A daily blog by Chantelle Bowles will be uploaded each night here.

First Night Fun

Wow, what a night (last night)!

It’s the third weekend in November, so that must mean it is time for the Wickenheiser International Women’s Hockey Festival! I could feel the excitement in the air the moment I walked into the lobby of the Executive Inn. Anticipation for the event was sky-rocketing thus, organizers began ahead of schedule. Outside as the snow began to fall, teams from the Yukon to Coquitlam and even as far away as Airdrie, Alta. gathered in the banquet room.

It was a sea of smiling faces, many of whom I recognize from last year’s event. To returning attendees, I say welcome back! But there are just as many, if not more new faces this year. And to you, I say welcome to a weekend you won’t soon forget!

Like last year, the welcoming banquet was a mix of informal mingling for players, coaches and parents alike, all while enjoying great snacks and drinks while enjoying the activities scattered throughout the room. Outside the room was the ever popular digital caricaturist, his line-up seemed never ending…but that is probably because it truly was.

Another returning activity was the ever popular floor hockey demonstration by BC Floorball. Girls lined up around the small enclosure, watching the stage presentations from their spots. I certainly hope everyone who wanted a turn got one!

But there was a new activity on the block, one that gave the caricaturist a run for most popular. The photo booth! Girls lined up with their friends, donned leis, plastic hardhats and goofy glasses, and posed for the camera. I don’t think anyone was disappointed with their photos; there were a lot of laughs as the pictures printed. Hayley herself even got in on the action.

Once the official welcome speeches began, all eyes were on the stage. Tom Mayenknecht was the master of ceremonies and did a great job. He had the audience laughing delivered the main message of the weekend. This isn’t just about hockey, it is about all sport, being active and living a healthy lifestyle. It is about friendship, teamwork and determination. The true stars of the tournament are the players themselves.

Hayley took the stage next and again welcomed the teams. As a surprise, Hayley told the girls that in their welcome packages they each will receive a replica of the dog tags she and her fellow Vancouver 2010 women’s hockey team wore. What a special memento to take home!! She also announced the launch of Club Wick, an interactive, digital experience players can subscribe to every year. Each month subscribers will receive videos, tips, news and much more from experts in the game! Hayley included of course!

This year, Ceilidh and her organizing committee came up with some great entertainment. First up was Axe Capoeira; and they put on a brilliant performance; Capoeira is an art form from Brazil that combines music, martial arts, sports in an awe inspiring way. Axe Capoeira had the audience clapping and moving to the music, it’s an amazing performance to see live.

Of course, we can’t forget another of the reasons why we’re here…to raise money for RightToPlay and KidSport. Two amazing charities that raise money for children around the world and in Canada (respectively) who wouldn’t otherwise be able to participate in organized sports. On hand to talk about KidSport and share some of her sport story is Canadian Olympian Annamay Pierse. World Record holder in the 200m Breaststroke, Annamay gave an inspiring speech filled with words of encouragement for everyone in attendance.

Finally, to close out the evening, Kamloops-born songstress Kate Morgan performed her beautiful song aptly titled “You Were Made for This.” As she sang, it seemed everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and just listened. It was the perfect way to end the evening.

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Jam Packed Day

As the first full day of the festival comes to a close, one can’t help but reflect on all of the advice, life lessons and anecdotes that were presented to attendees today. Bobbi-Jo Slusar, Mel Davidson, Kalli Quinn and Pat Quinn were on hand to share their wealth of knowledge and experiences.

Like many girls, Bobbi-Jo began playing on the boys teams in Swift Current, Sask. She spoke of the criticism she received just for wanting to play hockey and how it fueled her drive to be the best. She was seven-years-old when she first played with the boys and she couldn’t even lift the puck. But every night after practice, no matter how tired she was, she would practice her wrist shot. And half-way through the season, she had the hardest shot on the team.

Overcoming adversity, rebounding and making yourself better was the main themes of Bobbi-Jo’s presentation. Despite a couple injuries at the most inopportune times, she has bounced back and is ready to try one more time for Sochi 2014. She has also gone back to school, with a degree already under her belt Bobbi-Jo has decided to become a teacher.

