Hockey Edmonoton Winter 2012-13 issue by Suggitt Publishers

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

At Tim Hortons, if we can’t serve our premium blend coffee within twenty minutes of brewing it, we won’t serve it at all. That’s why we write the time on the pot, whenever we brew a fresh one. It’s how you know that you’ll always get a great-tasting cup of coffee. Always.

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 17

QUIKCARD EDMONTON MINOR HOCKEY WEEK

39 9.

Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

24. Rules & Regulations

11.

Chairperson & Honourary Chairperson Message

28. Memories of 2012 Edmonton Minor Hockey Week

12.

Message from the Mayor

31.

13.

Message from the Premier

15.

Facts & Figures

17.

Finals Schedule

19. Celebrating 50 Years of Edmonton Minor Hockey Week By Maurice Tougas

A Coach in the Palm of Your Hand By Celine Dylke

39. Matt Sharuga: No Stranger to Minor Hockey Week Gold By Maurice Tougas 46. Spotlight on an Official By Rob Suggitt

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

MESSAGE FROM HOCKEY EDMONTON On behalf of Hockey Edmonton, its board of directors, volunteers and staff we are excited to welcome you to the 50th Anniversary of Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week. Vern Davis, Eric Reilly, George Reith, and Don McCombie had a vision that with the assistance of 50 years of tremendous volunteers, far too numerous to list, has grown into one of the largest and longest running tournaments in the country. Memories of minor hockey week are imprinted on the minds of many and bring generations of people out to watch minor hockey in January. They experience sport in its truest form, witness the excitement of overtime (from four on four to one on one), the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and share their memories with today’s young people. Our organizing committee continues to work tirelessly to ensure the tradition of this tournament remains. Simply put, they have done an extraordinary job. This tournament has been in the planning process for months and has taken countless numbers of hours involving numerous volunteers and great community support in order to bring it all together. Hockey Edmonton would like to thank the Minor Hockey Week host committee - Terry Brown, Rod McMahon, Joan Kirillo, Bill Renshaw, Ron Sollanych, Bill Ross, Marvin Babiuk, Anna Bennett, Debbie Bykowski, Dino Belland, Doug Kirillo, and Darryl Davis - and its numerous volunteers for the hard work they have put in to making this a best-ever experience for all the participants. Congratulations to this years’ Honourary Chair Duncan McDougall. His decades of leadership have left an indelible mark on our programs. Great amateur sporting events require sponsors and Hockey Edmonton via Minor Hockey Week is blessed to have long term relationships with many. For the thirteenth consecutive year we are pleased to acknowledge and thank our title sponsor Quikcard. Their continued and unqualified support has allowed our committee to grow the event each season. Hockey Edmonton would also like to thank McDonalds Restaurants, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Oil Kings, United Cycle, Elite Sportswear, Edmonton Sun, Impact Sports Photography, PDERAS, RICOH, The Hockey Program, Serdachny Power Skating & Hockey, and Hockey Alberta. Hockey Edmonton would also like to thank CityTV / Rogers for their bringing the concept of a documentary of our 50 years to the committee and Hockey Edmonton. A great community partnership has been forged and we are eager to view the finished product. Thanks to ATB Financial for taking a presenting sponsorship role and to our secondary sponsors that have come onboard prior to the copy deadline - SEERA and Knights of Columbus. We hope you enjoy the show. Finally, thank you to the parents, coaches, team officials, referees and the numerous volunteers and team supporters for helping our young athletes achieve their goals and make lasting memories in this prestigious event. Do we have challenges in hockey? No doubt. However, for 10 days in January we celebrate all that is good in the sport. We invite you to come out and support our youth as they live out their dreams. For $5 it is the best deal in town. As we look past Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week, we are excited at the prospect of having our EFHC Tier 1 and 2 champions in Atom, Peewee, Bantam and Midget participate in the Hockey Alberta Provincials this season. Our executive committee and board of directors will continue to work on growing the game, long term player development and on administrative tasks such as our strategic plan, governance, and standards of play. We are in need of volunteers – from standing committee roles or chairmanships through vice president of operations. So if you are interested in helping build minor hockey in Edmonton please contact our office. Good luck to all in the final stretch of the winter season and hope you have a great playoff run.

Respectfully, Betty Chmilar President, Hockey Edmonton

2012-2013 Executive and League Directors 10618 - 124 St., Edmonton, AB T5N 1S3 Ph: (780) 413-3498 • Fax: (780) 440-6475

www.hockeyedmonton.ca To contact any of the Executive or Standing Committees please visit our website

President: Betty Chmilar Past President: Chris Hurley VP Admin: Mark Doram VP Operations: Vacant VP Development: Chris Hurley Treasurer: Barry Bentz Junior Chairman: George Metez Federation Chairman: Kasey Kozicky AA Chairman: Jerry Rossiter General Manager: Dean Hengel Administrator: Loree Dawson Finance: Sharon Fleming

Standing Committees Hockey Alberta Director(s): Paul Schmidt | Lorne MacDonald Hockey Alberta Manager of Operations: Betty Chmilar Hockey Edmonton Alumni President: Orest Zaozirny Registrar: Nadine Shimizu Ice: Bernie Coderre Discipline Chair: Marg Brownoff Minor Hockey Week Chair: Terry Brown School Hockey: Jason Stewart Referee Representatives: Herman Costa (AA) | Duncan MacDougall (Federation)

League Directors

Federation Hockey Council League Directors Midget: Terry Fulmer Bantam: Art Wilson Pee Wee: Crystal Feader Atom: Judy/Kevin Nitz Novice: Kasey Kozicky Initiation: Steve Sweeney

