Three Canadians inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame:
“Each and every inductee has had profound impact in hockey”
IIHF.com
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May 17, 2013
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ZURICH, Switzerland – Brilliant performances under historic pressure, as well as long-lasting excellence, are being recognized this month as the IIHF Hall of Fame inducts Canadian legends Danielle Goyette and Paul Henderson, alongside fellow international hockey stars Peter Forsberg, Teppo Numminen, Mats Sundin and builder Jan-Åke Edvinsson.
In addition to two players, Canada is also being represented at this year’s IIHF Hall of Fame induction ceremony by broadcaster Gord Miller, who is being awarded the Paul Loicq Award for outstanding contribution to international hockey. The Soviet national team of 1954 won the Milestone Trophy, also being presented at the upcoming induction ceremony.
The IIHF Historical Committee and its chairman, IIHF President René Fasel, have announced the 17th class of the IIHF Hall of Fame to be ceremonially inducted on Sunday, May 19, gold medal game day at the 77th IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden.
Please click herefor the full IIHF announcement, and click here for a complete list of all honoured members since the IIHF Hall of Fame was introduced in 1997. It now boasts 189 greats from 22 countries.
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Danielle Goyette (CAN)
Born: St-Nazaire, Quebec / January 30, 1966
In many respects, Danielle Goyette was the Gordie Howe of women’s hockey. A superstar talent on offence, she was a gifted scorer who continued to produce with Howe’s consistency. Indeed, she had more points in her final women’s world championship in 2007 at age 41 (11), than she did in her first some 15 years earlier as a 26-year-old player (10).
And, like Howe, it all began far from the bright lights of a big city and great crowds. St-Nazaire, Que., located a distant three-hour drive from Quebec City, was a town of only 800 when Goyette was growing up, but like any kid she started skating around age four.
In all, Goyette played in three Olympics and nine IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning gold every time with two exceptions, the 1998 Olympic Winter Games and the 2005 women’s worlds. In 61 games at the highest level, she averaged a point and a half a game and was adept as both a scorer and passer. She led all players in Nagano in 1998 with eight goals, and was the scoring leader at the 1992 women’s worlds with 10 points. She had as many points at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, to tie for the overall lead.
By the time Goyette had played her final games for Canada in 2007 at age 41, she was second all-time with 15 goals at the Olympics, fourth all-time with 68 points at the women’s worlds, and third all-time with 37 goals.
One of eight children, Goyette was also an excellent tennis player and fastball player, but she focused her ambitions on hockey, pretending to play for her beloved Montreal Canadiens while skating outdoors in the cold winters. Goyette spoke virtually no English when she made Canada’s National Women’s Team in 1991, but within five years she had relocated to Calgary, Alta., to learn the language and concentrate full-time on hockey, hoping to play for Canada at the inaugural Olympic event in Nagano in 1998.
Goyette was the flag-bearer for Canada at the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, and went on to become head coach at the University of Calgary. She recruited former teammate Hayley Wickenheiser and led the Dinos to a CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) national championship in 2012, a first for that university.
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Paul Henderson (CAN)
Born: Kincardine, Ontario / January 28, 1943
For 28 days in September 1972, Paul Henderson was the finest hockey player in the world, the hero of a series that changed hockey forever. He scored three game-winning goals at the end of the Canada-Soviet Union Summit Series, the last two arguably the greatest goals in the history of the game.
Henderson embodied a bit of both nations’ remarkably different styles of play. He was a combination of tough Canadian with unlimited heart, and a Soviet skater with puck-handling skills. In 1972, he used this combination to produce a performance the hockey world has never seen before or since.
His series-clinching goal with 34 seconds remaining of game eight remains the most celebrated moment in Canada’s sports history, a defining and unifying moment in Canadian culture. No other player’s achievements in international hockey history have had such an impact on one nation as Henderson’s.
As well, he was one of only three ’72 Summit players to appear in the 1974 Summit Series featuring WHA players, and in a 19-year professional career in the NHL and WHA he played almost 1,100 games, going to the Stanley Cup finals with the Detroit Red Wings in 1964 and 1966. In junior, Henderson won the Memorial Cup in 1962 and led all scorers in the OHA the next season.
In a Summit Series that got tougher and more important with each passing day, Henderson proved resilient and determined in a way even he might never have expected of himself before it all began. His courage in coming back from a concussion in game five to become the hero in the final three games cannot be over-stated, and each winning goal came using a different skill – big slap shot, incredible stick-handling, timely positioning (and even a little divine inspiration thrown in for good measure).
