CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced today that it has cancelled all summer camps for national teams through Sept. 1 due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As the decision was made with the health and safety of all coaches, staff and participants as the top priority, Hockey Canada maintains a commitment and high standard of excellence to learning and coaching. As such, various programming and training sessions will be held virtually this summer.
“It is certainly disappointing to come to this decision for our summer events this year, but it is the right decision as we keep the health and safety of our participants a priority,” said Tom Renney, chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “There is level of camaraderie and learning that takes place in-person, but we have found a way to mitigate some of the impact and still share best-in-class experiences through virtual learning. The coaches and professionals in their field will continue to guide and lead our athletes so when we are able to return to hockey, they will be physically and mentally prepared and equipped to compete at the highest level.”
The following national team camps and programs will be delivered virtually:
Topics for virtual sessions will include at-home strength and conditioning plans, mental performance plans and check-ins, nutrition, dry-land skills, skating simulations, team-building activities, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with coaching staffs.
The online seminar delivery for both women’s programs will take place up to twice weekly, with critical information being communicated to athletes to allow them to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes in this new environment, and will utilize the strengths and experience of Canada’s National Women’s Program leadership to help connect one-on-one, athlete-to-athlete. The men’s programs will take place during the specified dates.
In the coming weeks, Hockey Canada will also be announcing the rosters and staff named to the national team programs.
HOCKEY CANADA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS & EVENTS
Following the March cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 hockey season, which included all national championships, Hockey Canada has worked diligently with the various host organizing committees to plan for the 2020-21 season and beyond.
“During these unprecedented times, Hockey Canada has had to make changes to its season schedule to prioritize the health and safety of all participants at our national events, impacting various host committees and communities across the country,” said Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “We appreciate the support and dedication by our upcoming host committees to adjust our schedule for the next two hockey seasons, and we look forward to working with these communities to put on world-class events.”
The following changes have been made to Hockey Canada event hosting agreements following the cancellation of all spring events this season:
While Hockey Canada continues to work closely with local, provincial, territorial and national health authorities, the current event schedule remains unchanged for the fall and winter. This includes the 2020 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Oct. 31-Nov. 7 in Charlottetown and Summerside, P.E.I.; 2020 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, Nov. 2-8 in Dawson Creek, B.C.; 2020 Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup, Dec. 6-12 in Bridgewater, N.S.; 2020 World Junior A Challenge, Dec. 13-20 in Cornwall, Ont.; and 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, Dec. 26 to Jan 5 in in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
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