Hockey Edmonton Recreational League Directors: Greg Goss | Brett Finch

AA Council League Directors Bantam AA: Russ Lukawesky Bantam AAA: Debbie Blais Midget AA: Earl Reid Major Midget AAA: Bob Olynyk Minor Midget AAA: Greg Blais Rem 15 Minor Midget AA: Brian Backstrom

Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week Committee Chairperson: Terry Brown Past Chairpersons: Joan Kirillo and Rod McMahon Vice Chairperson: Bill Renshaw Committee: Treasurer: Deb Bykowski Secretary: Ana Bennett Marketing: Dean Heuman Central: Bill Ross Schedules: Ron Sollanych, Darrell Davis, Doug Lememayer Discipline: Marg Brownoff Sponsorship: Marvin Babiuk

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

PUBLISHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE Welcome to a very special edition of the Hockey Edmonton Magazine! This year marks the 50th anniversary of Edmonton Minor Hockey Week, for which Quikcard has been the title sponsor for the last 14 years! In this issue, you will find greetings from the President of Hockey Edmonton, along with messages from the Chairperson and Honorary Chairperson for this very special event. In addition, we have the rules and regulations, along with the schedules for the finals, which take place on Saturday January 12th and Sunday January 13th. Recognizing the significance of this special occasion, we have included an article which features the background, history and developments of Edmonton Minor Hockey Week, since its very beginning 50 years ago! An event so large could not happen without the tireless work of volunteers, which is true of its very beginning, and just as true today. This includes the organizers, schedule-makers, scorekeepers, officials, coaches, team managers, etc. who donate their time and effort for the kids who participate in this tournament. And to the players, we extend our best wishes! Memories of a lifetime will come to many who play hockey during QEMHW. As parents, family members and friends cheer on the action, give it your best, and above all, have fun!

Credits President and Publisher Rob Suggitt Vice President Stephen Kathnelson Art Director Christine Kucher Graphic Designer Cole McKelvie Contributing Writers Maurice Tougas Rob Suggitt | Celine Dylke Cover Photo Provided by Epic Photography Copy Editing Shari Narine Photography Credits Jon Hagan Epic Photography Administration Amber Grmek

Sincerely, Rob Suggitt Publisher, Hockey Edmonton Magazine

Playhouse Publications Ltd. also publishes the Citadel Theatre Playbill, Edmonton Opera Playbill, Arden Theatre Playbill, Fringe Theatre Adventures Arts at the Barns Magazine. #950, Bell Tower, 10104 - 103 Ave., Edmonton, AB T5J 0H8 Ph: 780-423-5834 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: 780-413-6185 The Hockey Edmonton Magazine is a product of Playhouse Publications Ltd., an affiliate of Suggitt Group Ltd.

President & CEO Tom Suggitt President & CFO Rob Suggitt All rights reserved. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed within do not necessarily represent the opinions of the publisher or Hockey Edmonton. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. www.Suggitt.com Printed by: R.R. Donnelley

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

CHAIRPERSON’S

MESSAGE

Who would ever have thought that this tournament would be in the 50th year of existence? Why has this lasted so long? In my opinion, it is volunteers that have devoted so much time and energy to this special event. When I talk to volunteers involved with the tournament, it is easy to recognize their passion for making this the best in the world. This tournament was started 50 years ago with the four founders, Vern Davis, Don McCombie, Eric Reilly, and George Reith. From there they added rink managers, referees and other volunteers needed to make the tournament operate. At the beginning, there were 670 teams that played on outdoor ice with the finals at the Edmonton Gardens. In 1973, all the tournament games were moved indoors and the finals were played at Northlands Agricom. This tournament stressed the participation of all the players and to play other teams that they might not play in their league. At present, there are approximately 3,000 volunteers that are involved to make this a success. This tournament has been recognized by the Guinness World Records in the past for being the largest ice hockey tournament in the world. Unfortunately, Mr. Vern Davis passed away last year, but he was involved every year since the inception of the tournament. He always provided guidance and always reminded us that the tournament was for the kids. We will miss his excitement, energy and passion for this tournament. I would like to thank him for passing that down to the next generations that are involved in this great tournament. I am honoured to be the chairperson this year and to have worked with a committee with so much experience and passion for this tournament. An event of this magnitude takes up a great amount of time which the volunteers donate. I would like to thank all the volunteers for their time and commitment over the 50 years that this tournament has been operating. In particular, I would like to acknowledge our referees, who also donate their time and may not necessarily get the credit that they deserve.

HONORARY CHAIRPERSON’S

MESSAGE

I was very honoured when Bill Ross asked me to serve as the honourary chairperson of Hockey Edmonton’s Quikcard Minor Hockey Week. Not only would I be the honourary chairperson for the fiftieth edition of Minor Hockey Week but I would also be the first honourary chairperson whose sole relationship with Edmonton hockey was through officiating.

I first actively participated in Minor Hockey Week as a referee in 1974. I have continued to participate every year since except for the 1977 and 1978 editions when I was studying at the University of Michigan. This year will be my thirty-seventh tournament as a referee. Since1981 I have been the tournament coordinator for officials on the BB side of the tournament. During Minor Hockey Week the game officials donate their time. Like the numerous other workers in Minor Hockey Week, the officials are volunteers. Over the duration of the tournament, the games fees that are donated by Hockey Alberta’s North Zone Referees’ Committee members amount to about $40,000. I would like to thank each and every official this year and those of the past 49 years, who have unselfishly volunteered their time to make the tournament the success it is today. Minor Hockey Week has great meaning to the Edmonton hockey community. Many, many hockey memories originate from this tournament. The games are played with an intensity and atmosphere seldom seen at other times of the hockey season. Everyone meets the challenge with greater effort and new memories are created. To the players, coaches, spectators – and especially the volunteer officials – have a great fiftieth tournament. Have fun. Do your best while displaying sportsmanship. Enjoy the moment while you create many new memories. Good luck to all!