The Summit Series was supposed to be a cakewalk for Canada, but a crushing 7-3 loss to the Soviet Union in game one resulted in turmoil across the nation. By the time the series shifted to Moscow, Canada was in a fight for its life. After a loss in game five, Canada trailed the eight-game series 1-1-3. In that game, Henderson crashed heavily into the end boards, lost consciousness, and suffered a concussion. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet, and both he and team doctors acknowledged the injury might have been fatal without the headgear.
Henderson returned to action and scored Canada’s third goal midway through the second period of a narrow 3-2 result. Game seven was a fight to the end. With time winding down and the score tied at 3-3, it looked like the Soviets would hang on and claim the series. But with two minutes remaining, Henderson got the puck at centre ice. Alone, with two Soviets behind him and two in front, no one could have seen what was to come.
Henderson accelerated, chipped the puck through the two defencemen and skated around the outside in a blaze of speed. As he got to the puck, falling, he chipped it over a stunned Vladislav Tretiak, giving Canada a 4-3 win. A more spectacular goal in hockey, you will never see.
In game eight, a similar script played out. This time the score was 5-5, and the game was in the final minute. Again, the Soviet team was mere moments from winning the Summit Series. But Henderson screamed for Peter Mahovlich to get off the ice – something a hockey player never does. Mahovlich complied, though, and Henderson tore to Tretiak’s goal, while Phil Esposito stole the puck and swatted it in front. One shot, save. Second shot – goal!
“Henderson has scored for Canada!” shouted play-by-play legend Foster Hewitt. Canada had produced a heroic comeback – and Henderson has been a hero in Canada from that day to this – and forevermore.
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Paul Loicq Award (for outstanding contributions to international hockey)
Gord Miller (CAN)
Born: Edmonton, Alberta / June 21, 1964
Gord Miller’s dedication to the annual U20 championship at a time when most people happily vacation in the sun has helped TSN make the “World Junior Championships” one of the most successful hockey broadcasts in North America. His support and his dedication to the tournament, which stretches to 18 years and counting; the respect he commands from the broadcast booth, and his knowledge of the event and its history, are absolutely unparalleled.
For millions of Canadians, for whom the IIHF World Junior Championship has become an essential Christmas and New Year’s tradition, Miller’s voice and characteristic play-by-play style have come to personify the event.
He started working at TSN in 1990 as a reporter, and three years later he started a career in the broadcast booth at the IIHF World Championship. In short order, he was doing the NHL, Memorial Cup, and women’s worlds, and in 2001 he worked as the English play-by-play man for the Montreal Canadiens telecasts.
In 2002, Miller became the top play-by-play man for TSN, and drew work appropriate to his reputation, culminating with the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. But while he is well-known in North America for his NHL assignments, his true passion and greatest contributions have been with TSN’s remarkable coverage of the IIHF U20 World Championship.
Miller first hosted the U20 championship in 1993 from the TSN studios, and two years later he started an 18-year run of annual Christmastime trips to the event. He worked first as a colour man, and in 2002 started doing play-by-play, for which he is now famous.
In 2008, Miller was nominated for a Gemini Award in Canadian television for Best Play-by-Play Announcer for his work during the 2008 world U20 gold medal game between Canada and Sweden in the Czech Republic.
Hockey Canada Foundation grants more than 3,300 financial assists
Record number of Assist Fund applicants to receive registration subsidies
CALGARY, Alberta – The Hockey Canada Foundation has announced that 3,322 young players across the country will receive subsidies towards hockey registration fees for the 2023-24 season through its Assist Fund, which is the most in the program’s four-year history.
More than $1.5 million will be distributed to approved participants this season, with assists going to kids in each of Hockey Canada’s 13 Members.
This year’s record number of assists represents a 30% increase compared to last season, and 38% of assists are to participants who identify with the Black, Indigenous and racialized community.
“The Assist Fund is such an important program that helps more children and families register for hockey and create lifelong memories through the sport we all love,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “This initiative would not be possible without the generosity of Canadians and our partners, and with their support, we look forward to providing more assists to those facing financial barriers to hockey in the future.”
Since 2020, the Assist Fund has provided financial support to more than 8,000 kids, including over 3,000 who identify with the Black, Indigenous and racialized community. The Assist Fund was launched ahead of the 2020-21 season in response to the many families experiencing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has continued to provide subsidies to help more young Canadians enjoy the game they love.
The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund – parent testimonials
“Tucker loves everything hockey, and he is so thankful for organizations like this that let him get on the ice. Thank you for helping my child be active and healthy!” – Jesse in Ontario
“Our community has a growing number of Indigenous players and we wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of the Assist Fund.” – Averil in British Columbia
“Jaxon eats, sleeps and plays hockey and his love for it is something I could never take away from him. We are honoured to be part of the Hockey Canada Foundation and look forward to keeping him doing what he loves.” – Charlene in Alberta
Canadians can give an assist of their own this holiday season, with 100% of donations going towards subsidized registration fees for additional Canadian kids. More information can be found at AssistFund.HockeyCanadaFoundation.ca.
