Greendell 12A1 Selected As Wayne Gretzky Future Team Canada Winner
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Kennan Flamand, Sean Winch, Kyle Sutherland, Zenon Happychuk, Mark Miller, Josh Caniouras, Adam Neiles, Joey Matthews, Keegan Papadopoulos, Matthew Greatrex, Ryan Ophey, Kyle Fortin, Mitchell Samborski, Ashton Romano, Tristan Blais, Johnny Hawash
Recently our Team Greendell Falcons 12A1 entered a contest through Hockey Canada named Wayne Gretzky Future Team Canada program which is partnered with Hockey Canada and Wayne Gretzky foundation.
I am pleased to announce that our team was the winning recipient from Manitoba. We all believe that hockey is a lifetime sport which is demonstrated by our coaching staff who all still play together on Friday nights. We also believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to play this wonderful sport. By saying this our team will be donating $500.00 to Rossbrook house in Winnipeg for their Skate and Helmet program for inner city youth.
Below I have included some information on Rossbrook House and Wayne Gretzky foundation.
Rossbrook House is a neighborhood centre for children and youth in Winnipeg's inner-city. It offers a constant alternative to the destructive environment of the streets. Rossbrook is open 365 days of the year, 24 hours on weekends or any school holidays. Beyond the 'drop-in', a variety of recreational, arts, cultural, women's and employment development programs are offered.
Recreational Ice Skating
Ice time is booked once a week during the winter months for Rossbrook children and youth to have a recreational skate. A supply of skates and helmets are kept at Rossbrook so that all those who would like to learn to skate may have the opportunity. This is also an opportunity for family members to participate with their children.
What we won:
- Team Canada jerseys and hockey bags bearing the Wayne Gretzky Foundation logo
- Sticks
- $1,999 to be used for team development activities (e.g. ice costs, special instruction, assisting the less fortunate with the opportunity to play, etc.)
- Coaching Volunteer Recognition Package (Stick, Bag, Coaching Club Membership, Development DVD’s and more) The Wayne Gretzky Foundation believes that hockey instills many positive life skills and contributes to the physical, emotional and social growth of young people. Canada’s National Men’s and Women’s hockey teams promote many of these positive life skills such as respect, safety and fun.
What the Hockey foundation does:
The Hockey Canada Foundation works with the Hockey Canada team to encourage active participation and lifelong health and wellness, provide leadership development opportunities, promote the principles of teamwork, and act as an advocate for fun, fair play and pure enjoyment of the game; all this while helping to build bonds that will last a lifetime. The outcomes of the "Future Team Canada" program and the principles championed by the Wayne Gretzky Foundation demonstrate a shared vision for the future of our game.
How does your minor hockey team display these Team Canada values? Does your team volunteer in your community, help teach younger players the fundamentals of the game, support teammates through tough times? In 250 words (or less), tell us what special characteristics and values your team has that could make it a future Team Canada.
We wrote the following to Hockey Canada:
We believe hockey is a life long sport. We respect the game of hockey and all that it teaches us. There are many lessons learned during the course of a season, and these are lessons that help us to become better players, teammates and community members.
We know that we are fortunate that we have the opportunity to play hockey, and it is an honour to play the game that so many before us have played and so many after us will play. We thank all the volunteers that make hockey happen and we thank our parents for showing us the game of hockey when we were very young, and despite the cold and very early times, brought us to the rink.
Our team motto for the start of the season was:
"One player can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one player cannot make a team."
Life at the rink is good. Thank you and....... GO CANADA GO!
Coaching staff is Omar Hawash, Ken Greatrex, and Dale Obodzinski
Dean Matthews
Manager Greendell Falcons Peewee A1