Last but not least, the committee would like to thank the sponsors who contributed over the years. As a result, the admission fee has remained unchanged for over 20 years. I would like to make a special thanks to our title sponsor Quikcard Solutions Inc. who has been a great supporter for 13 years and will be for many years to come. On behalf of the Quikcard Edmonton Minor Hockey Week committee, we would like to wish all the participants good luck this year.

Sincerely,

Terry Brown Chairperson,

Duncan MacDougal Honorary Chairperson,

QUIKCARD EDMONTON MINOR HOCKEY WEEK

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

QUIKCARD EDMONTON MINOR HOCKEY WEEK

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

How long has Quikcard Minor Hockey Week been a part of the Edmonton hockey scene? Let’s put it this way: men who were just boys when the tournament first began are now watching their grandchildren play in the same tournament. That’s what you call longevity. For today’s coddled hockey players and their equally coddled parents, the idea behind the creation of Minor Hockey Week may seem so entirely foreign, it needs explanation. Here’s the story. The founding fathers of Minor Hockey Week — Vern Davis, Don McCombie, George Reith and Eric Riley — wanted to find a way to give all minor hockey players the experience of playing a game indoors. That’s right, indoors.

“Minor Hockey Week was a hit with parents and kids right from the first year, and is now an integral part of the Edmonton hockey calendar.” judged Edmonton Minor Hockey Week to be the largest hockey tournament in the world. (The current record holder, according to Guinness, is Calgary’s Minor Hockey Week tournament, which achieved the record in 2007, although a tournament in Ottawa also makes the claim.) In 1980, Minor Hockey Week shifted to tiering to even the playing field (or the ice surface). That move came a little too late for Minor Hockey Week chairman Terry Brown’s son. “When I coached my son one year, we lost 22-0,” recalled the current chairperson of Quikcard Minor Hockey Week. “He didn’t want to play goal after that.” Brown’s involvement in Minor Hockey Week goes back three generations. He competed as a child in the very early days of the tournament, coached as a father, and now watches his grandkids play. He vividly recalls playing as a child and the excitement this anyonecan-win tournament created. “Everybody who played hockey when I was a kid, that was the number one thing,” he said.

Now, of course, all games are played indoors, but when Minor Hockey Week first began in January 1963, indoor ice was found only at the old Edmonton Gardens, the city’s grand (well, grand at the time) hockey palace on the Edmonton Exhibition site. All regular season minor hockey games were played outdoors, and conditions varied, to put it mildly. The ice could be chipped and cracked from the extreme cold or mushy and puddled when the weather got too warm. There were no ice surfacing machines to clear the ice, just dedicated dads and some moms who scraped off the ice while their frozen-toed offspring tried to warm up in superheated shacks that passed for dressing rooms. There were no scoreboards, no clocks (timing was left up to a home team volunteer, who would sometimes lengthen or shorten a game, depending on the circumstances), no concessions, and no seats for the parents. But Minor Hockey Week would change all that, at least for those teams lucky or good enough to make the finals. In the inaugural year, 670 teams participated. All the games were played outdoors, with the exception of the finals, which moved to the Gardens, with all games played on one day. By 1973, the thrill of playing an indoor game became only a memory as all 738 teams played indoors. Minor Hockey Week was a hit with parents and kids right from the first year and is now an integral part of the Edmonton hockey calendar. It had become so big, in fact, that the Guinness Book of World Records

He remembers the thrill of playing on indoor ice. “It was like I was playing in the NHL. It’s a clear memory for me,” he said. “I remember clearly how important the tournament was to my

“I was a bundle of nerves before each game. I always thought I was playing in the Stanley Cup.” One memory he cannot relate to is having a gold medal draped around his neck. Although he played in 12 MHW tournaments and coached in another dozen, he never played or coached a goldmedal winning team. “I know some kids and parents who have won it three times and I can’t believe it. It drives me crazy,” Brown laughed. Getting the chance to play indoors wasn’t the only benefit of MHW. For some kids — the non-stars with weak ankles and inability to stop without crashing into the boards — MHW gave them a chance to play on equal terms with their more skilled teammates. One of the key innovations of MHW was a rule that decreed all players must be allowed to play twice a period. Also, the games are shorter with straight time, which creates greater opportunities for upsets. While the regular season favours the superior clubs, Quikcard Minor Hockey Week gives the lesser lights a chance to shine. “It’s rare that someone wins Minor Hockey Week and the city championship,” noted Brown. Organizing something as huge as the Quikcard Minor Hockey Week tournament is not to be taken lightly. At the top is the chairperson, assisted by a vice-chair and past chairs on a committee. From there, each arena has a rink manager, who then co-ordinates his small army of volunteers. “The reason this thing runs so smoothly is the volunteers,” said Brown. “We have people who have been at the rink manager position for a long time, and we have very little turnover.”

dad, co-players and myself. I was so excited that I could hardly eat supper and I was a bundle of nerves before each game. I always thought I was playing in the Stanley Cup.” The feeling he had as a child has carried through to his kids and grandkids. “For my kids and my grandkids, Minor Hockey Week is bigger than the playoffs,” said Brown.