CALGARY, Alta. – The Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) has welcomed three new members to its board of directors, with the appointments of Steven Albiani (Toronto, Ont.), Angela James (Toronto, Ont.) and Brad Morris (Unionville, Ont.).
“We are excited to have Steven, Angela and Brad join the Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors, as each of them bring unique perspectives and experiences in hockey,” said Doug Goss, chair of the HCF Board of Directors. “Their expertise will be important to furthering our efforts in communities across the country, and we look forward to working with them to enhance our programs that help eliminate barriers in the game.”
Albiani is the managing partner of Stratum Advisory Group Inc., a boutique tax and insurance planning firm. A certified financial planner who holds a certificate as a family business advisor from the Family Firm Institute, Albiani is a volunteer member of the SickKids Foundation Professional Advisory Board, and sits on the boards of a number of private companies. He has also been a guest instructor at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University, his alma mater.
Widely considered as the first superstar in women’s hockey, James led Canada’s National Women’s Team to win a gold medal at four IIHF World Women’s Championships, scoring a record 11 goals at the inaugural edition in 1990. She was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010, appointed to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2021 and was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2022. James is the co-owner and general manager of the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation.
Morris is currently a global executive with Grote Industries LLC, a leading worldwide innovator of transportation safety systems. From 2012 to 2017, Morris was the chair of the board of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) and received the 2018 CWHL Humanitarian of the Year Award. Morris has also served on many other not-for-profit boards, most recently as chair of the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, and has been a long-time advocate for growing women’s and girls’ hockey.
To unite all Canadians and achieve its mission, the Hockey Canada Foundation is committed to three strategic priorities: enable, educate and engage. Each year, HCF programs remove barriers to the game, provide resources and tools to better equip kids, parents and coaches, and promote nation-building, citizenship, mentorship and community involvement.
HCF programs include the Assist Fund, which provided registration subsidies to a record 2,349 children in 2022-23, Dreams Come True, a financial assistance program designed to introduce participants to hockey by providing head-to-toe equipment and assisting with registration fees, and Hockey Is Hers, which focuses on impacting girls and women in the game.
The HCF Board of Directors also includes Goss, Ashif Mawji (vice-chair), Peter Brauti (secretary), Allan Matthews (treasurer), David Andrews (past chair) and directors Susan Anderson, Sean Finn and Barry F. Lorenzetti. In addition, the Hockey Canada Foundation U.S. board includes Bill Ackerman (chair), Mike Humes (vice-chair), Adam Graves (secretary) and Paul Delparte (treasurer).
Hockey Canada Foundation announces more than 2,300 assists for 2022-23 season
Record amount of Assist Fund applicants will receive registration subsidies to meet increased need
CALGARY, Alta. – The Hockey Canada Foundation has announced that 2,349 children across the country will receive subsidies towards registration fees for the 2022-23 season through its Assist Fund, which is the most in the program’s three-year history.
Each of Hockey Canada’s 13 Members have players receiving assists this season, with 39% of the recipients identifying as BIPOC.
“Throughout the application process, we heard so many incredible stories from families who are looking forward to watching their child play hockey for the first time, and from others who needed an assist to return to the rink,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “Thanks to the generosity of Canadians and our partners, more children from coast to coast to coast will be impacted through this initiative this season than ever before.”
Since 2020, the Assist Fund has provided financial support to more than 5,000 kids, including over 1,750 from the BIPOC community. The Assist Fund was launched ahead of the 2020-21 season in response to the many families experiencing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has continued to provide subsidies to help more young Canadians enjoy the game they love.
Canadians can give an assist of their own this holiday season, with 100% of donations going towards subsidized hockey registration fees for additional Canadian kids. More information can be found at HockeyCanadaFoundation.ca.
Three years ago, I moved my family from France to Quebec. My 15-year-old
son Aymane was so happy to move to Canada and be able to live in a country
that is passionate about the sport he loves so much – hockey.
Aymane picked up hockey at the young age of four when we lived in Paris,
but there aren’t a lot of hockey clubs there like in Canada. He always
wanted more from the sport and tried his hardest to learn and grow while in
France.
When I changed jobs and got an opportunity to move my three kids to Quebec,
Aymane was so excited to play hockey where so many other young kids play
every day. All my kids play hockey, but Aymane lives and breathes the game.
It is so hard to get him off the ice after practice or a game.
Coming to a new country is a challenge, and it is expensive. Without the
Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund, I wouldn’t have been able to keep
Aymane in the game.
