PGMHA

FEMALE DEVELOPMENT

INITIATIVE

May 2011

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Table of Contents

Page

1. Introduction 3

2. Background 3

3. Moving Forward 4

4. Female Hockey Opportunities 4

4.1 National and Provincial 4-5

4.2 Local Competitive and Recreational 5-10

4.3 Post-Secondary 10

5. Canadian Long Term Athlete Development Model 10-11

6. Hockey Canada and LTAD 11-13

7. BC Hockey and the Female Design Model 13-14

8. Hockey Canada Guidelines for Understanding Gender Differences in Athletes 14-15

9. So…Why Are We Telling You All Of This 16

10. Implementing PGMHA Goals 16

10.1 Female Development Administration 16

10.2 Grow Female Hockey and Retain Players 16-17

10.3 Recruit and Mentor Female Coaches and Officials 17-18

10.4 Provide Optimal Skill Development 18-19

10.5 Network with Other Associations in the North 19-20

10.6 Provide Mentorship Opportunities 20

10.7 Educate Parents 20-22

Resources 23

Appendix A – Male to Female Registration by Branch

Appendix B – Hockey Canada Long Term Player Development

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1. INTRODUCTION Since the 2003/2004 season, female registration within PGMHA has increased from about 90 players to 152 available players (registered 2010/2011) for the 2011/2012 season. Barely a drop in the bucket when you consider that there were approximately 85,000 female players registered with Hockey Canada for the 2009/2010 season, only 6750 of which were playing in British Columbia. And while PGMHA remains one of the largest associations in the province, little has been done to prepare for the growth we are seeing in female hockey. There are many challenges in addressing the needs of our female membership. Given that hockey has historically been a male dominated sport, the predominant ‘old boys club’ mentality that ‘what has always been a male system will conveniently continue to be just as adequate for our female players’ seems to be the most obvious. And in the absence of any organized female structure, and as the only alternative, this will continue to be the case. In order to be successful in promoting the female game, to achieve growth in the sport among females, to provide quality coaching and mentorship opportunities, and to retain our female players, we need to explore a number of factors. These not only include what advocates of female hockey know about the female environment itself, but also those particular to our demographics and our geography. In order to obtain a broader understanding of the whole female structure, let’s review what we know about female hockey in Canada. 2. BACKGROUND

The Canadian Women’s National team has claimed nine IIHF World Championships since the inaugural World Championship in 1990 and has never finished worse than silver. Their debut at the 1998 Olympics earned them a sliver but they’ve taken home the gold ever since. Their success has been instrumental in the significant increase in female registration across Canada (Appendix A). Female hockey continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in the country. In British Columbia, of the 6,750 female players registered during the 2009/2010 season, about 500 were registered in the north including 100 Mile, Valemount and the Yukon. The North Central District had about 260 females registered (about 140 with PGMHA), the North West District about 150 and the North East/Yukon District about 90 players registered. This past season, PGMHA hosted the Female Major Midget AAA zone team for the fourth year in a row and iced a very successful female Bantam carded team. Our potential for putting PGMHA on the map with a female Pee Wee female carded team was thwarted when we fell just one player short of Hockey Canada’s 15 player minimum requirements. Prior to our four year run in the Female Major Midget League, the PGMHA midget division saw three years with a carded female team and in 2005/2006, PGMHA iced its second ever female Pee Wee carded team. This years’ Midget Female team finished third overall in the province, just ahead of the two Lower Mainland teams, with more than half of the players selected to teams at the U18 camp in April. PGMHA’s carded female system, while fairly new has over the last four years, seen about 40 players play at high performance levels provincially, a number of whom have obtained scholarships in the name of female hockey. All of these players played on high performance all-female teams.

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3. MOVING FORWARD

PGMHA must seriously consider the direction that we wish to take with regard to its’ growing female membership. Our goals include the following:

1. Grow female hockey within PGMHA and retain players at all levels, whether recreational or competitive

2. Recruit coaches and officials who appreciate the difference between the female and male game 3. Provide optimal skill development in a setting which is conducive to the unique personal and

physical characteristics, growth and overall development of our female athletes 4. Network with other associations to come up with ways to promote the female game as a group

and encourage female growth in the north 5. Provide mentorship opportunities for both coaches and players 6. Educate parents of the LTAD and specifically, the benefits of the all-female model

4. FEMALE HOCKEY OPPORTUNITIES

4.1 National and Provincial

National Women’s Team

Senior National Team – Olympics (Quadrennial 2006, 2010, 2014)

Senior National Team – World Championships (Annual except Olympic years)

Under 22 National Team Program (Annual)

National Championships

Esso Women’s Senior National Championship (Annual Provincial Team Play-offs)

Under 22 Regional Team Program of Excellence (Biannual National Competition 2004, 2006, 2008)

Under 18 Provincial Program of Excellence (Quadrennial National Competition 2005, 2009)

Canada Winter Games Provincial Program of Excellence (Quadrennial 2003, 2007, 2011)

Canadian Interuniversity Sport – CIS Championships (Annual Regional Championship)

Aboriginal National Championship (Annual Provincial Program of Excellence)

Regional Championships

Western Canadian Shield (2 senior and 1 midget division – Annual Provincial Division Champion)

Central Shield (3 senior division – Annual Provincial Division Championship)

Atlantic Challenge Cup (Under 18 Provincial Teams – Annual Program of Excellence)

Canadian Interuniversity Sport CIS Playoffs (Annual Division Championships)

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Provincial Championships

Novice to Senior levels dependant on provincial development

Provincial Winter Games Programs (Annual – not yet available in all provinces)

Provincial Program of Excellence camps and clinics (U14, U16, U18)

Canadian College Team Provincial Championships (Alberta and Quebec)

4.2 Local Competitive and Recreational

Recreational/Competitive

Atom to senior levels (females where possible are encouraged to play on female hockey teams)

Female teams and leagues (not available at all levels in all leagues)

Initiation Hockey Canada views its Initiation Program as the foundation of its recreational and competitive programs. It is required instruction for Minor Hockey Associations affiliated with Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. Hockey Canada developed the Initiation Program to make a child’s first contact with hockey a safe and positive experience. It is a structured, learn-to-play hockey program designed to introduce beginners to the game's basic skills. It enables participants to develop self-confidence, experience a sense of personal achievement, and become contributing members of a team. These goals are achieved in an atmosphere of fun and fair play.

