CALGARY, Alta. / ROCKLAND, Ont. – Eighty of the top young female players in the country will step on to the ice starting this weekend for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camps.

Four goaltenders, 12 defencemen and 24 forwards are attending Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp at the Markin MacPhail Centre, Hockey Canada’s home arena at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, while the other four goaltenders, 12 defencemen and 24 forwards are attending Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp at the Canadian International Hockey Academy in Rockland, Ont. Both camps take place Aug. 10-18.

Invitations to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp were based on evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts during the 2012-13 season, including past performances within Canada’s National Women’s Program, their club and school teams, and at provincial and national championships with Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), as well as fitness testing conducted at a conditioning camp held in Toronto, Ont., in May.

Invitations to Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp were based on evaluations by Hockey Canada scouts during the 2012-13 season, including past performances with their provincial and club teams at events such as the 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship in Dawson Creek, B.C., and 2013 Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship, in Burnaby, B.C., as well as fitness testing conducted at a conditioning camp held in Toronto in May.

Based on evaluations and performances at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp, Hockey Canada will choose 13 players to join the 27 players who are currently centralized with Canada’s National Women’s Team in Calgary for training to prepare for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The 40 players will be split into Red and White teams, which will compete against each other in a three-game series set for Aug. 20-24 at the Markin MacPhail Centre.

Based on evaluations and performances at Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, Hockey Canada will choose 22 players for a three-game series against the United States’ Women’s Under-18 Select Team, scheduled for Aug. 20-24 in Lake Placid, N.Y. Following the series, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the team’s coaching staff, will continue to evaluate players with their provincial and club teams during the 2013-14 season, in preparation for selecting Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship next April.

Tim Bothwell (Calgary, Alta./Alberta, CWHL) is serving as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, while Amanda Benoit-Wark (Welland, Ont./Ridley College, NAPHA) and Delaney Collins (Pilot Mound, Man./Mercyhurst University, CHA) will act as assistant coaches and Richard Jones (Edmonton, Alta./Parkland Hockey Academy, Bantam AAA) will be goaltending coach during selection camp and the subsequent series with the centralized Canada’s National Women’s Team roster.

Laura Schuler (Scarborough, Ont./University of Minnesota Duluth, WCHA) is serving as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, while Jackie Friesen (Regina, Sask./University of Wisconsin, WCHA) and Cassandra Turner (Campbellford, Ont./Quinnipiac University, ECAC) will act as assistant coaches and Joe Johnston (Lower Sackville, N.S./Dalhousie University, CIS) will be goaltending coach during selection camp and the subsequent series against the U.S.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Francis Dupont, Hockey Canada’s media relations manager, will be on site in Calgary for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp. Please contact him for any interview requests at (587) 999-5681 or [email protected].

Kristen Lipscombe, Hockey Canada’s communications coordinator, will be on site in Rockland for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp in Rockland. Please contact her for any interview requests at (403) 826-4819 or [email protected].

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s Program and Hockey Canada, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwt, or follow along through social media at www.facebook.com/hockeycanada, www.twitter.com/hockeycanada and www.twitter.com/hc_women.