I heard about the Assist Fund through our registrar when I went to register
Aymane for the season. I didn’t have a steady salary at the time, and they
explained what the Assist Fund could do for my family. I applied online and
we are so grateful to have been accepted.
The Assist Fund was so important to us because I couldn’t have made the
hockey season work without it for Aymane. He completely understood what was
happening and I couldn’t imagine not being able to keep him playing. Aymane
was so grateful to get the assist, which kept him playing this season.
Hockey is a family activity for us – all my kids play the sport, and we are
at the arena every day. It provides a great way to dispel all their energy,
learn discipline and make friends. It is also like a second family for us –
there is so much solidarity with the players and teammates.
Aymane was passionate about hockey the first time he stepped on the ice. He
would like to continue to play hockey throughout his life – he wants to
stay in the game for as long as possible. He would love to be a trainer for
a team when he is older.
Like many other Canadian parents, I want to do what is best for my kids and
give them everything they want. For families that don’t have much extra
money available or have financial difficulties, this is an incredible
opportunity. We want our kids to dream, and having the Assist Fund allows
many families to make that happen across Canada.
We were so happy to have access to the Assist Fund and a chance to keep
Aymane playing the game he loves so much. The possibilities are endless
when kids stay in sports, and I hope many other kids across Canada have the
same opportunity Aymane had through the Assist Fund.
What the Assist Fund means to me: Anouchka Hawkes-O'Hara
The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund helped Anouchka’s son Leon build connections in his community and gain a sense of belonging
Growing up in Ireland, I would watch hockey in the middle of the night
because I loved it. I was a big Mario Lemieux fan. When I moved to Canada
almost 20 years ago, I knew I wanted to immerse myself in the sport.
When I had my children, I always wanted them to play hockey and I’m a big
believer in sports and the positive power it has on kids.
My son Leon is 10 years old, and he is an old soul. He is a firm believer
in fair play and is concerned with how other people are doing. While he
likes the competition, he likes to be the best he can be.
When Leon was younger, he watched his older brother Floyd play hockey and
when asked who his favourite player was, he would say Floyd. He wanted to
be just like him and wanted to play hockey, too.
The hockey rink is an integral part of our community – it is the heartbeat
of Stanley, New Brunswick. Really, the rink is our community. Everyone has
made us feel so welcome and made me feel that I wasn’t an outsider because
I came from Ireland.
My boys have grown up at the rink and have made so many new friends through
hockey. Leon has such good influences in his life through his coaches, who
are teaching him and his teammates life lessons, along with building those
hockey skills.
Through hockey, Leon gets that sense of belonging. There is such a
camaraderie through sport that Leon is developing with his teammates.
With four children, including three boys in hockey, we have felt the same
financial constraints that many Canadian families have faced recently.
This past season when I went to register them, a volunteer told me about
the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund, and I applied that night. The
process was easy, and I got the registration fees covered for all three
boys.
If it wasn’t for the Assist Fund, especially this year, I wouldn’t have
been able to put the kids in hockey. Things have been lean, and I didn’t
want to disappoint them by not playing the sport they love.
Some people are embarrassed to apply, but I am not. Any trepidation I had
about applying and asking for an assist is eclipsed by the look of joy on
my kids’ faces.
Even at 10 years old, Leon understood what it meant to get this assist and
he was so excited. He is a very kind kid and notices everything. He is
aware how much things cost, and he was so happy to know that Hockey Canada
helped him and his brothers this season.
Hockey is such an integral part of Leon’s life. Although he knows he will
never be a National Hockey League player, he loves the game so much that he
even has a beer league name picked out. He wants to play hockey throughout
high school and hopefully on a university scholarship.
When I see other parents in the same spot as I am, I know they are
appreciative. We might not love the 5 a.m. wakeup calls for games, but the
look on their faces when they hit the ice is the best thing.
Our community is so great, and we are all Bulldogs. We spend all winter at
the rink, and we wouldn’t change it for anything.
Hockey is so much more than wins, losses or even Gordie Howe hat tricks –
it is a lifelong love affair and the joy they experience when playing a
game. I am so happy to give my kids the opportunity because we got an
assist from Hockey Canada.
HCF Golf: A Day at Priddis Greens
World champions, sponsors and alumni take to the course.
The power of an assist: BFL Canada
A hockey dad himself, Barry Lorenzetti knows what the game means to Canadian families. That's why BFL CANADA is proud to support the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund
Being a hockey dad, Barry Lorenzetti knows the impact the game can have on
Canadian families.
Lorenzetti has also seen the importance of creating equal opportunities at
the grassroots level and giving back to those who face barriers.
