Hockey Manitoba and Saskatchewan Hockey Association are pleased to announce that the inaugural U-17 Team West Summer Camp will take place August 9-13, 2012 in Wilcox, SK.

For the first time thirty players from each province, for a total of sixty players, will meet up for one main selection camp prior to the 2012-13 season. Following the selection camp players will be scouted and monitored throughout the beginning of the season with the final Team West roster being announced in early November. This year's camp will feature Manitoba and Saskatchewan's top 1996 born players who'll contest for the opportunity to represent the region at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Camp invitees will be notifed by early June from their repsective branch office.

Regional under-17 programs across the country are currently exploring changes to enhance programming and meet the goals to develop top athletes for Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence. For Team West, the decision to host a combined camp is the first step of the program's refresh. Such changes pertaining to Team West will be reviewed by a management committee with the four key stakeholders of the program; Hockey Manitoba, Saskatchewan Hockey Association, Western Hockey League, and Hockey Canada.

Other highlights of standards that are being explored for change by the Team West committee;

• No hard quotas for player selections
• No coaching selection matrix year-to-year
• Raising standard of camp operations & facilities for Team West
• Focus on off-ice training consistent with Hockey Canada Program of Excellence

Victoriaville and Drummondville, Que., will host the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from December 28, 2012 to January 4, 2013, marking the fifth time in the tournament’s 27-year history that it will be held in Québec. The 27-game tournament will be based out of the Colisée Desjardins in Victoriaville, home of the Victoriaville Tigres, and the Centre Marcel Dionne in Drummondville, home of the Drummondville Voltigeurs, both of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Team West is geared to get back into medal contention and improve upon low placements at recent World Under-17 Challenge's.