Jamborees Jamborees are specialized tournaments aimed at less experienced hockey players in a non-competitive atmosphere. They are run by BC Hockey, an initiative of the BC Hockey Female Hockey Development Committee. These Jamborees are supported by the Vancouver Canucks Hockey Club and are a program of the Canucks Centre for BC Hockey. They emphasize fun and fair play, as well as sportsmanship and respect for fellow players, coaches and officials. Players are placed onto teams based on age and ability where each team competes in a minimum of three games. BC Hockey Female Jamborees are exclusive events for BC Hockey registered female players ages 5-13. Jamborees were designed as a "grass roots" development program for females already playing the game as well as for those girls wishing to try playing for the first time allowing participants to play other girls with similar ability and experience from around the province.

Esso Fun Day Esso Fun Days are designed to introduce the game of hockey and its basic skills in a fun and supportive learning environment for the first time female hockey player. It is a one-day program that includes on and off-ice activities hosted by local minor hockey associations free of charge. They are a fun introduction to female hockey for the first time player, coach, official or administrator designed to introduce beginners to hockey and its basic skills at no cost to the first time participant and make a females’ first contact with hockey a safe and positive experience. These events enable participants to become contributing members of a team effort, experience team spirit, develop self- confidence and experience a sense of achievement in a format designed so that they can be delivered to females of all ages (although local associations may direct to a certain age group based on association needs). Esso fun days are a fun, informative hockey program intended to encourage first time players to register for female hockey programs and enjoy the game of hockey for a lifetime.

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Hockey Canada Skills Camps Hockey Canada Skills Camps were developed by Hockey Canada in 1997 with the aim of helping both female and male players as well as coaches primarily at the Atom and Pee Wee levels (9-12 years old) improve their fundamental hockey skills. The camps can be run in one day or over two days. While the majority of camp activities are on-ice, there is also off-ice instruction which focuses on respect and teamwork. Camps have a maximum enrolment of 72 players per camp, and there is a registration fee to attend. Qualified BC Hockey and Hockey Canada Instructors will be on hand at the camps. Each camp is hosted by a minor hockey association. Minor Hockey Associations receive application packages in the fall.

Chevy Safe and Fun Chevy Safe and Fun events are for both male and female beginner players and are similar to the Esso Fun Day concept. A major component however includes introducing parents to the game of hockey, the concept of Long Term Athlete Development and Fair Play.

Competitive/HC Carded (‘Rep’) HC Carded teams provide players of high skill the opportunity to play at the highest level possible within the province providing access to other high performance opportunities where top athletes may be identified for elite programs. These ‘tiered’ teams compete within a number of leagues throughout the province under the jurisdiction of BC Hockey starting at the Pee Wee level. Because of its size, PGMHA is a Tier 1 Association and currently ices two male carded teams per division (Tier 1 and Tier 2) and one female carded team per division. Female carded teams are not tiered in BC. For teams in the north, both male and female, access to competition is a challenge that can only be overcome as the numbers increase. In the meantime, travel is a reality that carded teams must face. While playing ‘rep’ generally costs more, teams typically fundraise to offset much of the burden. Monthly dues expected of parents depend on how willing they are to contribute to fundraising efforts. For female teams, monthly fees can be as low as $200 per month (at the Pee Wee level) and as high as $450 per month (at the Midget level) depending on the travel requirements in any given season. Currently, the Female MML team is obliged to adhere to a five team (possibly six next season) province wide schedule. HC Carded teams also provide access to some of the best coaching. This is the case for a number of reasons, one of them being that coaches of HC Carded teams are required by BC Hockey to meet a minimum Development 1 certification in order to be eligible to coach a HC Carded team. Recreational minor coaches are required by BC Hockey to be Coach Hybrid certified with the exception of Initiation coaches who are required by BC Hockey to have a minimum Coach Instructors certification.

High Performance BC Hockey’s Female High Performance Program was established to identify and train athletes and team personnel for possible participation at Provincial, National and International events. Although the percentage of athletes who actually experience international competition is very small, the program plays a valuable role in delivering a message of the skills, attitude and dedication expected of a High Performance athlete. In addition, it allows athletes who possess these skills to be identified in a systematic way across our country.

The BC Hockey Female High Performance Program is incredibly important as a goal for gifted female athletes that do not yet have the opportunities of Junior and professional hockey that the males do. The Canada Winter Games and BC Winter Games are events that are outside of the jurisdiction of BC Hockey and may result in differing player eligibility requirements.

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U14

The U14 level of the Female High Performance Program takes place every season with camps held in six districts throughout the province. The inclusion of a U14 High Performance level resulted from BC Hockey adopting the Long Term Athlete Development Model. Research shows that female athletes aged twelve and thirteen are considered a key age range in several skill and physical development phases. Using age and developmentally appropriate materials the U14 program introduces key areas of on-ice skill development and off-ice training allowing them to be successful regardless of the path they choose within the game.

U14 is the product of the Female Hockey Development model and considered developmental only where no teams are selected. The purpose of the program is to introduce eligible athletes to high performance hockey focusing on both on and off ice aspects of the game. Athletes are exposed to sport science principals in the areas of nutrition, mental training, and physical preparation.