“Hockey, of course, for me, represents a tremendous opportunity to unite
the country,” says Lorenzetti, founder, president and CEO of BFL Canada.
Hockey has been a lifelong passion for the Montreal native – he has sat on
the Hockey Canada Foundation Board of Directors for many years, including a
stint as chair, and believes in the vision of promoting the game to young
athletes.
“To be part of the Hockey Canada Foundation is in line with my values,” he
says. “I am proud to be around business personnel who share in our vision,
especially this endeavor from BFL’s perspective to be involved in the
Assist Fund for Hockey Canada.”
BFL Canada is an insurance brokerage risk services company with over 1,100
employees across Canada.
It is a long-time partner of Hockey Canada and proud donor to the Hockey
Canada Foundation Assist Fund, which was created in response to many
families experiencing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic. The goal is to make the game more accessible to children and
families who can’t afford the costs of hockey.
“We’ve seen the appreciation that the young folks have with the Assist
Fund. Giving back like that is even more rewarding from my perspective,”
Lorenzetti states. “To give underprivileged kids and their families the
opportunity to register and get back into hockey. I think that has been
such a tremendous success.”
Throughout his professional career, Lorenzetti has supported various
charitable organizations, with a passion for women's entrepreneurship,
mental health and elevating girls and women in hockey.
In particular, seeing the effects the pandemic had on the mental health of
young Canadians was a driving factor in BFL Canada in collaborating and
supporting the Assist Fund.
“We think having the kids out and having their families out on the ice
through this function … it’s a small part that we have been able to do at
BFL Canada perspective,” he says. “We are just honoured to be part of this
group.”
BFL Canada is also a major sponsor of women’s hockey through Hockey Canada
and Lorenzetti understands that starts at the grassroots level and helping
get more girls into the sport.
“For me, just to see the faces, see the appreciation and to have fun with
these kids and to see how they are appreciative to be on the ice,” he says.
“This is a joint venture – where we give [to Hockey Canada], the more we
get out of it. We are getting a lot out of it from my perspective.”
For more information or to donate to the Hockey Canada Foundation
Assist Fund, visit
HockeyCanada.ca/AssistFund.
What the Assist Fund means to me: Chaley Thibeau
The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund helped Chaley’s daughter Dakota work through her emotions and keep a connection to her happy place – on the ice
June 1, 2022
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Growing up, I played hockey, and it is special to see my 11-year-old
daughter pick up the game and enjoy it.
Dakota is happiest when she is in the crease for her team. She showed
interest in hockey from an early age and tried being a regular skater, but
really found her groove when she put on the goaltending equipment for the
first time.
A few years ago, my partner and I separated, and I made the transition to
being a single mom of three. The separation was difficult on Dakota. She is
a kid that has big feelings, and seeing us go through that as a family was
hard on her.
We tried our best to keep her happy, healthy and engaged in activities.
Hockey is a great outlet for her to work through those strong emotions and
having time on the ice gives her time to be around her friends and be
happy.
But being a goaltender has its costs. I didn’t want her to not have the
opportunity to play the game, but didn’t know how I was going to make it
happen this year. Hockey means everything to her, and I wanted to do
everything I could to help her stay involved and play with the travelling
team.
I heard about the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund from Dakota’s coach,
and we easily applied. It was a quick process, and when we got approved it
was such a relief to be able to tell her that she could keep playing with
her friends.
As her mom, I get to see her be herself and be happy on the ice. When she
started playing hockey, she enjoyed herself, but when she went in net,
that’s when she really started to shine. She wants to play well all the
time and it humbles her when she doesn’t always make the save, but it fuels
her competitive drive. Her teammates always come over and cheer her on.
Playing hockey continues to build her confidence and compassion for her
teammates, and that has continued to happen because of the help we received
from the Assist Fund.
Dakota would love to play as far as she can go. Her dad played
competitively throughout his youth, and we have talked to her about
options, including scholarships being available at higher levels. She has
big dreams, and we want to help her achieve those. Not being able to afford
it shouldn’t be a barrier.
Having the Assist Fund cover the cost of Dakota’s registration gave me the
extra money to get her equipment she needed for the season. I feel so
fortunate to get this funding and I am just super grateful that Dakota can
keep playing and growing in the game. It made a huge difference for us.
The best part as her mom is to watch her be happy, grow and build those
lifelong friendships. That’s fulfilling for me and I’m really proud of her
for what she has achieved. This year, we are grateful to have access to
something awesome like the Assist Fund as she continues to reach for her
dreams.
HCF Gala: Grant Fagerheim 1-on-1
The HCF chair on the importance of the Celebrity Classic.
