CALGARY, AB – Bob Lowes, the WHL’s Regina Pats head coach, was named as an assistant coach for Canada’s World Under 18 Team, which will take part in the IIHF World Under 18 Hockey Championship from April 11-21 in Piestany, Slovakia, the Canadian Hockey Association and the Canadian Hockey League announced on Monday.

Lowes joins Head Coach Mike Pelino and Assistant coach Richard Liboiron (Moncton, QMJHL) behind the bench. The entire team will be leaving Toronto, ON for Europe on April 6th.

“I’m very happy with the coaching staff and I look forward to working with Richard and Bob,” said Head Coach Pelino. “Bob will be a great asset to this team as we go for gold in Slovakia.”

Lowes joined the Regina Pats this year. The former Pat player has been a coach in the WHL for 10 seasons with Brandon and Seattle and is this season’s Eastern Conference finalist for the WHL Coach-of-the-Year. Lowes was an assistant coach with Canada’s National Under 18 Team for the Pacific Cup in August, 1993.

The IIHF World Under 18 Hockey Championship is the second event of the season for Canada’s National Under 18 Program. In August, 2001, Canada’s National Under 18 Summer Team won a gold medal at the 2001 Six Nations Under 18 Cup in the Czech Republic.

Canada will be taking part in the IIHF World Under 18 Championship for the first time ever in 2002. Player evaluation will continue through the first round of the CHL playoffs and the final roster will be announced no later than April 4th.

Player evaluation and selection is being overseen by the CHA's Director of Scouting, Barry Trapp. Trapps works in consultation with an advisory board made up of six CHL general managers: Sherry Bassin (Erie), Raymond Bolduc (Québec), Ken Hodge (Portland), Kelly McCrimmon (Brandon), Serge Savard (Montreal) and Jeff Twohey (Peterborough) and three regional scouts, Jim Currie (West), Jim Cassidy (Ontario) and Serge Aubry (Quebec).

Canada's 2002 World Championship Under 18 team will be comprised of players under 18 years old whose teams are not playing in either the CHL, Junior A or collegiate playoffs past April 4, 2002.

The 2002 IIHF World Under 18 Championship in Slovakia will feature 12 teams. Russia captured the 2001 Championship on April 22, 2001 in Finland, by defeating Switzerland in the final.

For further information on Canada’s National Under 18 Program and the Canadian Hockey Association, visit the CHA’s official website at www.canadianhockey.ca.