Female U14 Training Camps (registration permitting) Kootenay Okanagan Lower Mainland (3) Vancouver Island North (East/Central, West) Online registration for Female U14 Training Camps is available and camp locations and dates are posted on BC Hockey’s website. If you are interested in attending, you may also contact your Female High Performance District Coordinator. Preparation for High Performance Hockey The U14 phase of the Female High Performance Program serves as a feeder program for the already established U16 and U18 High Performance Programs. Players, coaches and officials have the opportunity to progress throughout the program. Club team coaches are encouraged to get involved with U14 and learn about high performance hockey within the Branch. Athlete Eligibility Open to athletes in a two-year age span (12 and 13) based on the calendar year. Fourteen year olds are welcome to attend the fall camp and then continue to the U16 camps in January. Athletes must be registered members of BC Hockey in order to attend the camps. Camps typically take place in August. Camp Staff Staff consists of a District Program leader, specialty resource personnel and on-ice staff selected and/or recruited from club teams. District Resource people are also recruited.

U16

The U16 level of the Female High Performance Program began in the 2004-2005 season with camps held in various districts throughout the province. For the first three years of operation this level was considered developmental only and no teams were selected. The purpose of the program was as the U14 Program is now, namely to introduce eligible athletes to high performance hockey focusing on both on and off ice aspects of the game. The importance of fitness is stressed as well as the need to have a year-long training plan in place. Starting in the 2007-2008 season a competitive component was added where zone teams were selected to compete annually in a provincial competition (BC Cup or BC Winter Games).

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2010 BC Winter Games BC Hockey partners with the BC Games Society where successful players from the Female U16 Zone Development Camps compete in the BC Winter Games. The Female U16 program will alternate years between the U16 BC Cup and the Winter Games. In 2010 the program competed in the Winter Games for the first time (formally limited to U18 athletes). Athlete Eligibility Open to athletes in a two-year age span (14 and 15) based on the calendar year. Athletes must be registered members of BC Hockey in order to attend the camps. Camps typically take place in early January.

Depending on the year, either six or eight camps will be held. In BC Games years, there will be eight camps based on the BC Games zones as follows:

Vancouver Island Lower Mainland (3) Okanagan Kootenay North West North East – Yukon / North Central

In non-BC Games years there will be six camps. Those noted above with only two in the Lower Mainland and one in the North.

Athlete Selection Selection takes place at the zone camps and the selected athletes compete in a provincial competition. Instruction in both on and off ice components of the game is provided as well. The Program consists of:

On-ice (1 drill session and 2 scrimmage sessions) Off-ice lectures on HP program components High Performance athlete preparation specifics Developmental topics applicable for players and parents

Camp Staff Staff consists of a District Program leader, specialty resource personnel and on-ice staff selected and/or recruited from club teams. District Resource people are also recruited. U18 The inclusion of the female Under 18 program into competitions like the BC Games has established the program from its erratic start to a well-designed event. Following the training stage established in the Under 16 program, the first identification stage for female players is the Under 18 program. The plan is for these athletes to experience camps and competitions. In even years these athletes attend the BC Winter games and in odd years, the BC Hockey U18 Provincial Competition. Competition Once every four years the U18 program is the identification and training program for Team BC. This team will eventually compete in the Canada Winter Games. In the other three years of the cycle, Team BC will compete at either a National or Western Canadian competition.

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In Canada Winter Games years the National competition takes place during the Canada Winter Games in February the following season. Female U18 Team BC competes during the games against Ontario, Alberta, Newfoundland, and Saskatchewan. STAGE 1 - Zone Camps – early April The Female U18 Zone Camps are an identification camp where athletes are selected and ranked (non-public information) at an evaluation weekend. The top 20 players from each camp advance to the second stage (Female U18 BC Cup). The camps are open to athletes in a two-year age span (15 and 16) based on the calendar year. STAGE 2 - Female U18 BC Cup – end of April Selected players from the evaluation camps are placed onto one of six teams in a Jamboree format. The teams are created by the Branch Co-ordinator based on the rankings from District camps. The first day of the event is a practice, team building and testing day for the athletes. The remainder of the weekend consists of games where players are evaluated on performance. Approximately 46 players advance to the Provincial Camp. STAGE 3 - Female U18 Provincial Camp – May The BC Hockey High Performance Provincial Camp is a four day camp run by the Team BC staff, provincial instructors and experts in the areas of strength and conditioning, nutrition, and other sport science principals. Throughout the weekend players are evaluated on their play, their fitness and strength, their attitude, and their perceived contribution to a winning team. Approximately 23 players advance to the Team BC Summer Strength and Conditioning Camp. STAGE 4 - Team BC Summer Camp – July Team BC Summer Camp is comprised of the top 23 players in the province. Summer Camp is a weekend camp where shortlisted players begin work on team concepts, training, and preparing for the National competition. The camp is designed from the National program with the focus on developing player’s strength, conditioning, fitness, and nutrition. This is not an identification camp therefore no players are released. STAGE 5 – Team BC – Preparation Tournament Team BC comes together for a preparation tournament prior to competing at the national level. This gives the Team an opportunity to play games together as a team before competing at the National Championship. The Team BC Roster will approximate 20 players; they are evaluated by the staff within the tournament environment and final roster of 20 is announced after the weekend. It’s important to have additional players competing at this stage as often times alternate players are called up due to player injury. STAGE 6 – National Championship Preparation Camp The National championship is held in various regions and time zones across the country and Team BC athletes often compete on club teams all over Canada. Therefore it is necessary for Team BC to have a preparation camp prior to competing in the National Championship. The preparation camp is designed to ensure players are adequately rested and time zone acclimated (if necessary), and provide team building, team practices and systems work. Team BC staff determines where the camp is held. Stage 7 – National Championship – Nov Players selected to Team BC represent BC at the 2011 Female National U18 Championship.

