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Three locals invited to national selection camps
Hockey Canada has invited 142 of the nation’s top players, including three from Cranbrook, to attend the BFL National Women’s Program selection camp, set to take place Aug. 3-14 at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park.
The 11-day camp will bring together athletes vying for spots on Canada’s National Women’s Team, Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team as a start to the 2022-23 season and a new four-year Olympic cycle.
Rylind MacKinnon, 22, a blueliner last season with the University of British Columbia, has been invited to try out for Canada’s National Women’s Team.
While Jaimee Spring, 17, and Avery Pickering, 16, have been invited to try out for the National Women’s Under-18 Team. Both defenders, Spring played for Rink Hockey Academy (CSSHL) and Pickering played for Balmoral Hall (JWHL) last season.
Player selections were led by Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), director of hockey operations with Hockey Canada, along with Cherie Piper (Scarborough, Ont.), senior manager of player development and scouting, and Troy Ryan (Spryfield, N.S.), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team.
“This is a great opportunity to bring all three groups together in one place and start to envision what the next four years will look like,” said Kingsbury. “We are coming off a very successful season and we are looking to continue building on that. We have a full complement of experienced staff to lead our camps but having our Olympic athletes able to play leadership roles where they can mentor and share their experience is a positive step in our journey towards the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan.”
Canada’s National Women’s Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team hopefuls will be split into four teams for practices, intrasquad games and off-ice sessions. Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team invitees will be split into two teams – Red and White – for practices, intrasquad games and off-ice sessions. They will also welcome Finland’s national women’s under-18 team, giving the U18 group an opportunity to experience international competition.
Following the selection camp, the cross-border series with the United States will be re-introduced for the first time since 2019. Player selections will be made by Ryan, Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, N.S./N.-E.) and Courtney Birchard-Kessel (Mississauga, Ont./Princeton University, ECAC), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, with input from Piper and Kingsbury. Team Canada will also face Finland on Aug. 14 in a final tune-up before the Canada-U.S. series.
The selection camp is also a critical step for Canada’s National Women’s Team in preparation for the 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship, Aug. 24-Sept. 4 in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark. Canada is expected to play Denmark and the United States in a pair of pre-tournament games prior to the start of the women’s worlds.
2022/23 Summer Showcase Camp Roster
2022/23 Women Under 18 Summer Showcase Roster
Lead image: Rylind MacKinnon. UBC photo
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