DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with BC Hockey, the Dawson Creek Minor Hockey Association and the City of Dawson Creek, announced Thursday several development activities for players, coaches and officials being held during the upcoming 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, taking place Nov. 7-11 at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek.

Development activities include clinics and hot stove panels for female coaches and officials, local elementary school visits by teams competing at the national championship, intermission mini-games, and programs such as Esso Puck Drop, McDonald’s In The Line-Up and Experience a Dream, which all give young female players the chance to step onto the ice alongside the top under-18 players from across the country.

For more information on how to get involved in Esso Puck Drop, McDonald’s In The Line-Up or Experience a Dream, please contact Hockey Canada’s manager of schools programs, Kevin Bathurst, by emailing [email protected].

“There are many opportunities for minor female hockey players to interact with the talented athletes coming to this year’s national championship, and these mentorships will inspire the girls involved to dream big, both on and off the ice,” said Joanne Hughes, female council chair for Hockey Canada. “We also encourage aspiring female coaches and officials to come out and learn from some of the top minds in the women’s hockey world at our clinics and hot stove sessions.”

Hockey Manitoba director of development Bernie Reichardt will host a coaching clinic, including on- and off-ice sessions Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. MT at Kin Arena in Dawson Creek. Three-time Olympic gold medal-winning National Women’s Team coach Melody Davidson will lead a hot stove panel featuring several provincial and national under-18 women’s coaches Thursday, Nov. 8 from 6 to 7 p.m. MT at Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre in Dawson Creek. All minor hockey coaches who attend the hot stove will receive free admission to the national championship game Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. MT between host team British Columbia and defending gold medallist Ontario Red.

Hockey Canada officials with experience at international and national levels will host a referee mentorship night Friday, Nov. 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. MT, also at the Kenn Borek Aquatic Centre. All minor hockey officials in attendance will receive free admission to the national championship game Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. MT between British Columbia and Team Atlantic. Register for any of the above development activities for coaches and officials by emailing [email protected] or calling the City of Dawson Creek at (250) 784-3604.

National Women’s Team alumna Jennifer Botterill, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and five-time IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship gold medallist, will serve as inspiration for the players competing at this year’s National Women’s Under-18 Championship, as she is the featured guest speaker for the event’s evening banquet Tuesday, Nov. 6 at the EnCana Events Centre. Botterill is also speaking Wednesday, Nov. 7 at a breakfast event for professional women, called Community Futures Liard Presents Pursuing Excellence, set for 8 a.m. MT at the EnCana Events Centre and sponsored by RBC. Please call (250) 782-8748 or visit www.communityfutures.biz to reserve your spot at Botterill’s talk for just $25 per person.

Hockey Canada also announced Thursday that single-game tickets are now available for the 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship. Day games are just $10 apiece and evening games are $15 per person. Please visit www.dawsoncreekeventscentre.com for more information.

Full-event ticket packages for access to all 18 games are available for $99, plus applicable fees, by clicking HERE. Ticket packages to all evening games are available for $45, plus applicable fees, by clicking HERE, while ticket packages to all weekend games are available for $75, plus applicable fees, by clicking HERE. Those interested in volunteering for the 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship in Dawson Creek should contact Brenda Suchy at 250-786-0211 or [email protected].

The National Women’s Under-18 Championship brings together teams made up of the best female hockey players born in 1995 or later. The tournament serves as an important platform for Hockey Canada scouts, who are evaluating candidates for the Canadian contingent that will compete at the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship next January in Vierumäki, Finland, as well as at other international events.

All preliminary round games, as well as the semifinals and bronze medal game, will be webcast at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com, while the gold medal game will be available on TSN/RDS, official broadcasters of Hockey Canada. This will be the fourth time British Columbia has hosted the National Women’s Under-18 Championship, with Surrey welcoming the event in 2009 and Salmon Arm holding the January 2005 and November 2005 editions of the tournament. Ontario Red has won the gold medal all seven times since the event’s 2001 inception in Trois-Rivières, Que.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Please contact Kristen Lipscombe, Hockey Canada’s coordinator of communications, for any National Women’s Under-18 Championship interview requests at (403) 826-4819 or [email protected].

For more information on the 2012 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwu18c, and follow all the action from Dawson Creek via social media at www.facebook.com/womensu18 and www.twitter.com/hc_nwu18.