U-16 Program of Excellence: Team Manitoba roster announcement
WINNIPEG – Hockey Manitoba is pleased to announce the roster for U-16 Team Manitoba who’ll compete at the 2011 Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup in Moose Jaw, SK, October 27-30th. The roster is comprised of twenty of the province’s top 1996 born which inclusively holds fourteen Western Hockey League (WHL) draft picks and eighteen Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) who were selected at the end of last season.
The Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup is a key development & scouting event hosted by the Western Hockey League (WHL) and the four western Hockey Canada branches (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan). Back in 2009 the event was held in Blackfalds, AB where Team Manitoba fell late in the third period of the finals to Team Alberta to place second. Last season the U-16 program competed at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, NS where they finished with a 5th place ranking.
U-16 Team Manitoba will assemble on October 25th in Souris, MB to play an exhibition game versus the Southwest Cougars (Midget AAA). The following day will see travel to Moose Jaw and practices, with the tournament beginning with a 2009 championship rematch versus Team Alberta on October 27th. Each team will play each other in a round-robin schedule with the top two seeds advancing to the Gold Medal Game and the third and fourth seeds directly advancing to the Bronze Medal Game. Leading Team Manitoba behind the bench is David Anning (Winnipeg) currently of the Winnipeg Saints (MJHL). Anning was an assistant coach with U-17 Team West last season and in the previous season was an assistant coach with U-16 Team Manitoba at the inaugural Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup in 2009. Joining David Anning on the bench are assistant coaches Doug Sinclair (Winnipeg) and Kevin Blashko (Winnipeg).
For more information about the Program of Excellence please visit www.hockeymanitoba.mb.ca/poe.php. Hockey Manitoba is pleased to recognize Canad Inns, CCM Hockey, and Reebok Hockey as Official Partners of the Program of Excellence.
Share