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

Joan Kirillo is one of those volunteers. She was an arena manager when her kids played, which turned into a position on the committee and eventually the committee chairperson. When she first became an arena manager, she admits she didn’t think MHW was such a big deal. It didn’t take long for her to discover just how big a deal it is to hockey players and parents. “It’s amazing how many people come up to me and tell me how many times their kid won it, or when they were last in the final, or when they as a parent was last in the final,” she said.

There are tournaments that are bigger, but Kirillo says Edmonton’s format makes it unique. “This is only a local tournament, not an invitational. Everybody plays in it,” she said.

Every year, Kirillo hears from people who think the tournament should be played outdoors again.

And no tournament has the longevity of Edmonton MHW. Kirillo says there was a tournament in eastern Canada that started before Edmonton MHW, but it shut down for a while because of a lack of volunteers. That has never been a problem in Edmonton, a city with a reputation for outstanding volunteerism.

“I say, ‘People, that’s not what the tournament was all about,’” she laughed.

“That’s the best thing about this tournament. It’s a lot of fun, actually,” she said.

One of the keys to its success is its affordability — it is just $120, peanuts by today’s hockey standards. Kirillo is still involved as a member of the organizing committee, which she calls laughingly “the committee you can’t get off of.” She has been on the committee for many years, but the alltime leader in committee longevity was Vern Davis, one of the founders of the tournament. He served 49 years before his death last year. “Vern was an incredible guy,” said good friend Kirillo. Even while he was on the committee, he was the arena manager at Oliver for 16 years. There are others, Kirillo says, who have 30-plus years volunteering, like Bill Ross, who has run central control going into his 36th consecutive year — and he still does it using old-school rotary phones. While there may be problems finding ice time for Quikcard Minor Hockey Week, and the number of teams involved goes up and down, the one constant is the volunteers. There is no problem with finding Edmontonians willing to pitch in.

“This is Edmonton; we always do our part in everything we do,” said Kirillo.

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

2. 1.0

GENERAL RULES

1.1 Every player dressed must play at least twice in every period during regulation play, with the exception of goalkeepers. If the team has two goalkeepers, each one must play at least one period in each game. No warm ups for incoming goalkeepers. Coaches and managers failing to comply with the above rule will be dealt with by the Discipline Chairperson. 1.2 The Tournament Arena Manager is in charge of the arena and his/her decision is final. 1.3 Scrapes and floods shall be determined between Arena Manager and Caretakers. 1.4 Time clocks shall start at the listed game time. Any team not on the ice and ready to play within five (5) minutes of the listed time shall be disqualified. The Arena Manager shall be the judge of this action. 1.5 If, in the Arena Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion, a uniform change is required, the home team shall make the change. Note: It would be advisable that the Team Managers confer before the game to ensure that no game time will be lost during the necessary sweater change. 1.6 All EMHA Rules and Regulations are in effect during Minor Hockey Week. They count as regular league games for the purpose of determining the number of games a player/coach/manager or trainer will sit out. Suspensions incurred in Minor Hockey Week will carry over into league play if not fully served in Minor Hockey Week. Rule Example: Rule 41-K, Page 74, Canadian Hockey Association Official Rule Book If for whatever reason, the ref or linesman appointed are prevented from appearing, the Managers or Coaches of the two (2) competing clubs shall agree on a referee and one (1) or two (2) linesmen. If you are unable to agree, they shall appoint a player from each team who shall act as officials. 1.7 In case of dispute, the decision of the Minor Hockey Week Chairperson or his/her designate is final. THERE ARE NO APPEALS DURING MINOR HOCKEY WEEK.

TEAM REGISTRATION

2.1 Coaches must present their team registration to the Arena Manager at all games and all players registered on the team registration and not dressed shall be noted on the game sheet, with an explanation of why they are not dressed. 2.2 If a team arrives at the arena without the ORIGINAL Team Registration, the Arena Manager must call Central for verification. The ORIGINAL Team Registration must be produced prior to the end of regulation time of said game or said team will be subject to disciplinary action. 2.3 NO AFFILIATED PLAYERS ALLOWED, exception being GOALIES, due to medical problems, which have been submitted and approved by the City Registrar. Players names will be PRINTED ON THE GAME SHEET by the des2.4 ignated team official. Players are NOT required to sign the game sheet during Minor Hockey Week. 2.5 The Coach, Manager and/or Trainer will PRINT their names on the GAME SHEET. 2.6 In the event a team does not show for their game, the Coach and Manager will be subject to disciplinary action unless there are exten-uating circumstances. The other team will be given the choice of a win or loss.

3.0

REGULATION TIME

3.1 Duration of games will be posted on draw sheets at each arena. The Arena Manager will be responsible to advise game officials of game duration. Games will be straight time. Stop time in the last two (2) minutes unless there is a goal spread of five (5) goals or more then it will be straight time. FINALS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; last five (5) minutes will be STOP TIME unless there is a 3.2 five (5) goal spread or more, then it will be straight time. 3.3 The referees may assess a two (2) minute bench minor penalty for delay of game; if they feel the coaching staff is using up time by deliberately slowing down the line changes. This rule applies to both straight and stop time. The clock will not stop for any reason (injury or otherwise) once the opening faceoff has taken place (exception being rules 3.1 & 3.2).

3.4 All minor penalties are two (2) minutes of straight time. Any portion of a penalty not served during straight time will be completed as a stop time penalty.

with two (2) players (one may be a goaltender) until a winner is determined. To commence play in the ten (10) minute period, the face-off will be held at the center ice spot.