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Hockey Canada Program of Excellence U18 Player Identification - U18 National Women’s Team U22 Player Identification - U22 National Women’s Team National Women’s Team Pool - National Women’s Team

4.3 Post-Secondary

Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. Their mandate includes equal opportunity and gender equity; for example, if a university offers 20 scholarships for men’s hockey, then they must also offer 20 scholarships for women’s hockey. Twenty nine Canadian Universities across four regions have a women’s hockey program. In 2009/2010 nearly half of all CIS women’s hockey players received some form of athletic aid to the tune of about $725,000. Western Universities include Regina, Saskatchewan, Lethbridge, Alberta, Calgary, and UBC. The top 10 in the country are McGill, Wilfred Laurier, STFX, Alberta, Brock, Manitoba, Guelph, Calgary, Saskatchewan and Queens. For more information, you can visit their website at www.ics-sic.ca. Collegiate level hockey is also very popular in Alberta and Quebec. Bethany Roy, the 2010/2011 captain of the Prince George Female Major Midget team was scouted and is off to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) this fall.

St. Mary’s University in Halifax recently restored Huskies women’s hockey in response to public outcry after budget pressures

prompted them to drop the program

5. CANADIAN LONG TERM ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT MODEL

In order to appreciate why promoting a female structure in any sport is so important we need to consider long term athlete development. The Canadian Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) is a framework for maximizing player potential and long term involvement in sport over the course of their life. Some of the key factors influencing LTAD include growth, development and maturation, windows of trainability, mental, cognitive and emotional development, training principles, the system of competition, and continuous improvement. The model is somewhat different for early specialization sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, diving, and swimming but late development sports including hockey, are based on the following general model:

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Active Start Target age 3 to 5 years old Focus on fundamental movement skills (gymnastics, swimming, running) Not sport specific FUNdamentals Target age 6 to 8 years old females, 6 to 9 years old males Developing movement and motor skills (agility, balance, coordination, time-space orientation, reaction time, dexterity, speed, movement frequency, adaptability to environment or objects) Sport specific environment Learn to Train Target age 8 to 11 years old females, 9 to 12 years old males (pre PHV) Continued focus on movement and motor skills Learning fundamental sports skills (sensitive skill learning period) Developing physical literacy and the desire to participate Train to Train Target age 11 to 15 years old females, 12 to 16 years old males (onset PHV) Building the athlete and consolidating sport specific skills

Train to Compete Target age 15 to 21 years old females, 16 to 23 years old males Optimizing athlete and refining sport specific skills Train to Win (Performance) Target age 18 plus females, 19 plus males Maximizing athlete, skills and performance

Active for Life Enter at any age; play many sports

“We have to make an athlete first and then make a player out of the athlete!” 6. HOCKEY CANADA AND LTAD

Hockey Canada has developed a draft LTAD model specific to hockey (Appendix B). Their mandate is to improve the quality of the sport of hockey in Canada and give athletes a high probability of achieving success. To do that there needs to be more focus on supporting the complete athlete and not just the athlete training and competition by recommending other sports and cross training methods that get the athlete away from hockey thereby avoiding burn out. As well, we need to remove the focus of winning at all levels and age, remove geographical differences, develop common directional, leadership and athlete development goals, and we need to introduce skills in a systematic and timely manner.

Some of the challenges needed to be overcome include the following: Young players over compete and under-train; how can we educate and/or regulate to improve

this? Young players follow adult schedules and training practices; how do we modify the game to suit

the needs of the young athlete?

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Young female players follow programs designed for males; how do we address tailoring the needs of the female athlete?

The best coaches typically work at elite levels; how do we encourage the best teachers to work with the youth?

The public does not understand the need for an integrated development model and the principles of long term development

Hockey Canada’s model is based on the following principles: Doing the right thing for the player at the right stage in their development Adopting a player-centred approach; not treating the development of all players the same way The broader the foundation of players the more successful the game of hockey will be in Canada Viewing player development as a long term process Aligning player development resources (skills manuals, DVD’s) with coach development and

education resources so that coaches are doing the right things at the right time A need to better educate parents on the hockey development of their child; while it is okay for

parents to want their kids to get to the highest levels, they need to be aware of the best way to go about it

With a basic understanding of what we ultimately need to achieve, we can focus on some of the highlights of the model and more specifically, how they relate to our female players. More specifically:

1. Research has concluded that it takes a minimum of 10 years and 10,000 hours of deliberate training for a talented athlete to reach elite levels; typically, your average female athlete will already handle the puck and be involved in game play significantly less in the male system

2. Under the current system, in order to obtain the benefit of one hour of quality work in the practicing of basic skills of puck control, given a typical game situation and the relatively little amount of time a player spends on the ice and the even less amount of time they spend in control of the puck, a player would have to play in excess of 150 games; what does this translate to for your average female player playing a male game

3. Physical literacy is defined as the culmination of basic movement and motor skills with

fundamental sport skills and should be developed before the onset of the adolescent growth spurt or ‘Peak Height Velocity’ (PHV)

4. On average, PHV occurs in girls at about 12 years of age; in boys, it is typically more intense and occurs about 2 years later (as can be witnessed dramatically most often in the Pee Wee division); Peak Strength Velocity (PSV) comes a year or so after on average for males; somewhat sooner for females; PHV and PSV both have a significant impact on when fundamental skills are introduced; in the male system, female players will on average lag their male counterparts

5. Hockey is a late specialization sport; very complex skills are learned before maturation as they

cannot be fully mastered if taught after maturation; players between the ages of 12 and 15 can select a late specialization sport and still have the potential to rise to future success as an elite player

