Hockey Canada sends eight under-18 women to IIHF High Performance Camp in Vierumäki, Finland

Eight players and 18 staff will wave the flag at IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp in Vierumäki.

CALGARY, Alta. – Eight players vying for a spot on Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will spend July 9-16 in Vierumäki, Finland, participating in the 2016 IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp.

Canada joins 15 other countries participating in the eight-day camp created to grow and develop the game worldwide, and aid in the development of high-performance athletes through sessions and seminars, as well as on-ice activities that enhance players’ skill levels. The IIHF will run a number of programs for staff during camp spotlighting areas including player development, goaltending, video and athletic training. These sessions will enable all staff to continue to utilize best practices when collaborating with each other, as well as allowing for their own personal growth and leadership development.

The Canadian players participating in the camp include:

• Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, P.E.I./Charlottetown, PEIMAAAHL)
• Rosalie Demers (Blainville, Que./Stanstead College, CAHS)
• Laurie Fontaine (Longueuil, Que./Express du Richelieu, LHFDQ)
• Mackenna Parker (Clavet, Sask./Saskatoon, SFMAAAHL)
• Julia Scammell (Truro, N.S./Northern, NSFMHL)
• Corinne Schroeder (Elm Creek, Man./Balmoral Hall, JWHL)
• Willow Slobodzian (Clavet, Sask./Saskatoon, SFMAAAHL)
• Audrey-Ann Veillette (Drummondville, Que./Elites de l’Estrie, LHFDQ)

In addition to the players, 18 members of the Canadian contingent will take part in the 2016 IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp as members of the camp staff, including Melody Davidson (Oyen, Alta.), Hockey Canada’s general manager of national women’s team programs, who will serve as assistant camp chairman while Paul Carson (Victoria, B.C.), Hockey Canada’s vice-president of membership development is a member of long-term planning.

The other staff that will facilitate during the camp include:

• coach mentor coordinator Margot Page (Kitchener, Ont./Brock University, OUA)
• mentor coaches Jim Fetter (Waterloo, Ont./Okanagan Hockey Academy, JWHL), Lisa Haley (Westville, N.S./Ryerson University, OUA), Troy Ryan (Bedford, N.S./Hockey Canada) and Peter Smith (Lachine, Que./McGill University, RSEQ)
• skills instructors Delaney Collins (Pilot Mound, Man./Okanagan Hockey Academy, JWHL) and Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que./Hockey Canada)             
• goaltending coach mentor Amanda Mazzotta (London, Ont./Quinnipiac University, ECAC)
• video coach mentor Kristopher Young (South Porcupine, Ont./Ottawa, NHL)
• therapists Michelle Beatty (Burlington, Ont./Portage College, ACAC) and Kelsey Marshall (Ottawa, Ont./McMaster University, OUA)
• athletic trainer mentor Diane Ouimet (Halifax, N.S./Hockey Canada)
• strength and conditioning mentor Stuart Wilson (Ottawa, Ont./Hockey Canada)
• mental skills Sommer Christie (Calgary, Alta./CSI Calgary)
• planning supervisors Kevin Figsby (Baie-D’Urfé, Que./Hockey Canada) and Steve Norris (Cochrane, Alta./Hockey Canada)

“Having the opportunity to participate in the IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp where we can share ideas and develop the game of hockey on the international stage not only benefits our players, but our staff as well,” said Davidson. “The women’s game continues to be highlighted through various avenues and competitions each year. Giving these players the chance to learn from the sport’s most experienced and insightful leaders will benefit all those attending the camp now and in the future.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter.com/HC_Women.