“It is all about perspective,” she said. How do you rebound from adversity? How do you get better? “If you tried your hardest, put in all that time and can look in the mirror with no regrets, then you didn’t fail.”

Thanks for a great presentation Bobbi-Jo!!

The festival once again had the privilege of having Mel Davidson present. Mel is the former head coach of the women’s national team and current head scout for Hockey Canada (women’s program). And like last year, Mel gave a very informative presentation entitled “Coaching the Uncoachables.” Mel has a great philosophy on coaching and it can be adapted to suit the girls AND boys dressing rooms.

To describe the female dressing room dynamic, Mel simply said it is like a spider web. When everything is going smoothly, it is a thing of beauty; but all it takes is one little bug to come in and mess it all up. That is why she said it is important to allow for “giggle time;” a short amount of time when fun drills are performed and the girls can catch up and build team chemistry.

Another important message Mel had was about confidence. A coach must manage confidence, not produce it. A player is responsible for their own confidence; it is up to a coach to help them from getting down on themselves.

Again, Mel had so much information to share and I’m sure she herself could fill a weekend of presentations!!

Many of these young girl dream of playing for Canada one day, but often wonder how they get into the prestigious program. That is why Kalli Quinn, director of female national teams for Hockey Canada, was there to talk about all three levels of the program.

She said getting the invite is the easiest part of the process. Scouts are constantly watching players and keeping in touch with their contacts throughout the country. Players themselves have been known to email Kalli to promote their play. It is a great way to get the scouts attention, even if they have already noticed a player, communication shows how much they’re interested.

The hard part is staying on with the program. Only the girls that truly want it and continue to develop their skills stay on. Kalli broke down the selection process, describing what each camp hopes to achieve and the tournaments/mini-series the teams play.

Kalli ended her presentation with an interesting story, video of which I will post ASAP. It’s about one of the prospects attending a camp that had the courage to speak to her true desires.

Of course there was a lot of game action throughout the rinks. You couldn’t go a couple of minutes without hearing excited parents cheering on their daughters. It’s great to see so many more girls this year; they’re certainly making for a great weekend of hockey! Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Like last year, Heavy Metal Designs designed a beautiful necklace to be awarded to the “Player of the Game” and each girl who received one has the biggest smile on her face for the rest of the day.

Syl Corbett and Kelsey Andries were both in attendance to instruct the girls on proper conditioning off the ice. Syl’s Pop-Up Footwork and Incredible Core were big hits once again, even some of the parents got in on it this year.

Not to be outdone, Kelsey’s Stay Low and Go, and Dynamic Warm Up also drew great crowds, including two brave dads. Who knows, if I wear appropriate footwear next year, perhaps I will try all four sessions too! Both ladies will be back tomorrow to give even more girls the chance to join in on the fun.   

Throughout the day BC Floorball was in the lobby of the rink to present the shot accuracy contest. The girls used their best wrist shot to score points. And the winner was Lauren, who scored five, 75-point shots in a row!! Congrats to Lauren and thanks to Floorball Canada for the info!

Of course I can’t forget about the on-ice demonstration by Hayley, Bobbi-Jo and the Vancouver Canucks’ Mason Raymond. First I have to say how happy I am to see him back on the ice! We missed you MayRay!

Okay, back to business. This is always one of the highlights of the festival; the girls get to see their idol Hayley, live on the ice, doing what she does best. And to have the added experience and talent from Bobbi-Jo and Mason was the icing on the cake. With three high-calibre athletes giving pointers, everyone had a great time.

Finally, the night ended with a bang, both at the rink and the hotel.

First, at the rink, Bauer Hockey presented The Bauer Experience Tour, Bringing with them a stunning array of new Bauer equipment for the girls to try out on the ice! What a great way to test-run amazing equipment before purchasing. But with Bauer, how can you go wrong?

Back at the hotel, this year’s Hot Stove Lounge was taking place with Kalli Quinn and her father Pat Quinn. With Hayley interviewing this dynamic father-daughter team shared their common and different experiences, what it was like for them growing up in a hockey family (although Kalli was a talented and competitive swimmer) and how they ended up where they are today.