6. Specializing before the age of 10 in late specialization sports contributes to one-sided, sport

specific preparation, lack of the fundamental basic movements and sports skills, overuse injuries, early burn out and early retirement from training and competition

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7. ‘Development’ refers to the interrelationship between growth and maturation in relation to the passage of time and includes social, emotional, intellectual and motor skills; significant differences between male and female athletes

8. ‘Development age’ refers to the degree of physical, mental, cognitive and emotional maturity;

skills are best introduced and refined and trainability is typically highest prior to PHV; strength and stamina show greater amounts of improvement if focused on following PHV; again, different between male and female athletes

9. In order to improve and be successful during games, players need to be able to take the drills

and activities completed during practice and improvements in performance with respect to skill, stamina, speed and strength and use that effectively in game situations; this refers to ‘trainability’

10. Trainability varies between different players due to genetics, developmental age, diet, and other

types of activities that players are involved in outside of hockey 7. BC HOCKEY AND THE FEMALE DESIGN MODEL

BC Hockey has also established a Female Design Model based on LTAD in order to clearly present options for female players of all ages and competitive ability. They recognize that the age categories established by Hockey Canada are not necessarily congruent with the maturity and development stages of the female athlete and that there is significant evidence that these differences may average up to two years thus creating obstacles for optimal development of female players. They recommend that we be diligent in planning to provide as many opportunities for female players to play with other female players as possible. Providing a high performance program gives female players an opportunity to be evaluated within the existing club system and then when time permits, extracted for specialized training at the provincial and national level. A club team (rep) system is invaluable for producing a broad base of talented hockey players complimented by a high performance program. Because we lose as many as 80% of our female players by grade 10, the female midget league was established. The midget level is an integral part of the ‘learning to compete’ stage and must have high visibility for players to be accepted for post-secondary opportunities.

The BC Hockey Female Design Model is reviewed every three years and currently appears as follows:

Initiation A/B – LTAD Active Start Focus on learning proper movement in a fun atmosphere phasing into learning all movement skills focusing on agility, balance and coordination; introduction of simple rules and ethics of sport

Initiation C/D – LTAD FUNdamentals Continue with learning movement skills and introduction of simple rules and ethics of sport; integrate mental, cognitive and emotional development; play many sports

Atom – LTAD FUNdamentals/Learn to Train Continue with above; phase into major skill learning stage; introduce mental preparation; begin sport specific training; play minimum of 2 other sports

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Pee Wee – LTAD Learn to Train/Train to train Continue with above; focus more on skill training; phase into major fitness development emphasizing endurance, speed and strength; limit to two sports; High Performance (U14) introduced; recreational players choose Active for Life pursuit and continue to play many sports Bantam – LTAD Train to Train Continue with fitness development and sport specific skill development; develop mental skills; two sports; High Performance (1st year, U14 and U16, 2nd year U16) possible affiliation to midget; hockey specific off-season; recreational players choose Active for Life pursuit and continue to play many sports Midget – LTAD Train to Compete Sport and position specific physical conditioning; sport and position specific technical and tactical preparation; sport and position specific skills practiced under competitive conditions; High Performance (1st and 2nd year U18; 3rd year access to U22) Junior/Senior/Post-Secondary – Training to Compete/Training to Win Focus on sport specific physical conditioning, technical and tactical components, national and international requirements

8. HOCKEY CANADA GUIDELINES FOR UNDERSTANDING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ATHLETES

Females

Prefer smaller working groups Base identity on socialization and relationships with others; use talk to create connections Need a safe environment in order to express themselves’ freely Moral judgement is based on respect for others, so generally express their morality through

compassion and charity Generally more empathic Excel in verbal skills; not only want to know the “how” but the “why” React to how something is said rather than just the verbal message Female athletes and coaches tend to use the word “we” Developing relationships is often more important than the game itself Tendency to focus on process versus final result Tend to express emotions more openly and freely Individual meetings versus group feedback is very important when dealing with confrontational

issues Singling out the intense, driven athlete as the “perfect” athlete in a group of females will isolate

her Females are concerned with body image

Males Prefer highly structured games in large groups Base identity on competition Learn to use words to negotiate their status by displaying abilities and knowledge Use talk to emphasize status Use the “I” message more than the “we” message Appear to have higher levels of self-confidence Moral judgement is based on universal principals such as justice and equity Tend to be less concerned about others Excel in visual skills

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It is evident that female athlete development is different than males. As such, the female game will differ from the male game in a number of ways. While the process for developing female athletes is generally the same as for males, factors such as development age, intellect, trainability, maturation, and emotional and social needs are unique and will thus affect the timing, manner and delivery method in which female athletes are developed. Anyone who has coached in both the male and female environments will attest to these differences.

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9. SO…WHY ARE WE TELLING YOU ALL OF THIS? It is evident that female hockey is growing and that methods of improving the female system are continually being monitored and addressed. It is also clear that all things being equal, a female player will develop to their potential while playing in an all-female environment and that in fact, will actually have a better chance of success. “The benefits of females playing female hockey are reflected in both the skill development and social aspect of the game. It is important for girls to have the opportunity to interact with teammates and be leaders on their teams. The skill level of female hockey has increased dramatically and girls today have the opportunity to compete at a high level and still benefit from the social and leadership side of the game as well.”

Trina Radcliffe – Female Hockey Development Manager, Hockey Canada 10. IMPLEMENTING PGMHA GOALS In order for PGMHA to attain our goals, we propose to implement the following for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. 10.1 Female Development Administration While the number of players currently registered with PGMHA will easily support our recommendations, the decision of those players wishing to continue to play mixed may have an impact on where we ultimately end up. Given what we know about our female membership population, we feel that we may still be able to make it work.