3.5 In case of a tie at the end of regulation play, overtime will be played. Play will continue until the first goal is scored, which will terminate the game, and the team scoring the goal will be the winner.

4.5

No timeouts may be called by a Coach or player in overtime.

PENALTIES

3.6 No timeouts may be called by a Coach or player during regulation time.

5.1 All minor penalties are two (2) minutes of straight time starting at the drop of the puck.

OVERTIME

4.1 Overtime is played to sudden victory. Teams may remove goalkeepers at any time. Teams may change â&#x20AC;&#x153;on the flyâ&#x20AC;? at any time. To commence overtime, each team will place six (6) players (one may be a goaltender) on the ice. The teams will not change ends for the overtime period and the time clock will be set for one (1) minute. 4.2

OVERTIME SHALL BE STOP TIME.

4.3 Overtime will be played in one (1) minute increments. At the end of one (1) minute, the horn will sound and each team will remove one (1) player from the ice. Play will be resumed immediately at the nearest face-off spot to the place where play ended. The timekeeper will stop the clock and sound the horn after each minute until the teams are reduced to two (2) players (one may be a goaltender) on the ice. 4.4 Once each team has been reduced to two (2) players, the clock will be set to six (6) minutes. To commence play, the face-off will be held at the center ice spot. There will be no further reductions to the number of players and the ONE-MINUTE PERIODS WILL END. Time will continue until the six (6) minute period has expired. If still tied at the end of the six (6) minute period, ten (10) minute periods will be played

5.2 Penalties incurred in regulation time and not completely served in regulation time, shall carry over into the overtime period (as a stop time penalty) and will be completed in overtime unless the game is ended. 5.3 Time penalties incurred and unexpired which may leave a team short or shorthanded during the overtime when teams are reduced to two (2) players will result in a penalty shot(s) to the non-offending team for each unexpired time penalty. If due to penalties, a team is reduced to two (2) players and another time penalty is incurred, the offending team will serve the most recent penalty and a penalty shot(s) will be awarded the non-offending team for each unexpired time penalty. At no time will a team be required to have less than two (2) players on the ice. Should each team have an unexpired time penalty when teams are reduced to two (2) players, a penalty shot will be awarded each team. The team with the least time to serve will shoot first (if this cannot be determined, then the home team will shoot first). Each team must shoot. If the teams are still tied, overtime will continue. If multiple time penalties remain, a penalty shot will be awarded for each unexpired time penalty until all penalty shots have been taken. All time penalties incurred with two (2) players on the ice shall result in the awarding of penalty shots in lieu of penalty times.

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

WENDY’S LOCATIONS Edmonton 1. 9598 - 170 St. 2. 14205 - 118 Ave. 3. 7410 Argyll Rd. 4. 6510 - 28 Ave. 5. 10141 - 34 Ave. 6. 17007 - 109 Ave. 7. 8427 - 112 St. 8. 10365 - 111 St. 9. 13138 - 50 St. 10. 9630 - 137 Ave. 11. 1850 - 102 St. NW 12. 18411 Stony Plain Rd.

St. Albert

13. 140 St. Albert Rd. 14. 470 St. Albert Rd.

780-484-2160 780-451-2669 780-466-5376 780-450-1427 780-462-7560 780-487-9701 780-434-6608 780-424-1263 780-414-0180 780-475-9547 780-461-6967 780-444-6810 780-458-9611 780-459-9690

Sherwood Park

15. 150, 410 Baseline Rd. 780-417-6600 16. 198 Ordze Ave. 780-467-3924

Spruce Grove

17. 120 St. Matthews Ave.780-962-4757

Leduc

18. 6211 - 50 St.

ARENA LOCATOR 1. Knights of Columbus Arena 13160 - 137 Ave. 2. Bill Hunter Arena 9200 - 163 St. 3. Callingwood Rec. Centre 17740 - 69 Ave. 4. Castledowns Rec. Centre 11520 - 153 Ave. 5. Clareview Rec. Centre 3804 - 139 Ave. 6. Confederation Arena 11204 - 43 Ave. 7. Coronation Arena 13500 - 112 Ave. 8. Crestwood Arena 9940 - 147 St. 9. Donnan Arena 9105 - 80 Ave. 10. Glengarry Arena 13340 - 85 St. 11. Grand Trunk Arena 13025 - 112 St. 12. Kenilworth Arena 8313 - 68A St. 13. Kinsmen Arena 1979 - 111 St. 14. Londonderry Arena 14520 - 66 St.

15. Michael Cameron Arena 10404 - 56 St. 16. MillWoods Rec. Centre 7207 - 28 Ave. 17. Oliver Arena 10335 - 119 St. 18. Russ Barnes Arena 6725 - 121 Ave. 19. George S. Hughes South Side Arena 10525 - 72 Ave. 20. Tipton Arena 10828 - 80 Ave. 21. Westwood Arena 12040 - 97 St. 22. Canadian Athletic Hockey Arena 14640 - 142 St. 23. Terwillegar Community Rec. Centre 20151 Leger Rd.

