CALGARY – Canada’s National Sledge Hockey Team, the defending Paralympic and World Sledge Hockey Challenge gold medalists, is in St. John’s, NL through September 30th, 2007 for its annual training camp as it continues preparing for the 2007-08 season.

The City of St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador’s Avalon Sledge Hockey Association worked together to bring the National Sledge Team to Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time. The event is part of Hockey Canada’s ongoing plan to bring the sport of sledge hockey to many parts of Canada and introduce the sport to more and more people. Team Canada’s players will take part in promotional activities in Mt. Pearl and St. John’s, including speaking to students at local schools.

NATIONAL SLEDGE HOCKEY TEAM TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

(All ice sessions at Glacier Arena in Mt. Pearl, NL)

• Friday, September 28: 10 a.m.-noon, 4-6 p.m.

• Saturday, September 29: 4-6 p.m. (there will be an open session from 7-9 p.m., in which people are encouraged to try out sledge hockey and skate with National Team players)

• Sunday, September 30: 10 a.m.- noon

Team Canada’s coaching staff from the 2006-07 season returns: Jeff Snyder (Elmira, ON) is the head coach, joined by assistant coach Shawn Frydberg (Concord, ON). The coaching staff will work with Adam Crockatt, Manager of Men’s National Teams with Hockey Canada, in determining a roster that will represent Canada at the 2008 IPC Sledge Hockey World Championship, which will be held in March 2008 in Marlborough, MA.

Media enquiries should be directed to Adam Crockatt, who is with Team Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador and can be reached at (403) 389-5379.

Sledge hockey is the Paralympic version of ice hockey. It made its debut at the 1994 Paralympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. The fast-paced sport has grown in popularity since then. For more information on sledge hockey and the National Sledge Hockey Team, visit www.hockeycanada.ca.