What the Assist Fund means to me: Heather Tully
The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund helped Heather’s twins Karstyn and Calleigh remain part of the hockey community – their extended family – and keep a connection to the game
Hockey is a healthy outlet for my 12-year-old twins, Karstyn and Calleigh.
After losing my job during the COVID-19 pandemic, I wasn’t sure I could
afford to keep them in the sport they love so much.
Growing up in Winnipeg, my twins showed an interest in hockey after we
drove past the Canlan Sports complex and Karstyn saw pictures of hockey
players on the building. He said he wanted to try hockey, despite never
having been on skates.
They were six years old when I put them in a learn-to-skate program and
since then, they have both flourished in the game and the love has only
grown as they have gotten older.
The connection we have built with the hockey community in our area has
created an extended family. The friendships we have created are lifelong.
Karstyn has a fierce competitive streak, which creates some challenges for
him, but hockey allows him to work through those, with help from his
coaches.
Calleigh is such a free-spirited girl and her personality shines when she
is in the dressing room and on the ice with her teammates.
And for me, I still have connections with other hockey parents from
previous years. Hockey is important to my kids, so it was important to me
to continue to keep them playing the game.
I heard about the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund through our league
convenor. When the company I worked for went bankrupt during the pandemic,
I struggled as a single mom to find my footing again and continue to give
my kids what they needed and wanted.
They understood the situation as best they could, but I also tried to
exhaust all options before I broke their hearts if I couldn’t keep them in
hockey.
When I looked further into the Assist Fund, I applied. When that letter
came that said I received the funding, I cried. It was such a smooth and
easy process and when I told Karstyn and Calleigh about the Assist Fund,
they were excited.
Playing hockey at a high level is a dream for Karstyn – he wants to make it
to the National Hockey League, like every other Canadian boy. He has that
competitive fire and is so focused on getting better. He wants to achieve
that dream, but is also thinking about becoming a child sport psychologist
to help others with the issues he struggles with.
As for Calleigh, she would love to play for Canada’s National Women’s Team.
She isn’t as competitive as Karstyn is – she wants to have fun, first and
foremost. She is still figuring out who she is as a person, but whatever
she ends up doing, I know she will dream big.
To have a group of people that care about each other’s families is so much
more important than winning games. Hockey has shown us that it isn’t just
about the game.
We are so grateful that the Assist Fund exists for families like ours and
helps keep kids like Karstyn and Calleigh stay involved in the game. They
would have been devastated to not be playing hockey and without the Assist
Fund, it wouldn’t have been possible. Getting the funding was a bright spot
for me as their mom and I can’t wait to see them and their teammates
continue to grow in the game and build stronger friendships off the ice.
Leading the growth of para hockey
As a veteran Canadian para hockey player, Dr. Peggy Assinck’s goal is to grow the sport internationally and ensure women have a chance to play the game she loves
Growing up, Dr. Peggy Assinck was very athletic. She was not yet identified
as being born with spina bifida—a congenital defect of the spine—so she was
entirely able-bodied and played a variety of sports.
That’s why when she experienced complications from her condition and became
paralyzed from the waist down at age 11, she felt like she lost a bit of
her identity.
“It was really difficult to be honest with you, because I think I really
self-identified as an athlete,” Assinck, 38, says. “My parents really
wanted to find a way to have me be involved in sport, despite the fact that
I was dealing with ongoing medical and paralysis-below-my-waist issues.”
A recreational therapist recommended she try one of the only adaptive
sports near Peterborough, Ont., at that time: para hockey. Assinck and her
family travelled 90 minutes away from home to try the sport for the first
time. Although it wasn’t necessarily love at first skate, she was thrilled
to meet other kids just like her.
“Because I grew up in such a remote community, I'd never met anyone else in
a wheelchair or anyone else using adaptive equipment,” she says. “That was
pretty cool just to meet other disabled kids.”
With time, her passion for para hockey grew and flourished. Now one of the
veterans with Canada’s national women’s para hockey team, Assinck’s goal is
to ensure other women and girls around the world have an opportunity to try
the sport she has dedicated her life to.
Ensuring positive experiences for women
One thing Assinck emphasizes is ensuring positive experiences for women
when they try para hockey for the first time. As the women’s team holds its
selection camp in Yellowknife, N.W.T., from April 25-30, a grant from the
Hockey Canada Foundation will assist with providing try-it opportunities
and grassroots sessions in the community.
“I want to make sure that more kids and more people who sustained new
injuries are getting a good first-contact experience,” Assinck says. “I
think the Hockey Canada Foundation grant really helps for the women’s para
hockey team to do that in remote communities [and] to help support
female-specific programming.”
We believe as a Foundation that girls grow when they play hockey and
hockey grows when girls play,” says Alexandra Wise of the Hockey Canada
Foundation.
