CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada is teaming up with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and Bill Hay to offer the Bill Hay Future Leaders Internship Program for university or college graduates pursuing a career in sports administration, program development, kinesiology, marketing, or communications.

Each of the CHL’s head offices (Toronto, Boucherville, Que., and Calgary) are offering one position, while Hockey Canada (Calgary and Ottawa) will have two placements available. Funded by Hay and the Hockey Canada Foundation, internships will be full-time and last eight months, providing interns with valuable, hands-on experience to help them launch their careers in sport. Applicants with experience in Canada’s national program or in the CHL are encouraged to apply.

“A large part of our mandate is to grow the game across Canada. To be successful, we need to have strong leaders in every facet of the game, and it’s crucial that we invest in that talent just as we do in our programming,” said Tom Renney, president and CEO, Hockey Canada. “We also want to take the initiative to help players who are making the transition to careers off the ice. We had a similar program running a few years ago and Bill recently approached us wanting to resurrect it, with the backing to help.”

Hay is well known for a successful hockey career both on the ice and as an administrator, having served as president and COO of Hockey Canada, and playing an instrumental role in the merger of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey Association. In 2015, Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder Category alongside his father, Charles, inducted in 1974.

“The decision I made to further my education during my hockey career was a very unique occurrence at the time. But today, the combination of academics and athletics is much more common, and the young women and men graduating from college and university hockey programs speak volumes for the changes that have taken place in hockey,” said Hay. “The future of the game will be in the hands of some very capable young women and men who may get their start in sport administration through the Future Leaders Program, and I am proud to be a part of this terrific initiative.”

A committee, comprised of Hockey Canada and CHL representatives, is now taking resumes for the positions available through the Bill Hay Future Leaders Internship Program.   

For more information on the Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook or Twitter.