CALGARY, AB – Melody Davidson, a native of Oyen, Alberta, has been named the Head Coach of Canada's National Women's Team for the 2004-2005 season and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy, Hockey Canada announced on Monday.

Davidson’s assistant coaches for the 2004-2005 season and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games will be named at a later date.

Davidson, a NCCP Level 4 coach, has a wealth of international experience with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey team, serving in various coaching, scouting, hockey development and coach mentorship capacities with the women’s program for the past 12 seasons.

Davidson was Canada’s National Women’s Team Head Coach during the 1999-2000 season, capturing a gold medal with the 2000 World Championship team, and was Head Coach of Canada’s Women’s Under-22 team in 1998-99. Davidson was an assistant coach with Canada’s 2002 gold medal winning Women’s Olympic Hockey Team in Salt Lake City, and served as an assistant coach during the 2000--94 seasons winning World Championship gold medals both years as well as at the 2000 Four Nations Cup and the 1996 Pacific Rim.

During the 2004-2005 season, Davidson will be based at Cornell University and split her head coaching duties between Team Canada and her current position as Head Coach of Cornell University Women’s NCAA division l team where she has guided the team to two straight ECAC playoff appearances. Davidson’s duties with Team Canada for the 2004-2005 season include leading Canada as Head Coach for the 2005 IIHF World Women’s Championship in Sweden, and other events during the season.

"I am very excited to be a part of Canada's National Women's Team for the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2005 World Championship," said Davidson. "The next two years will be very exciting as we prepare for the challenges ahead. "

Davidson worked with Hockey Alberta in 2000-01 as the coaching development coordinator. She also served as the head coach of women's ice hockey at Connecticut College from 1997-2000. She served as an assistant coach with the NWHL’s Edmonton Chimos in 1996-97 when the squad won a gold medal at the 1997 Esso National Women's Hockey Championship and coached Team Alberta at the Canada Winter Games in 1995.
A 1986 graduate of the University of Alberta, Davidson has a bachelor's degree in physical education. She also holds several coaching certificates and received a national coaching diploma from the University of Calgary in 1996.

Davidson was selected by Hockey Canada following a thorough selection process conducted by the National Women's Team Policy Committee. The committee included the following Hockey Canada representatives: Bob Nicholson, President, Johnny Misley, Vice-president, Hockey, Julie Healy, Director of Female Hockey, and Allan Matthews, Chair of the Board.

" Canada's National Women's team has been very successful over the years and Melody Davidson has been an integral part of that with her 12 years of international experience with our women’s program," said Johnny Misley, Hockey Canada’s Vice-president of Hockey Operations. "With Melody’s leadership skills, experience and hockey knowledge, we believe she is the best candidate and person to lead Team Canada at the 2005 IIHF World Championship and the 2006 Winter Olympics."

Over the next few months, the coaching staff and Hockey Canada’s Director of Female Programs, Julie Healy, will solidify plans for the 2004-2005 season, which will include games in Canada and the USA, leading up to the 2005 IIHF World Women's World Hockey Championship April 7-16, 2005 in Linkoping and Norrkoping, Sweden. Planning for the 2005-2006 season, reviewing aspects such as scheduling and the centralization of players in preparation of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy will be finalized over the next few months.