“HOCKEY MANITOBA ANNOUCNES HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING STAFFS”

Hockey Manitoba is pleased to announce coaching staffs for five different high performance teams that will compete in various events over the next two hockey seasons.The five Program of Excellence (POE) teams will include the, 2009/10 U-16 Male Team Manitoba, 2009/10 U-17 Male Team West, 2009/10 U-18 Female Team Manitoba, 2010/11 Canada Games U-16 Male Team Manitoba, and 2010/11 Canada Games U-18 Female Team Manitoba.

2009/10 U-16 Male Team Manitoba

This new program will be introduced for the first time in the 2009/10 season due to the formation of the Western Canada Branch Championships which will be a high profile U-16 event that was established by Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the WHL.This year’s Head Coach will be Billy Keane (Winnipeg) assisted by David Anning (Dauphin) and Peter Dueck (Steinbach).Billy has been a long-time contributor to Hockey Manitoba programs most recently as an assistant at the 2007 Canada Winter Games.The Western Branch Championships will take place in Alberta in late October.

2009/10 U-17 Male Team West

The U-17 Male Program of Excellence in Manitoba will be lead by Garth Mitchell (Elkhorn) who’ll be an Assistant Coach of Team West.Garth was also Assistant Coach of Team West in 2008/09.Manitoba will also send a Video Coach to the Team West staff, who’ll be Dan Eliasson (Winnipeg).Each year Manitoba and Saskatchewan alternate Team West head coaching positions, this season will be Saskatchewan’s turn to appoint the Head Coach.Team West will play in the 2010 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Timmins, ON over the holidays.

2009/10 U-18 Female Team Manitoba

The U-18 Female Program of Excellence will be lead by Jon Rempel (Winnipeg) as Head Coach, with the two assistants being Neil Chow (Winnipeg) and Ryan Hutton (Morden).Jon is currently the Head Coach of the University of Manitoba Women’s hockey team and was an Assistant Coach of Team Manitoba in 2007.Team Manitoba will compete in November at the 2009 National Women’s U-18 Championships in Surrey, BC.

2010/11 U-16 Male Team Manitoba – Canada Winter Games

Beginning in the 2011 Canada Winter Games (CWG) the Male age for Hockey has been changed to Under-16 as opposed to Under-17 in the past.Heading Manitoba’s coaching staff will be Troy Leslie (Melita) who’ll be joined by Royce Manary (Winnipeg) and Blaine Boyle (Portage la Prairie).In the past, Troy was an Assistant Coach at the 2003 CWG and for the 2006 Team West squad.The Canada Games Male Hockey competition will take place in mid February 2011 also in Halifax, NS.

2010/11 U-18 Female Team Manitoba – Canada Winter Games

Leading the Team Manitoba Female squad into the 2011 Canada Winter Games will be Tony Franklin (Deloraine) as Head Coach along with Ashley van Aggelen (Winnipeg) and Rob Voth (Winnipeg) as assistants.Tony was an Assistant Coach for Team Manitoba in 2008/09.The Canada Games Female Hockey event will be hosted in Halifax, NS in late February 2011.

President of Hockey Manitoba, Brian Franklin, shares his enthusiasm about the Program of Excellence coaching appointments, “we’re very proud to have such quality individuals taking the time and energy to commit to our programs.”Franklin goes on to say “everyone is looking forward to the next two seasons as we’re excited to see the continued success of the Program of Excellence.”

Hockey Manitoba is optimistic that these individuals will show to be great leaders for our teams and will continue the great tradition that is continually being established by the Hockey Manitoba Program of Excellence.

Please visit our Program of Excellence pages at www.hockeymantioba.mb.ca for information about the process and components of the POE.

For more information please contact:

Male Program of Excellence – Bernie Reichardt, Director of Development, Hockey Manitoba – 204-925-5759 bernie@hockeymanitoba.mb.ca

Female Program of Excellence – Kyle Prystupa, Development Coordinator, Hockey Manitoba -204-925-5762 kyle@hockeymanitoba.mb.ca

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