“Working with an organization like Women’s Para Hockey of
Canada is something that allows us to align our missions and keep
developing the game from a grassroots level, but then also at a higher
level," Wise adds.
It’s no coincidence that wherever Assinck has gone in her life, women’s
para hockey has grown with her guidance and support. Inspired by wanting to
learn more about spina bifida, she attended Brock University to pursue a
neuroscience degree. As she completed her undergraduate degree, she played
with the Niagara Thunderbirds and volunteered with the Brock Niagara
Penguins, a sporting program for youth and young adults with a physical
disability.
Upon her graduation in 2008, Assinck began her master’s degree and
completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of British Columbia.
Looking to continue training as an elite para hockey athlete, she searched
for a club team to join in her new home province.
“After growing up in southern Ontario, where para ice hockey was
everywhere, I was quite surprised at how little para ice hockey was in
British Columbia as a whole,” she says.
Once she joined a team based out of Surrey run by SportAbility, Assinck
helped to create new para hockey programs in Vancouver and Victoria, and
aided in making opportunities across the province to try the sport. From
there, she helped to organize a provincial team with support from BC
Hockey.
Traveling across the pond
A postdoctoral fellowship took Assinck overseas in 2017 to the University
of Edinburgh and the University of Cambridge. There were a handful of club
programs in Great Britain when she moved, and the Canadian quickly joined
the closest team to her—the Manchester Mayhem—to continue training.
“I’ve been participating as an athlete on that club team for a while, but I
think it became pretty clear that I had a lot of expertise in para hockey,
and I got asked about a year into playing here to join as the assistant
coach on [Great Britain’s] men’s para ice hockey team,” she says.
Assinck traveled with Team Great Britain to the IPC World Para Hockey
Championship, B Pool, in 2019 in Germany.
“I think I was probably the only athlete who was also a coach, I was
probably the only female who was also a coach,” she says. “It was a really
amazing opportunity to just be on the bench and to help to support the
men’s program in what they were doing and in their goals.”
With the addition of coaching on her résumé, a new opportunity presented
itself in 2021: the International Paralympic Committee approached the
coaches of Great Britain’s men’s para hockey team to ask if they would
create a women’s team.
I suddenly found myself with the opportunity to create a team in another
country… and it just seemed like the right space for me,” Assinck says.
Assinck quickly got to work. She put out a call for athletes with
lower-body disabilities living in Great Britain, interviewed potential
players and selected 27 athletes —most of whom had never played para hockey
before—for the new program.
Although Assinck was leading the charge overseas, she continued to receive
support from Team Canada staff back home. One of the difficulties she
encountered was a lack of ice time, meaning she was often teaching a group
of athletes how to play hockey without being on the ice.
“She’s spending time in classrooms teaching them the basics of hockey,”
says Tara Chisholm, head coach of Canada’s national women’s para hockey
team. “She’s renting out gymnasiums so they can do floor hockey and learn
about systems that way. She’s literally pulling everything she can together
to teach these athletes how to be hockey players in a space that really is
not intended to flourish for hockey players.”
Despite the limited resources and the challenges of creating a new team
during the COVID-19 pandemic, the newly formed Great Britain national
women’s team is prepped to compete at its first international event, the
IPC Women’s World Challenge, this fall.
“I honestly do not know how she does everything that she does,” Chisholm
says. “I’m very grateful for all the work that she has done that goes
unnoticed and that has essentially helped to develop women’s para hockey to
where it is right now.”
Growing the game in Canada and beyond
As she created the team, Assinck put together a document of how she
kickstarted the program with the goal to share it with other countries so
they can replicate the processes.
“That is the big goal right now, to not only grow the game within our
borders of Canada, but then to make sure that other girls and women with
disabilities across the world have the opportunity to play the sport of
hockey,” Chisholm says.
“In order to be in the Paralympics, we need more countries to create
teams,” Assinck adds. “We just want to make sure that they have a great
first experience and that we’re creating a sustainable program that can
continue for many, many years.”
I’m a true believer that if I hadn’t been involved in [para hockey] when I was young, when I was going through the struggles that I had, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” Assinck says.
Although it’s a bit of an odd position to play against the team you created
in competition, Assinck had the full support of her British colleagues to
return to Canada and prepare for the Women’s World Challenge. Despite
everything she has done to grow the sport, she still prioritizes being the
best athlete she can be and she trains hard to earn the privilege of
wearing the Maple Leaf on her chest.
She hopes people see her as someone who has dedicated a lot of her life and
finances to being an elite athlete, and someone who has gone over and above
to support women and para hockey in Canada and around the world. It’s the
least she could do for a sport that has changed her life.