EMHA / HOCKEY EDMONTON HEADQUARTERS 10618 - 124 Street 780-413-3498

780-986-6887

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

For years Quantum Speed’s owner Steffany Hanlen and her business partner and master skating instructor Vanessa Hettinger have been asked by their students for a take home piece of their unique skating development system, which produces scientifically measurable results in a skater’s stride. But neither coach is a big fan of DVD programs. “We get requests to work with young players all over the world,” explained Hettinger, who is also the general manager of Quantum Speed. “We have never fully believed in videos because there is a disconnect between watching something in your living room and then translating it into movement on the ice. If people were 100 percent visual learners, then we would all skate like our favourite NHLer!” The tipping point came when a friend shared his frustrations of trying to coach a young hockey player with an app that just wasn’t cutting it. This started their brains churning. It took a year in development to consolidate years of coaching expertise and gather video footage, and in October of 2012 the Introduction to Quantum SpeedTM App for iPhones was launched. This app is the first of three skating applications, and is aimed at young players and skaters who are just starting out (ages 5-9). It includes step-by-step videos that introduce players to the tips, tricks and science that make Quantum SpeedTM High Performance Skating Systems unlike any other skating company out there. “Many high-level coaches will tell you that it’s very difficult to teach young players – especially when it comes to the basics of skating.

You need a lot of ‘tools in your toolbox’ and often you need a way to show your players the skills properly. This app solves a lot of these problems,” said Hettinger Just like their innovative skating system, this app is different from what’s already on the market. There are 30 different drills to choose from which are based on a results-oriented, process-based system, and grouped into 10 skill areas (Chalk Talk, Balance, Stopping, Forward Stride, Backwards Basics, Edges, Turns and Transitions, Starts and Acceleration, Add a Puck, Fun Stuff). At the end of each video is a ‘Key Teaching Point’ slide that identifies teaching cues, as well as common errors and how to correct them. “Basic skating development is not rocket science,” said Hettinger. “When the skills are taught properly, with effective error detection and correction, skaters get great results. That being said, we do believe that we have the formula figured out and if a player masters these particular skills, they will be proficient at their age group and skill level. Same goes for the Intermediate and Advanced Apps.” The next two apps will be released in early 2013 and align with Intermediate Level (ages 10-12) and Advanced Level (ages 12-14) of Hockey Canada’s coaching stream. “Once they’ve mastered all the skills and techniques on the Apps, and are ready to make their skating even faster,” said Hettinger, “then it’s definitely time to come learn on the ice with us in person!” So far the response has been very positive. “People are loving it.” Hettinger said, they are getting enthusiastic feedback from skaters and coaches alike who are using it on the ice every day. “Every time I’m on the ice, I carry the Quantum SpeedTM App with me. It’s extremely powerful,” said Dan Price, assistant coach of the

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

Tri-City Americans. “The readily accessible video and key teaching points allow me to quickly and clearly provide instruction to athletes before, during and after ice sessions. This app is a mandatory tool, in my opinion, for any coach or player whose goal is to increase speed through the development of technique and power.” Even older skaters are picking up the new app because as Hettinger points out, “they think it’s cool.” And because the majority of the proceeds of each app will go to the Quantum SpeedTM ‘Scholarship Fund’ which provides payment for kids who WANT to skate with QS but can’t due to circumstances beyond their control, ‘cool’ is a pretty good investment.

“We hope that skating coaches across the country (and the world) add these skills and drills to what they are already doing, and the quality of our skaters, especially nationally, get better.”

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

Don’t Don’t miss out! miss out!

By Maurice Tougas

Thousands of Edmonton kids have played in Minor Hockey Week and never experienced the thrill of having that gold medal draped around their neck. Not Matt Sharuga. When Sharuga and his hockey buddies were tearing up northeast zone minor hockey with the Eagles and the Braves in the 1980s and 1990s, making it to the final of Minor Hockey Week — which he did for seven straight years — was practically a given. “We kind of took it for granted,” said Sharuga, looking over the array of gold (and one silver) medals his teams won year after year. Sharuga seemed so blasé about it, he was surprised when he saw an item in an edition of Hockey Edmonton Magazine last year that asked for readers who had won MHW two or three times to share their memories. Didn’t everybody win it year after year? Sharuga, 34, is a born-and-bred Edmontonian, but he has a touch of the small town hockey upbringing in him. When he was a kid, he and his friends played for hours on the frozen lakes of his Lake District home, just outside his door. “I’d come in, take my skates off, cry for an hour because my toes were so frozen, get something to eat, and go right back out,” Sharuga recalled.

His first experience in Minor Hockey Week was in 1986. The championship was in the Agricom, which was a highlight itself. But Sharuga and his mischievous teammates made a discovery that year that only added to the fun — Stampede Wrestling was held at the Agricom and they discovered the empty hall where the wrestling ring was set up. “We always said we had plans to go to the rink early and get ready for the game, but we’d sneak in to the rink and we’d wrestle to exhaustion,” he said. “We were so good, we’d go out and win, and as soon as the game was over, we’d go right back to the ring.” Sharuga has every medal but one from his MHW experience, along with framed pictures of his winning teams (Sharuga was always the kid closest to the trophy), and hours of videotape of the games, courtesy of an enthusiastic parent. “There were lots of cowbells, lots of noise, lots of grandmas and grandpas … everybody went to Minor Hockey Week,” he said. He played on winning teams in six of the seven MHW tournaments from 1986-92. Ironically, in 1990 they “only” won a silver medal, but it was the year the Eagles won the city’s and provincial’s, and represented Canada at an international hockey tournament in Sapporo, Japan — where they won a gold, of course. The losing year stands out. “I remember being choked,” he said of that non-gold medal year, “but we got them (Whitemud West) back in the city finals.” He even had the thrill of scoring a gold-medal winning goal. It was in overtime, when the goalies were pulled. Their opponents, “arch rivals” Whitemud West, hit the post, and Sharuga scored right after for the winner. It bounced in off his chest, but a goal’s a goal. Other games, however, weren’t that close. One game he was watching on tape was 10-1, and it wasn’t even over. All the time he and his teammates were winning Minor Hockey Week, they were coached by the “northeast coaching legend” Larry Letawsky. Sharuga didn’t stop playing hockey once he got too old for Minor Hockey Week. He played in the WHL before turning pro in the Central Hockey League, playing for the Austin Ice Bats and the Corpus Christi Ice Rays, both in Texas. “I had an awesome career, but minor hockey was the best,” he said. “The Agricom, the wrestling ring, everybody to Bullwinkle’s after … that’s what it was all about.”

