Or how trainers Shyin Dixon and Blair Olsen weren’t originally supposed to be at the rink that night, but they joined Patyna to assist her U21 team with baseline concussion testing.

“Looking back, it was kind of wild because it was supposed to be just me,” says Patyna, 24. “But luckily, it was all three of us.”

Ultimately those two decisions are a part of the reason why a life was saved that evening.

As the clock ticked past 10 p.m., only Patyna’s U21 team and a 55-plus recreational league remained at the rink. With their testing complete, the Calgary Buffalo Hockey Association trainers were socializing and catching up in the hallway.

“These two guys came out of the rink where [the recreational league was playing], and they said that they needed an AED [automated external defibrillator],” says Olsen, 23. “They said they had a guy on the ice that was having a heart attack.”

The three trainers sprung into action. Olsen went to grab the AED located at the arena while Patyna grabbed her medical bag. Patyna and Dixon were first on the ice to assist the player.

“He was very obviously in medical distress, really struggling to breathe,” says Dixon, 24.

With the AED in hand, Olsen joined her fellow trainers on the ice, and they began to set up the defibrillator on the player. Dixon began CPR when they noticed the man had stopped breathing and they couldn’t find a pulse.

The trainers’ interventions with the AED worked, and within a few minutes the man was fully conscious and speaking again.

“It wasn’t long at all, granted when we were out there it felt like eternity,” Patyna says. “It was maybe five minutes before he was fully aware, he knew where he was and he knew what had happened.”

As a part of their preparedness for every game, trainers have an action plan to assign who will do what role in an emergency. But the three trainers were not the only ones who played a key role in this situation. The recreational league team on the ice was actively helping in any way it could, from taking off the player’s equipment, calling 911 and providing towels and blankets.

“Even before the paramedics showed up, the team was donating all of their jerseys to help keep him warm on the ice,” Dixon says. “The team was a fantastic help during that, they were there for anything that we needed.”

“I hope those guys give themselves credit for it, too,” Olsen says. “They were quick to give us credit for it, but their effort was just as important.”

Team work makes a dream work or saves a life! All in a days work.
So proud of these CBHA trainers. pic.twitter.com/N1T8QCOjUY

— Pam Vega (@PamBradRuby) October 9, 2021

As the paramedics arrived and loaded the player onto the stretcher, he was chatting and joking with his teammates.

“It was definitely a relief to see him going off to the hospital in high spirits and in a good mood,” Patyna says.

Since the night of the emergency, the community reaction Dixon, Patyna and Olsen have experienced for saving a man’s life has been surreal.

“I did not expect it to blow up as much as it did,” Olsen says. “When we left the rink, we just were happy that it had a happy outcome.”

“To all of us, we just did what we were trained to do,” Patyna adds. “We don’t do it to expect a reward out of it. We do it because we love it.”

The incident has also re-confirmed the importance of having AEDs located in public areas.

“They’re very straightforward to use. They come with very detailed instructions,” Dixon says. “Even if it saves one life, it’s 100 per cent worth it every single time.”

“My dad was talking about getting one installed in their office after the whole situation,” Olsen adds.

This past weekend, the player returned to the rink to look for the trainers who saved his life. Olsen and Patyna were there, and they got to speak with him and his family in person to see how he was doing since the emergency.

“That was really nice,” Olsen says. “It was good to see him in as good of a condition as he’s in now.”

Looking back, two things stand out to the trainers: how important it is to always be prepared and how powerful a community response can be in emergencies.

“That was really a team effort that night from everyone,” Olsen says. “If I were to ever go through this again, I would just remember that the people around me are my team, use them.”

“I was amazed at the sense of community that night,” Dixon adds. “It’s insane how people just come together to help one person.”

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CALGARY, Alta. – Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the difficult decision has been made to cancel the 2021 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, 2021 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup and 2021 World Junior A Challenge. The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer:

“Despite a strong desire to work with three great communities to host the top players at various levels across the country this season, the health and safety of all participants and the communities at large continues to be of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada. The ongoing pandemic, in addition to the vaccination status of some international teams, has left us with no other option. We believe the decision to cancel these fall events is the safest decision given the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a local level, as well as the uncertainty around countries and regions being able to safely compete.

Hockey Canada is grateful for the continued support of local host committees and event partners, including B.C. Hockey, Hockey Eastern Ontario, Hockey Nova Scotia and the Canadian Junior Hockey League, as well as the communities of Bridgewater, N.S., Cornwall, Ont., and Dawson Creek, B.C., and all local and provincial funding partners. Our organization is appreciative of the commitment and support of all stakeholders to host these events and we look forward to showcasing our national events and all participants to fans next year.”

