CALGARY – Twenty-three coaches and assistant coaches involved in Hockey Canada’s 2007-08 Program of Excellence (POE) will meet in Calgary from June 7-10 for the annual Hockey Canada POE Coaches’ Seminar, which this year will be held at the University of Calgary.

Hockey Canada has put on this seminar since 1998 to help coaches understand the many aspects it takes to have success at international hockey competitions. This seminar is by invitation only. Among those in attendance will be the coaches who were recently named to head Canada’s National Junior Team and National Summer Under-18 Team, as well as members of regional Under-17 team coaching staffs and the regional Junior A teams.

The weekend will include a number of workshops and presentations that cover, among other things, offensive and defensive team play, penalty killing, power play, goaltending in a short competition, and building a championship environment.

The list of presenters includes:

• Wayne Fleming (Assistant coach, Calgary Flames)

• Wayne Halliwell (Sport psychologist)

• Jim Hammett (Hockey Canada’s head scout, Men’s National Teams)

• Corey Hirsch (Hockey Canada’s goaltending consultant)

• Curtis Hunt (Assistant coach, 2006-07 National Junior Team)

• Clément Jodoin (Assistant coach, 2006-07 National Junior Team)

• Mike Kelly (Assistant coach, Vancouver Canucks)

• Trent Yawney (Head coach of 2007 National Under-18 Team at World Under-18 Championship)

COACHES WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THE SEMINAR:

Canada’s National Junior Team

Head Coach : Craig Hartsburg (Strathroy, ON/ Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

Assistant coaches: Curtis Hunt (Regina, SK/ Regina, WHL)

Clément Jodoin (St-Césaire, QC/ Rimouski, QMJHL)

Canada’s National Summer Under-18 Team

Head Coach : Dave Barr (Toronto, ON/ Guelph, OHL)

Assistant coaches: Jacques Beaulieu (Longlac, ON/ Saint John, QMJHL)

Guy Boucher (Roxboro, QC/ Drummondville, QMJHL)

Canada’s Regional Under-20 Junior A Program

Team East

Head Coach: Jerome Dupont (Queenswood Village, ON/Aurora, OPJHL)

Team West

Head Coach: Boris Rybalka (Vernon, BC/ Camrose, AJHL)

Assistant coaches: Dwight MacMillan (Lashburn, SK/Weyburn, SJHL)

Canada’s Regional Under-17 Program

Team Atlantic

Head Coach: Ken MacDougall (Stratford, PEI/ Team PEI)

Assistant coaches: Steve Power (St. John’s, NL/ Team NL), Craig McInnis (Port Hood, NS/ Cape Breton Islanders, NSMMHL)

Team Ontario

Assistant coaches: Mario Cicchillo (Concord, ON/ Mississauga, OHL)

Jake Grimes (Dartmouth, NS/ Belleville, OHL)

Team Pacific

Head Coach: Doug Fleck (Provost, AB/ Camrose, AJHL)

Assistant coaches: Kevin Kobelka (Revelstoke, BC/ University of Calgary, CIS)

Russ Weber (Richmond, BC/Ridge Meadows, PIJHL)

Team Quebec

Head Coach: Danny Dupont (Lac St-Louis Lions, LMAAAQ)

Assistant coaches: Corrado Micalef (Montreal, QC/PEI Rocket, QMJHL), Stéphane Hains (Victoriaville, QMJHL)

Team West

Head Coach: Blaine Sautner (Brandon, MB/ University of Regina, CIS)

Assistant coaches: Mike Vandenberghe (Reston, MB/Notre Dame, SJHL), Chris Yaschyshyn (Morden, MB/Pembina Valley, MMAAAHL)