The Female Development Coordinator will be responsible for all aspects of female play within the PGMHA including the assessment and monitoring of numbers and options from year-to-year, the advisement as to team requirements based on those assessments and the administration of individual player evaluations, placement and follow-up. Player evaluations and placement, and team selection will be coordinated by the Association Head Coach in accordance with PGMHA policy. Exceptional players may be monitored as to the suitability of their placement. The Female Development Coordinator will review and adjust when necessary, any recommendations imposed with regard to the female development on an annual basis as the needs of the female membership grows and/or evolves.

10.2 Grow Female Hockey and Retain Players It is our position that offering all-female opportunities at the Initiation and Atom levels will not only attract more female players to the sport, but will also influence the numbers at the higher levels as these players move up through the system, continue to play the game and continue to do so with their peers; given that the social aspect of belonging on any team is typically better identified with females than males, female players will likely have more fun in an environment committed to the development of the female athlete. In addition, players wishing to join the sport at the Pee Wee and above levels will be more inclined to do so if an opportunity to play recreational ‘all-female’ hockey exists.

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Growth all by itself will lead to better opportunities all around whether for players, coaches or officials.

Registration permitting, PGMHA will offer an all-female IP A/B team and an all-female IP C/D team; existing and new registrants at the IP level will be placed on one of these teams. Given the focus and objectives at the Initiation level, and the lack of significant variation in skill, until such time as numbers dictate otherwise, we feel that there are no significant issues with having these groups combined.

PGMHA will offer an all-female Atom House 1 team and an all-female Atom House 2 team; existing and new registrants will be independently evaluated as a group and placed on these teams in accordance with PGMHA policy whereby Initiation and Atom teams are now selected by the Association Head Coach. The Atom House 1 team will serve as a development team for the Pee Wee female carded team regardless of the players’ intent to try-out when they advance.

All new registrants at the Pee Wee and above levels will be placed on all-female teams. Existing female players currently playing on mixed teams at the Pee Wee and above level may continue to play mixed if they choose. In the event that there remain a number of players yet not enough for a full team, mixed teams will be created whereby the ratio of boys to girls is as equal as possible.

Recreational midget players opting to play all-female will be placed on all-female teams as numbers allow; these teams will be placed in the house division. Currently, there are enough recreational female midget players to ice one all-female team.

It should be noted that female teams do not have to designate a goalie; as such, goalies may opt to play out. PGMHA will work more closely with local school programs and Pacific Sport in order to promote the female game within those environments.

“I believe that we need to promote all female hockey teams in order to grow our female numbers and in order to retain players. Many girls are not playing hockey at the Initiation level for fear of playing with the boys and many girls are struggling at the Bantam level because playing with boys has become complicated. We are at a critical junction in PGMHA. If we lose our female teams, I believe we lose our future female players. While we are struggling to decide what is best for our girls, we must also ask ourselves what is best for the future of female hockey. If there are no teams for our girls as they get older, we will lose a piece of the hockey puzzle. Girls need girls to play hockey for life. Without our female teams we may drastically be reducing the opportunities our girls have for a future in hockey. And, for many of our girls hockey could be the vehicle to an exciting and rewarding future!”

Liza Arnold – Pee Wee female parent

10.3 Recruit and Mentor Coaches and Officials

In order to provide quality coaching at any level, coaches must be adequately certified and familiar with the uniqueness of the female game; given that PGMHA policy now requires all coaches to have the proper credentials in place before they can travel, and the fact that we now have an AHC, we feel that the quality of our coaching will already be improved significantly in the coming seasons. As more female teams are established, so will more coaches step forward to coach those them. It is our intent to utilize

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the expertise of existing coaches of all-female teams to mentor and provide guidance to new recruits. In addition, female midget aged players will be encouraged to obtain their coaching certifications so that they may assist at the grass roots levels, and subsequently, into the future. In addition, the need for female officials will continue to rise as the numbers of female players and teams increase. The PGMHA already hosts a number of referee clinics in any given season and will continue to do so.

PGMHA will continue to recruit and support coaches for all-female teams and will encourage female midget aged players to obtain a minimum Coach Stream certification.

PGMHA will continue to promote officiating as an option to its female members and will make every effort to schedule them for games involving female players.

10.4 Provide Optimal Skill Development

Ensure that coaches are adequately certified and obtain guidance as to the uniqueness of the female game; continue to provide additional female development ice that not only provides opportunity for them to improve their skills in an all-female environment, but also provides coaches an opportunity to learn from established mentors within the female structure; offer recreational all-female opportunities at all levels.

PGMHA will make every effort to ensure that carded teams exist at the Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget level. Try-out, evaluation and team selection will be done in accordance with PGMHA policy. Carded female teams, once established, will fall under the jurisdiction of the PGMHA Rep Supervisor as the expectation and operating guidelines of these teams will be consistent with those of the male teams.

PGMHA will continue to offer one hour of Female Development ice per week in order to further encourage players and coaches to experience and excel at the female game and take advantage of mentorship opportunities available. When possible, female teams will be scheduled to practice together.

Existing Pee Wee and Bantam players who choose not to play on or who are not selected to carded teams will be evaluated and placed on teams in one of two ways:

Option A Divide all players equally according to age and skill level and place on combined female Ban/Wee house teams; PGMHA currently has enough players to support three such teams; these players may then be placed in a division of their own along with the Pee Wee female carded team; games between the recreational house teams and the Pee Wee carded team would be exhibition games only

Option B Create three ‘tiered’ female Ban/Wee house teams and place in appropriate house division where they will play against boys.