One touching moment was when Pat Quinn said one of his favourite sport memories is from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games. He remembers sitting with the men’s team to watch the women take the ice in the gold medal game. For a while it seemed as if there was a turnstile to the Canadian’s penalty box but eventually they pulled through…playing with determination they defeated the Americans!! Their ability to overcome their challenges is what makes that moment so special.

Kalli also shared a special memory, she remembers standing with her father, mother and sister as the Canadian flag was raised and our anthem was played. She felt such pride in being Canadian and to this day can’t hear the anthem or see our flag without getting goosebumps.

Phew! What a day, but it was all worth it! I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to attend this event as a spectator…a fly on the wall so to speak. It allows me to gain a new and growing respect for the women involved in all aspects of the sport.

To those reading who were considering coming this year but didn’t, please please sign up next year. Even if you don’t have a team, sign up for the individual skills camps, you won’t be sorry!  

Videos

Please note, I will post a compliation of my clips at the end of the festival.

Marvelous Midway Point!

Another day has come and gone at the second Wickenheiser International Women’s Hockey Festival!

Today on the soccer field Syl and Kelsey were once again busy sharing their training tips to dozens of excited young girls. They’re learning that practicing balance, coordination and basic physical fitness can be fun.

It seemed as if healthy living was a major theme of the dry-land sessions today. While girls were learning how to get their bodies in shape downstairs, upstairs registered dietitian Cristina Sutter gave a very informative presentation on the best way to fuel your body during the day, before a game and after a game. However, I also took a lot from the session and I’m not even an athlete!

Cristina began her sessions by giving an overview of the updated food guide; a great way to start considering many (yours truly included) didn’t know it was updated four years ago!

One great tip Cristina shared was for those parents with children old enough to stay home alone. To make sure they eat the healthy foods instead of junk simply level the playing field. If your child is less likely to choose an apple or carrots themselves, have it already prepared and on the counter for after-school. She said they may still have a cookie, but at least their eating the right stuff too.

Cristina certainly knows her stuff, as a former professor of sports nutrition and current Dietician and Nutritionist to our Vancouver Canucks. She delivered her presentation thoroughly and to the point, which is how I will touch on some of the highlights from her presentation. (Also, please see the photos below, some more great info there!)

Fuelling for Peak Performance/Basic Sports Nutrition:

• Choose REAL foods!!
• Avoid granola bars when possible. If you must, choose the healthiest option. (IE: Low sugar and high fibre.)
• Similarly, Energy bars are okay for travelling (beats the fast food alternatives) but try to pack your own health snacks.
• Pack extra sandwiches instead, it covers more of the body’s nutritional needs.
• While pretty much most oatmeal is good for you, slowly cooked (30 mins) is the best. (More on this below.)
• Microwaving is a gentler way to cook. If you want to steam your veggies, use a small amount of water. The water will absorb a lot of the nutrients; so if possible, incorporate the water into the meal.
• Sports Drinks are not good for an on-going basis but perfect for tournament days as a substitute for water.
• You don’t have to cut out all of your favourite foods, just tweak them to be better balanced. (IE: Smaller portion of whole wheat pasta with meat sauce and a green salad vs. a large plate of white pasta and tomato sauce.)
• Chocolate milk is great for recovery! Think Milk2Go!! It isn’t that chocolate milk is better than regular milk, it’s just more enjoyable. Thus we drink more of it!
• Frozen/Canned foods are filled with sodium, so be careful!
• HYDRATE! HYDRATE! HYDRATE! Drink before you’re thirsty…if you’re thirsty, it’s too late.
• READ THE FOOD LABELS!!!

Now, back to the oatmeal. As I said, Cristina said slow cooked oatmeal has the best nutritional value. Instant oatmeal, while still better than a lot of other foods, has been shaved into flour like powder and with the remains go most of the nutrients.

She recommends using steel cut oats such as Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oats and cooking in it in large batches. Since it freezes well, cook it when you have time and then it is always ready for you, just pop it in the microwave!

It may sound cliché, but breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. But as Cristina said, for the kids, it isn’t as if eating a good breakfast will make them smarter…it energizes them to pay attention and absorb everything during the day.

