CALGARY, AB – Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday the formation of a National Women’s program coaching pool. The National Team and Under-22 Team coaches for both the 2006--08 seasons will be selected from this pool of coaches.

This past April an invitation for applications was distributed to Hockey Canada’s Branches, Associate Members and leagues and those applicants which met the identified criteria were considered. Following two days of meetings and interviews 11 coaches were chosen by the selection committee of Johnny Misley, Hockey Canada Vice President, Gay Hahn, Chair of Female Council, Julie Healy, Director of Female Hockey, Dean McIntosh, Sr. Manager of Coaching, Wally Kozak, Head Scout, and Melody Davidson, General Manager/Head Coach of the National Women’s Team. At the conclusion of the 2007-08 season, the Women’s program will call for applications for the 2008-09 season and beyond.

The coaching pool was established to develop and evaluate the top coaches in female hockey in Canada. The coaches in this pool will be assigned various coaching roles at camps and events over the course of each season, including international experiences. They will have opportunities to work with different combinations of coaches over the two year period. The coaches will also be required to create and commit to a personal development plan in conjunction with their in-season team and the implementation and completion of this plan will be part of their evaluation.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S PROGRAM COACHING POOL:

MARTY CHESSER (Embrun, ON) | Assistant Coach, University of Ottawa Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced II

DAN CHURCH (Toronto, ON) | Head Coach, York University Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced I

JIM FETTER (Waterloo, ON) | Head Coach, Wayne State University Women’s Team (NCAA) | Advanced I

SARAH HOWALD (Regina, SK) | Head Coach, University of Regina Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced II

LESLEY JORDAN (Bedford, NS) | Head Coach, Dalhousie University Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced I

LISA JORDAN (Halifax, NS) | Head Coach, St. Mary’s University Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced I

DOUG MACLEOD (Lethbridge, AB) | Head Coach, University of Lethbridge Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced I

BARRY MEDORI (Edmonton, AB) | Head Coach, Edmonton Chimos (WWHL) | Advanced II

PETER SMITH (Montreal, QC) | Head Coach, McGill University Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced II

STEPHANIE WHITE (North York, ON) | Associate Coach, Toronto Aeros (NWHL) | Advanced I

NANCY WILSON (Langley, BC) | Assistant Coach, University of BC Women’s Team (CIS) | Advanced I  

The coaching staff for both the National Women’s Team and the National Women’s Under-22 team for the 2006-07 season will be selected from this pool of coaches and will be named in the near future.

For more information on Canada’s National Women’s programs, please visit Hockey Canada’s official website at www.hockeycanada.ca