These female Ban/Wee teams will be HC rostered as ‘Bantam’ teams and will therefore be eligible to participate in any female Bantam recreational tournament as well as Pee Wee recreational tournaments where organizers allow ‘overage’ players. Bantam aged players will be eligible to affiliate to the female Bantam carded team (or female Midget if 2nd year) however Pee Wee players would not be eligible to affiliate anywhere. We do not feel that this

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is of significance at this point in time and can easily be overcome by carding additional players at the onset should they be considered as potential affiliates.

Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget division players may also make application to attend divisional tournaments during Christmas and post season.

“As a coach and parent of a female player in the north, I strongly feel that all-female teams are beneficial to all. Having all-female teams does not inhibit or restrict the development of players and here are some of the reasons why:

- The all-female model brings into play the concept of ‘team play’ much more than a female playing with boys would experience;

- Female players get the complete experience of playing hockey…which is not simply ‘the playing of the game’;

- A successful team needs to bond completely and become a family both on and off the ice; one of the biggest components of the whole team concept is that of team building which goes on before practices and games and typically occurs in the dressing rooms; female players playing on mixed teams miss out on much of this;

- Female and male players simply have different needs, focus, and interests, particularly as they get older, which may ultimately complicate things;

- An all-female environment will provide a more level playing field; even exceptional female players cannot compete with top male players; it is simply a matter of strength and development;

- Female players who wish to advance must learn how to play the female game, which is very different than the male game; during a female game for example, there is less physical play, more attention to angles and more focus on ‘systems’ than in your typical male game;

- Top female players playing on mixed teams temporarily displace male players; there is still opportunity to play at a high level within the female model”

Jason Garneau – Female MML Head Coach

10.5 Network with Other Associations in the North Network with other associations in the north in an effort to work more closely with those associations in developing a common goal in; this will help bring an awareness to the district as a whole which will ultimately promote growth in our female numbers; the more people we have promoting the all-female game, the better it will ultimately be for all of our female players; many associations are not far from having the numbers to allow for all-female recreational team play across associations; ultimately, it is our hope that these numbers will translate into more carded teams as well.

PGMHA will, in cooperation with the District Female Development Committee member, continue to network with neighbouring associations so that we may as a group promote overall growth in the north; we will achieve this by promoting tournament and jamboree style events locally and will continue to support our Female MML team.

“I am the parent of a female player who played on both mixed and all-female teams. The benefits of the all-female team include:

- teambuilding with other females; - strong female role models in coaches and other players; - unique perspective on meeting the physical and psychological needs of young women, which differ

from those of young men; - networking with other female athletes across the province; - exposure to high level athletes at university and in international play;

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- potential for provincial, national and international all-female teams; - coaching that meets the differing communication styles of women and motivating them in unique

ways; - lasting friendships and great times that empowered my daughter in ways that a mixed team did

not. My daughter has grown into a confident, well-rounded person, who not only benefited from the physical demands of playing hockey, but in all the ways listed above.”

Carol Whetter – parent Midget female player

10.6 Provide Mentorship Opportunities

Encourage female midget aged players to get involved with coaching at the grass roots level and utilize the expertise of coaches established within the female structure to assist newly recruited coaches of female teams, whether recreational or competitive.

PGMHA will encourage female midget players to consider obtaining coaching certifications in order to provide assistance at the Initiation and Atom level and to promote the development of female coaches for seasons to come.

PGMHA will encourage more experienced coaches of female teams to work with newly recruited coaches and assistant coaches.

“I talk about my passion for hockey and about the fundamentals. What you don’t anticipate is the team that becomes your family. This past season more than any other my team truly became a second family to me. Teammates share a special bond that you can’t show on paper. It’s a special chain with each person adding on a link. And you have to trust each other not to break that chain. You trust them with every pass, every play, every shift. That’s what makes a team. Your teammates will pick you up when you need it, block a shot for that win, double shift if you’re hurt and lay down on the line for you no matter what. And this is true both on and off the ice. Being captain of the Prince George Major Midget team, being scouted by SAIT for the 2011 season and being selected to play in the Provincial U18 Jamboree are accomplishments that hockey has brought me, but are not things I strive upon. The ice is simply my fuel. It is where I find happiness, strength, leadership, and a true sense of belonging, and through hockey, I can carry these things into other areas of my life. Hockey has made me who I am; it is that one thing in life that never fails. Hockey is my answer.”

Bethany Roy – 2010/2011 captain, PG Female MML team

10.7 Educate Parents

Parents should understand the big picture concept of hockey development whether male or female. Given everything we know and have now passed on to the parents of our female members, it is our hope that more people will ‘buy in’ and commit to the all-female model, whether recreational or competitive. It is only the very rare and exceptional player who makes it as an elite athlete at the national level; these players would very likely succeed at this no matter which sport they choose. Keeping everything in perspective is imperative if we are going to give our athletes the very best chance of success.

PGMHA will make every effort to communicate further development opportunities whether player, coach, parent, or official in a timely manner and will do so via regular newsletter that focuses on female development at all levels. Information may also be posted on the PGMHA website.

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“Some people say that girls who are serious about hockey should stay with boys as long as they can. The level of play is higher, the game is faster, and they will develop into a better player. But are these things true? Most coaches and parents have much more direct experience with boys’ hockey and the male game than with girls’ hockey and the female game. They may have never seen a girls’ hockey game, or they may have experience with only one team or program, and that experience might have been out-dated as well. In addition, playing on a higher level team, girls or boys, does not always translate into a better experience or make a better hockey player.

What this means is that often the decision to play with boys is made with little or inaccurate knowledge of the girls’ hockey choices available or the pros and cons of playing girls’ hockey. The more girls that stay in boy’s hockey, the fewer there are in girls’ hockey which affects the number and calibre of the girls’ teams out there. I do not mean that all girls should play on girls’ teams, just that the decision should be made with more information.