This transitions into the next topic, nutrition post practice/game. No matter what time your activity ends it is important to “fill your gas tank” no longer than two hours after…and that is stretching it. Ideally it will be 30 minutes after…”have a snack before the sweat dries!”

If there is a practice before school, eat breakfast before and then a snack on the way to school. Or if your game ends around supper time (6 p.m.), Cristina said unless dinner is ready within 30 minutes, have a snack. Even if your game ends late in the evening, despite word that it isn’t good to eat so late, your body needs the fuel. Have dinner!

Basically, if you don’t refuel your body during the window, you will have missed your opportunity and anything you eat won’t be absorbed. You’ll lose energy and your game/life will suffer.

I know that is a lot to take in, but there is so much more! I will look into posting more, if not all of the slideshow presentation for you!!

After Cristina finished for the day, Hayley’s wonderful parents Tom and Marilyn gave an informal session about the role they played in helping Hayley get to where she is today.

They discussed the importance of playing more sports than just hockey. They will either tire of the sport or get burnt out.

Routine and normalcy was strictly enforced in the Wickenheiser household. Despite weekly practices/games and weekend tournaments (for all three children), chores were to be done, as was homework.

Communication is important too. If Hayley ever wanted to stop, then that would be it. But not just communication between parents and children, but players and coaches. Tom and Marilyn would never want to hear about a problem with a coach until Hayley or her siblings had spoken with the coach first. A great way to teach a child about problem solving, communication and standing up for themselves.

But just as important is advocating for your child; Marilyn made many phone calls upon their move to Calgary enquiring about Hayley’s situation. “Don’t be afraid to make that polite phone call,” she said. Ask questions!

With nuggets of wisdom, support for parents who had questions and great inside stories to Hayley’s early hockey days…I don’t think there was anyone who didn’t take something away from Tom and Marilyn.

While all of this was going on there was some great game action. It’s awesome to see the girls of all ages trying their best and having a great time out on the ice! Look for some footage soon!

And far away from the rink in Saskatoon, Hayley was with the University of Calgary Dinos and helping them put up a 6-2 win over Saskatchewan!! Congrats on the goal and the win Hayley! Congrats to all the Dinos!

That is it for today! See you all tomorrow for the final day of the festival!

So long...far well...

As I walked into 8 Rinks yesterday for the last day of the festival, it was easy to see everyone had a great time. Teams were smiling as they left even though some of them had quite a long trip home ahead of them.

The ‘command centre’ was winding down, silent auction and 50/50 sales all completed for the weekend. All proceeds from the two contests are going to KidSport and RightToPlay!

It was a little quieter throughout the rinks, but the unmistakable excitable cheer from parents was still ever present. It was getting down to the wire and you could feel that excitement everywhere.

This day was a little different for me. I had friends visiting from out of town, thus I was only at the rink for a brief amount of time. But my friends tagged along on our way to breakfast and even they (who had only heard me speak of the festival on route) had a great time. One of them said “This is really great hockey!” as he watched one of the games.

To me, that is part of what the festival is about. Development of the women’s game, increasing awareness and proving that girls can play amazing hockey too!

As I said my goodbyes the games continued. The championship games to be played later in the afternoon/early evening. Each winning team would receive a special surprise…!!!!

For a full list of all the winners and results, you can view the results page of this website.

And as the champions were crowned for 2011 and the teams headed home, the book is closed on the 2^ndAnnual Wickenheiser International Women’s Hockey Festival.

I would like to close by saying a big thank you to Hayley, Ceilidh, Rob, Cindy, Katrina and team for another great festival!! Job well done, I can’t wait to see you all next year!

To all of the teams, congratulations on all you accomplished! No matter what the outcome, you should be proud and I hope you had an amazing experience.

To our sponsors, Heavy Metal Designs, Bauer, City of Dawson Creek, Deliver Good, NHLPA Goals & Dreams, East Van Graphics and Women Rock Productions…thank you so much for all your support this weekend! It couldn’t have happened without your generous donations!!

Until next year!

Video Progress

Hey everyone!!

I'm sure you all know about the storms here on the West Coast...I am uploading videos as we speaking and editing the others. I'm trying to get at least one more on the site before the power goes out again!!

Day 3 Highlights