Hockey Canada will continue to work with event stakeholders to host the spring 2022 national championships and to continue to investigate opportunities to prepare Canadian athletes to represent Canada at the Olympic Winter Games, Paralympic Winter Games, IIHF world championships and other international events.

As defensive partners growing up, Piper Hays and Hayley Palmer have great chemistry on the ice. That chemistry jumped to a new level when the two 18-year-olds began their coaching journeys five years ago.

After becoming friends as teammates, they decided to become on-ice assistants with the Vancouver Female Ice Hockey Association (VFIHA) when they were just 13. Since then, they have continuously played on the ice together and coached younger girls with the Vancouver Angels.

“I always liked working with children,” Palmer says. “I just thought it would be nice to have younger coaches and female coaches, especially for a group of young girls.”

“It’s just nice to give back,” Hays says. “I think [the girls] get an extra kick out of seeing someone who’s older and still playing doing the same thing that they’re doing. They get to kind of see what they can achieve.”

Both Hays and Palmer had few women as coaches in their hockey careers until they reached the Vancouver Angels U18 team. Although they had positive experiences with men coaching them growing up, they found having a woman behind the bench fostered an even stronger relationship.

“The dynamic is just very different. It’s a lot more comfortable, a lot more open,” Hays explains. “I think it’s easier to take criticisms from people who understand where you’ve come from.”

The growth of women in coaching roles is an important mandate for the VFIHA. When James Nedila became president of the association in 2014, he says there were very few women coaching.

“They were like unicorns, we just couldn’t find them,” Nedila says. “It was a big gap in our coaching where we are a female hockey association but the vast majority of [our coaches] were male.”

The association launched several initiatives to increase the number of women coaching, including mentorships and support for unexperienced coaches and encouraging graduating players to return to the game to coach. Their efforts paid off, and Nedila says people now routinely reach out their association to coach and volunteer.

The hockey community has also flourished with more women actively involved in hockey.

“The culture that we built in this association has definitely improved because of representation,” Nedila says. “It feels like a more inclusive place, it feels like a place where people can help out and see the impact of their efforts immediately.”

After two years as on-ice assistants, Hays and Palmer took a coaching course to become assistant coaches. Although they were the youngest and only girls in the room back then, they have both noticed an influx of women getting involved in hockey as coaches and volunteers.

“I think it’s just very important that more and more girls play, more and more people coach, because there’s so many people that you want to have represented,” Palmer says.

“The way things are going, it’s been pretty exponential growth,” Hays says. “I’m hoping for at least 50% female coaches [in hockey in the future], which I know seems like a pretty big, drastic number. But there’s a lot of untapped potential right now, and I think once we get this steam train going, I don’t think it’s going to stop for a while.”

The increase of women has also had a large impact on the young players, too.

“I have had girls tell me they want to coach when they’re older,” Palmer says. “It’s great because I think they definitely see it as more of a possibility when they see like me or Piper versus if they see like their dads or their parents coaching.”

The feedback from parents about Hays’ and Palmer’s coaching has been overwhelming positive from parents.

“Their attitude is infectious. It has an effect on everybody around them,” Nedila says. “It’s good to see that feedback reflected back at them to say you know what, you guys are really doing a great job.”

A new chapter in their coaching journeys began this fall with Hays and Palmer beginning university. Hays left Vancouver to attend the University of Toronto, but she already has started building connections in Ontario to continue coaching.

“It’s an interesting transition,” she says. “I think bringing that sort of experience into a new team is going to be pretty important just because I want to provide that sort of energy and stability that I had with my previous team. I know that a lot of places still don’t have that many female coaches, so I’m hoping I can be someone that [the players] can come to if they ever need anyone.”

With Palmer attending the University of British Columbia, she has continued coaching and playing with the Vancouver Angels, although this will be the first season without Hays by her side. She says several of the players she coached were overcome with joy when they saw her back at the rink to start the season.

“It really makes me feel like what I’m doing does affect other people and it does affect the girls that I’m helping,” Palmer says. “Having them remember me and having positive memories about me is really, really nice.”

The distance may have changed, but the friendship between Hays and Palmer remains just as close. Despite being in different provinces now, coaching is a special connection they will share for life.

“The entire time I’ve been coaching, my best friend and ‘D’ partner has been there the whole time,” Hays says. “And to be honest, without her I never would have gotten here.”

“We got to have the coaching bond, we got to have the hockey bond, the defence partner bond,” Palmer says. “I think coaching together really made our friendship even stronger.”

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