“I’m a true believer that if I hadn’t been involved in [para hockey] when I
was young, when I was going through the struggles that I had, I wouldn’t be
the person I am today,” she says. “I wouldn’t have the confidence to be up
speaking in front of thousands of people about neuroscience or even the
confidence to be able to be jumping around from team to team in some of my
coaching roles.
“I’m hoping that I can look back and feel like I did everything I possibly
could to make sure that people with disabilities, particularly women with
disabilities, are getting exposure to the sport that means so much to me
and could mean so much to them.”
HCF Gala: Lanny McDonald 1-on-1
The Celebrity Classic honorary chair on why he got involved.
The power of an assist: BHE Canada
With a prairie-born hockey lifer leading the way, it’s no surprise Berkshire Hathaway Energy Canada was among the first to throw its support behind the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund
Chris Jurewicz
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April 27, 2022
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Scott Thon says his staff are likely tired of him using hockey analogies in
the boardrooms of Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) Canada.
But when you grow up playing the game, have a father who coached and
instilled the importance of teamwork and commitment, and also have a
significant other with solid ties to the game, well, hockey’s values tend
to stick with you.
“I grew up playing minor hockey, developed incredible relationships,
learned a lot of values from a lot of different people who were my coaches
along the way,” says Thon, who is president and CEO of BHE Canada. “I ended up playing Junior B hockey.
“Probably one of the biggest influences was my dad, who was a big coach in
Saskatchewan, not just coaching me but he coached women’s hockey
nationally. He coached a senior men’s team that won the Allan Cup. To not
only have him as my coach but to be able to watch him move and coach in
hockey, you could ask anyone at my business, they get 1,000 hockey
analogies a day about how we need to run our business around the teamwork,
how we need to think of it, whether it’s leadership or whatever it might
be.”
Thon’s wife Deb played with Team Saskatchewan in the first-ever national
women’s championship in 1982 in Brantford, Ont., where famous hockey mom
Phyllis Gretzky dropped the first puck.
These days, Deb makes sure they tune into every Calgary Flames game. Hockey
is still a major part of their lives.
Over the years, Thon and his companies have been major supporters of Hockey
Canada and initiatives to get – and keep – kids on the ice. Most recently,
BHE Canada has made significant financial contribution to the Hockey Canada
Foundation Assist Fund.
The program was created in response to the fact many Canadian families
experienced financial challenges due to COVID-19. The Assist Fund’s goal is
to get these kids back on the ice and, during the 2021-22 season, more than
$1 million was made available to provide registration fee subsidies to
families.
“[BHE Canada has] always been big supporters of Hockey Canada. As COVID
hit, the world changed for so many people and, for us, hockey is such an
incredible sport. It’s Canada’s sport,” says Thon. “Like any team sport, it
teaches a lot of values for kids. We just couldn’t fathom having kids that
wanted to play but they couldn’t afford registration fees. That’s why we
re-directed our funds into the [Assist Fund] to help those registration
fees for kids who want to play hockey.”
Thon had a chance to witness first-hand the impact of his and his company’s
support when he took to the ice in Calgary with 14-year-old Gage Varga, an
Assist Fund recipient, and a few of his friends.
Gage and his sister, Mariah Beres, lost their mother six years ago. Mariah
became Gage’s guardian, tasked with progressing from the role of sister to
caretaker and leader.
Following the pandemic, though, Mariah found it financially challenging to
keep Gage on the ice playing the sport he loves. Through Gage’s local
hockey association, the McKnight Mustangs, she learned of the Assist Fund.
“It had a major impact. Without this program this year, Gage probably
wouldn’t have been on the ice,” says Mariah. “I get to see my favourite
all-star at every game, smiling away and I know that, without this program,
that wouldn’t be possible.
“That look in his eyes, that passion. He’s always been closed off, he’s a
very quiet boy. So when you see him out there just having a great time, it
makes me so happy.”
Thon says this is what it’s all about – a kid who just wants to play and
has been given that opportunity with the love and support of his family and
an assist from Hockey Canada. He was enthralled to see Gage flying around
the ice, the joy beaming from his giant smile.
“Today, if you live in an urban centre in Canada, ice time is really tough.
What I loved about that hour or so, those kids just got to have the pure
enjoyment of playing hockey,” says Thon. “They shot it off the cross bar a
few times, they played some shinny, they did some play in the corner. This
is all free form. No one is directing them at all. Then they did a
shootout. They just literally played a sport that they loved with no
structure. This was brilliant to watch kids just truly enjoy being on a
sheet of ice.”
For more information or to donate to the Hockey Canada Foundation
Assist Fund, visit
HockeyCanada.ca/AssistFund.
For more information:
Esther Madziya Manager, Communications Hockey Canada
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