CALGARY, ALBERTA - Tom Renney, the Vice President, Hockey with the Canadian Hockey Association since May, 1998 will also serve as Head Coach of Canada's National full-time Men's Team for the upcoming season, the Canadian Hockey Association announced on Thursday.

Renney, a native of Cranbrook, BC, will be in his second tenure as Head Coach of the National Team, having coached the team from 19. Renney also served as the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from June 1996 to November 1997. Mike Johnston left the National Men's Team to accept an assistant coaching position with the Vancouver Canucks.

"We're very fortunate to have Tom in our ranks, with all the success he has achieved internationally with a silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics and another silver medal at the 1999 World Junior Hockey Championship," said Bob Nicholson, president of the Canadian Hockey Association. "Tom also has a great knowledge of the development structure in our country."

Renney will remain as Vice-president, Hockey with the CHA, and still be active in all parts of the CHA's hockey operations. His key responsibilities will be coaching and managing the full-time National Men's Team, coaching Canada's Men's World Championship Team, providing technical information to the National Junior Team, and providing technical information to all of CHA grassroots programs. Renney will also be accompanying the National Women's Team at the World WomenÕs Hockey Championship. During this time, the National Men's Team assistant coach will handle the coaching duties.

On May 2nd, 1999 the CHA announced that Canada's National Men's full-time hockey program would continue operations after meeting a fund raising goal through alumni donations and a charity auction. At the time, the CHA noted that adjustments to the program would be necessary in order for the program to continue long term. The new program was approved two weeks ago by the CHA officers and Tom Renney, as head coach of the National Men's Team, will oversee the implementation of this plan.

Two thirds of this years schedule has been finalized, including the National Team's participation in the Sweden Games, the Spengler Cup and the Baltic Cup. An in-depth Festival package is being developed for games in Canada.

As well, a fund-raising plan is being developed to raise $370 000 in the next year. Stacey McAlpine has been retained to execute the fund-raising plan. McAlpine coordinated the charity auction held on April 30th, 1999 for the National Men's Team.

"With Tom in place and the fund-raising plan in development, the officers feel the National MenÕs Team is on course to achieve success at all levels," said Wayne Russell, President of the CHA's Board of Directors.

In related news, the CHA also announced that Willie Desjardins, the assistant coach last year with the National Men's Team, has accepted a coaching position with the Sapporo Snowband Ice Hockey Club in Japan. Tom Renney will be responsible for naming an assistant coach in the very near future as well as a new equipment manager.