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

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Hockey Edmonton Magazine

If you want to get a groan of complaint out of young hockey players, simply pull the pylons out of the equipment bag. They’ve been around since the days when Eaton’s catalogues substituted for shin pads. They serve a purpose, of course. But skating and passing drills are tedious, with or without pylons. Inventor, hockey coach and parent Joe Quinn knows as well as anyone that hockey practice can be a bore. Kids, after all, want to play, not work on the fundamentals. Knowing that were had to be a better way to do elite level training that didn’t involve pylons and tires and sticks lying on the ice , Quinn invested 10 years of on-ice trial and innovative sessions to come up with something entirely different — the Power Edge Pro System. (PEP).

opponents that create resistance to challenge players to elevate puck control and edge control over, under and around the PEP devices in quick succession. “You can forever change the apparatus,” says Quinn. “It’s never the same thing twice. Every kid challenges themselves against that piece of equipment.” The key to the PEP program is that the kids progressively challenge themselves, just as they would if they were playing a video game where they complete one level, and go onto the next.

“Using on-ice apparatus that only PEP has, PEP is a progressive training system with unique skating patterns that produce results in such skills as speed, acceleration, balance, agility and quickness. “

With the assistance of Don MacAdam, who has coached in Europe, Asia, the NHL with a Stanley Cup winner — and who has co-authored six books on hockey conditioning — PEP has grown steadily and has gained thousands of fans on the ice and in the stands. MacAdam and Quinn knew that kids want to have fun and be challenged, that coaches want to train at an elite level, and parents want maximum value for their hard-earned hockey dollars. The Power Edge Pro System accomplishes all those goals. The skating patterns and training methods are exclusive to Power Edge Pro, using a patent-pending training system that can be found only through Power Edge Pro. Key to the success of PEP is the fact that the players have the puck on their sticks through the entire training session, which helps develop elite skating and superior stick and puck control. Using on-ice apparatus that only PEP has, PEP is a progressive training system with unique skating patterns that produce results in such skills as speed, acceleration, balance, agility and quickness. Scott Smith is the Edmonton-area trainer of the Power Edge Pro system. He says most coaches don’t have the time or the ability to teach the skills, as so much of precious practice time is taken up on practicing game skills. This is where PEP comes in, with its unique equipment. In the PEP system, multiple PEP training apparatus are placed on the ice in a variety of different positions, depending on the skill being taught. Players work on challenging skills patterns to stimulate decision-making and creativity. The PEP tools are like imaginary

“You can just see it in their eyes,” he says. “If they make a mistake, they say ‘no, just one more’.” While Smith says most kids hate power skating lessons, the PEP system incorporates elements of power skating, but in a fun way.

“There are some drills where kids have to jump and if they don’t land on their proper edges, they fall. In time, they subliminally learn the correct way to land. It’s more fun for them, and more challenging.” Stick handling, puck control, edge control and conditioning are all part and parcel of the PEP sessions. And it’s a workout — kids are exhausted, but happy, by the end o a session, Smith says. Over the years of coaching, he’s heard countless times from kids complaining about practice and asking when it’s going to end — after 10 minutes! But with Power Edge Pro, Smith says the kids just want to keep going. There’s the element of challenge and progression in every drill that keeps the kids interested. “It’s kind of like a video game, where they’re trying to get to the next level.” How much do kids love the Power Edge Pro System? Smith offers up a letter from a parent who attended one of his camps in August: “He absolutely loved it!!! He asked me last night if you are running camps in the fall, he even offered to pay for it himself from his savings. He said it was challenging, but fun and encouraging, because he noticed improvements with each session. As parents and spectators, we noticed his improvements in his skating, puck handling and confidence in the game.”

Players who hope to take their game to the next level should also be aware that the International Scouting Service is using Power Edge Pro techniques for its on-ice development. “The program will play a huge roll as kids approaching their bantam draft years will find this development beneficial,” says Smith. “PEP will be used in future combines coming to Edmonton and throughout Canada as the on-ice technical portion of the combines for the evaluations of the prospects.”

Look no further than the Hockey Edmonton Magazine • distributed in all Edmonton arenas • 10,000 copies printed per issue • targeted to hockey parents, fans, coaches, etc. (an ideal target market) Our next issue comes out in March (Yearbook Edition). The booking deadline is February 15, 2013 Please contact us at publisher@hockeymagazine.net for further details.

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HOCKEY AUDIENCE? Hockey Edmonton Magazine

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

For this edition of the magazine, we selected Liam Mitchell for our “Spotlight on an Official” feature. Liam is 16 years old, and is in his first year of high school at Louis St. Laurent. Liam starting officiating minor hockey four years ago, and he still plays hockey for the KC Sabres. When he’s not on the ice, Liam’s also enjoys paintball and snowboarding. (But not at the same time.) We met up with Liam in late November to chat with him about hockey, and in particular, his role as a minor hockey official. How many games did you officiate last season? 100 - 150 games

Approximately how many games do you plan on officiating this season? Hopefully in the area of 200 games.

What level of hockey are you currently officiating?

Anywhere from novice (as a referee) to doing lines at high tier bantam.