Girls playing on girls’ teams are more likely to say that their teammates respect them, that they feel like part of the team, that their team plays like a team, and that they get a fair amount of playing time. Girls relate to each other better and have fun, friendships, bonding, camaraderie, and being in the locker room (their shrine) is the ultimate.

Something anyone involved with girls who play hockey already know, girls love to play hockey. They are enthusiastic about the sport at all ages (they ask a lot of questions and want to learn and understand) and at all levels of play. They want to have fun, they want to win, they want to improve and they expect good coaching and good hockey organization. The game is physical, technical, and as they develop, skilful. This is because they get to play the game and most importantly, they get to handle the puck.

Our major midget girls’ team had two exhibition games against a mixed team this past season. The mixed team had one female player on it. I watched her closely every shift. She skated up and down the ice, lined up for face-offs…and did not touch the puck once during the whole game (no exaggeration). The boys did not pass to her one single time.

Girls value the social aspects of hockey more than their coaches and parents may realize. Teamwork (feeling like they are part of a team), friendships, camaraderie, and bonding are important components of their hockey experience as well as fairness, equality and respect.

Attitudes towards girls hockey needs to change at all levels so that girls are encouraged to try girls’ hockey and organizations should work hard to provide girl- only options for girls at all levels. We need to encourage parents, players and coaches to see what girls hockey is really like. The more this happens, the more options there will be for girls and the level of play for girls will increase quickly. When girls hockey is valued honestly and appropriately, more girls will want to play and will stay with the game.

One of our players this year stated that she started hockey by playing boys’ hockey and had only played girls hockey one season and tried out for the U16 female team north. She was amazed at the difference playing with girls. Other than the points already stated, she said “Girls skate the game and play the game...in boys hockey, you are always thinking “body” and watching your back the whole time. The game is different; there is no room for girls in boys’ hockey…”

Terri Pfliger – Female MML Assistant Coach

“My daughter played on a mixed team her first year and then on an all-female team her second. She almost quit after her first year because it was so intimidating. We decided to give it one more try and joined the all-female team and we have never looked back. The coaching was superior, the parents were amazing and the players played as a team! She developed into a really good hockey player and has gained so much confidence. We fully support the all-female system!”

Annette Stevens – Parent Pee Wee female player

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“We feel that female development should be promoted, as with any endeavour that females wish to pursue, and within the hockey world, the all-female development is essential. The female athletes, with very, very few exceptions, cannot compete with their male peers, making it impossible to develop the female athlete. It compares to putting a player 3 or more years above their peer group once you consider the size, speed, and strength of the male athlete. We have enjoyed watching our daughter reap the benefits of an all-female team, both on and off the ice. For the most part, I would think that one would only have to observe a male team once and a female team once to see that sport cannot, combined, accommodate both genders. In our opinion, the game of hockey is different for the sexes, and if our daughter was playing with her peer group, on a mixed team, she would not have the ability to develop. The size, speed, body contact component, etc., would prevent her from advancing in her athletic ability.

With that being said, I think that we should consider a female team that is not included in the rep system, for there are many females who would love to play, without the commitment that the rep system requires. It is also difficult to develop a female athlete who gets 3 shifts in a 60 minute game. Unfortunately we are simply on the brink of female hockey development, and in our area lack the numbers necessary to accommodate the male, female, rep, recreational athletes, so one must navigate carefully to ensure that the athlete is having benefit, be it development or enjoyment of the sport she loves.”

Corrine Albee – Parent Female MML player

“There are many positive aspects to the all-female system that would not be or could not be experienced if the all- female system were not in place. My daughter did not start to play hockey at the age of 5 so when she was a late entry the idea of playing with the boys who were faster, had a better shot and stick handling was daunting to her. Kids are kids and when a player doesn’t have the same level of skill they are often not included in the game. There are five players on the ice; a player is going to play with someone of the same ability. My daughter needed to develop her skills in an “arena” with greater acceptance of her ability and the opportunity and time to develop. I also have a son and when I see my daughter’s female teammates encourage a goalie who has been scored on, or encourage each other on the bench, I see more inclusion, encouragement, support – whatever you want to call it – on an all-girls team then I do watching boys play. When the kids are young, a shared dressing room is not an issue but at a certain age the mixed gender players do need to be separated. Playing with all-girls allows my daughter to be included, part of the whole team. There is camaraderie in the dressing room that extends on the ice as well as off the ice and into other sports. This aspect of the game actually encourages my daughter to want to continue to play hockey, to get to the rink to see her friends, to get the physical exercise, and to have fun in the game. There is a level of commitment to this sport because she doesn’t want to “miss out”.”

Parent – Pee Wee Female recreational player

“The camaraderie that comes from girls playing on female teams is a key element in girls sticking with the game as they are coming up through the minor hockey system. Quite often a girl playing on a boys’ team has to be better than the average male on the team to be accepted on the team. The average female player never gets the puck passed to her and therefore does not develop over the years. A girl playing on a female team may be a standout player and gets lots of ice time which will translate into developing her skills but may get less ice time and opportunity on a boys’ team as she may not be seen as an equal player if she is not in the top skill level of the team.”

Teri Cotton – BC Hockey Female High Performance

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RESOURCES Hockey Canada www.hockeycanada.ca Long Term Player Development Plan Male to Female Branch Registration Comparison Team Canada Women’s National Teams Female Hockey Development Guide BC Hockey www.bchockey.net Registration Stats – Northern Districts Female High Performance Program Female Design Model District Director, Cathy Mason District Female Development Committee Member, Dawn Bursey Long Term Athlete Development, Food for Thought Balyi, Bluechart, Cardinal, Higgs, Norris, Way Canadian Sport for Life www.canadiansportforlife.ca Canadian Interuniversity Sport www.ics-sic.ca

Canada wins 2010 Olympic Gold