Most people do not know that the officials donate their time for Minor Hockey Week. What makes you do so? Mostly a desire to give back because when I play in Minor Hockey Week, other officials are donating their time for my benefit.

By Rob Suggitt Photos provided by Jon Hagan

What do you enjoy most about officiating hockey games? You get to see the game from a different perspective.

What kind of training were you provided? We take a two-day referee clinic every year.

Do you have a role model or mentor who has helped you along the way? Ryan Wass was the referee that got me into officiating.

How have you improved your skills as an official?

I always try to do better every game I officiate. My parents giving me feedback after a game really helps.

What is the toughest part about being a referee? Do you have any highlights from past Minor Hockey Week tournaments to pass along?

As a player, I won gold in pee wee and silver and gold in bantam. I also won a referee’s jacket last year.

Some coaches can make your job really difficult, because they can cause a game to escalate.

Ever suffer any injuries as an official? Any close calls?

One time a player caught my hand with his skate blade, and I had to get stitches, but no other injuries beyond players skating into me.

How do you handle criticism on the ice? Usually I just try to tune it out, but if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a problem, I usually penalize them fairly easily.

Do you have comments you wish to share with parents, coaches or anyone watching minor hockey?

Just try to remember that the person officiating your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game is a person too. Referees make mistakes too, and getting mad at them wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change the fact that they made a mistake.

Hockey Edmonton Magazine

CHECKING FROM BEHIND

If a player pushes, body-checks or cross-checks an opponent from behind, a checking from behind penalty may be called. It’s a game misconduct (ejection), coupled with a two-minute or fiveminute penalty, depending on the severity of the offense. The referee’s signal is a forward motion of both arms, with the palms of the hands opened and facing away from the body, fully extending from the chest at shoulder level.

BOARDING If a player is checked into the boards in a violent manner, then the ref may call a boarding penalty. A two-minute penalty will be assessed for boarding, and in situations where the offense is more serious (when a player is vulnerable, etc.), a five-minute major penalty and game ejecejec tion may be called.

BODY-CHECKING Body-checking is not allowed until the peewee level in Hockey Edmonton. Delivering a body-check in the lower divisions will result in a twominute penalty being assessed.

BUTT-ENDING If a player jabs (or attempts to jab) another player with the shaft of the stick above the upper hand, a butt-ending penalty may be called. The referee holds one forearm over the other; the lower is moved back and forth, across the body.

CHARGING If a player takes more than two steps or strides, or jumps into an opponent when body-checking, a charging infraction may be called. The referee signals by rotating clenched fists around each other in front of the chest. Since bodychecking isn’t allowed until the pee wee level, you will rarely see this called in the first few years.

CHECKING TO THE HEAD

A minor and misconduct penalty, or a major and game misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the referee, based on the degree of violence of impact, shall be assessed to any player who checks an opponent to the head area in any manner. A match penalty could also be asas sessed under this rule. If a player is injured, a major and game misconduct penalty, or a match penalty must be assessed.

CROSS-CHECKING When a player uses the shaft of his stick, held between the hands, to check an opponent at any height. The referee signals with a forward and backward motion of the arms with both fists clenched and about a foot apart. (This signal imitates the action of a cross-check.)

ELBOWING This is when a player is checking an opponent with his elbow. The referee signals by tapping either elbow with the opposite hand.

HIGH-STICKING This occurs when checking an opponent with the stick above the normal height of the shoulders, eiei ther purposely or accidentally. A more severe penpen alty may be called for flagrant high-sticking fouls, including ejection from the game. The referee signals this call by clenching both fists and mimickmimick ing a player holding a stick above their shoulders.

HOLDING This is called when a player grabs an op opponent’s body or stick with the hands. The referee motions this call by grabbing either wrist with the opposite hand in front of his body.

HOOKING This is called when a player slows down an opponent by hooking his stick on any part of the opponent’s body or stick. The referee signals this call with a tugging motion with both arms.

INTERFERENCE This penalty is called when a player impedes the progress of an opponent who doesn’t have the puck. The referee signals this call by crossing his arms in front of the chest.

KNEEING If a player uses his knee (or sticks his knee out) to take down or check an opponent, the referee may call a kneeing penalty. If the infraction is of a more serious nature, the refref eree may consider this a major penalty (and a game misconduct) instead of a minor penalty (two minutes).

MISCONDUCT

This penalty may be called when a player exhibits extreme and inappropriate behaviour toward another player or a game official. Depending on the severity of the offense, the player may be given a 10-minute misconduct or game misconduct penalty. It is also a game misconduct when a player checks another player from behind. With the exception of checking from behind, the penalized team does not play shorthanded.

ROUGHING This penalty may be called when a player uses his arms or fists to hit or punch another player. The signal for this call is a clenched fist and arm extended out to the front or side of the body.

SLASHING This penalty is called when a player deliberately hits an opponent with his stick. The signal for this call is a chopping motion with the edge of one hand across the opposite forearm.

SPEARING Spearing occurs when a player thrusts or jabs the blade of his stick at an opponent. Players are usually ejected from the game for spearing. The signal for this call is a jabbing motion with both hands thrusting out in front of the body.

TRIPPING This penalty may be called when a player uses his stick or any body part to trip the puck carrier. If the player touches the puck prior to contact with the player, there is usually no penalty called. The referee signals this call by striking their leg with either hand below the knee (usually bending down to do so), keeping both skates on the ice.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT This penalty may be called when a player exhibits poor sportsmanship or inappropri inappropriate behaviour on the ice.

Hockey Edmonton Magazine