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Program of Excellence Update

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 01/10/14, 9:45AM EST

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Update on the Program of Excellence for 2014 & 2015

The IIHF World Junior Championships and the Under 17 World Challenge have just wrapped up and with the Sochi Olympics are just around the corner. High Performance stream programming through the Program of Excellence is ramping up in Ontario as well.

Hockey Canada established the Program of Excellence (POE) in 1981 to identify the top calibre hockey players in specific age categories and to provide these players with an opportunity to participate against international competition. By participating in the Program of Excellence, players are exposed to high calibre coaching and training methods designed to better prepare our national teams to compete against the top teams in the world. 
As POE programming kicks into gear this spring, it is important for all coaches, parents and players in Ontario to receive the right direction and information.

While the Under 20 and Under 18 programs are national teams, programming at the Under 17, Under 16 and Under 15 is delivered in each province by the Branches and Member partners in each province. Here is what is coming up in Ontario.

 

OHF/OHL Under 15 | Players born in 1999

This camp format provides an introduction to the high performance stream through on- and off-ice sessions and seminars. On-ice sessions include two practices and three games. Off-ice sessions include seminars with keynote speakers on topics such as sports psychology, nutrition, and fitness.  This program’s focus is strictly on introduction to the POE, and while there is evaluation and feedback for players, there is not a specific selection process leading to additional competition.

Locations and dates are to be determined but the program will take place in April and May. Applications for the 2014 OHF/OHL Under-15 Program of Excellence will be available in late 2013 or early 2014. 
Information will be posted to OMHA.net when confirmed.

Under 16 OHL Gold Cup | Players born in 1998

This event will take place in May and will feature eight teams and 160 players representing the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, Alliance Hockey, GTHL, HNO, NOHA, and Hockey Eastern Ontario. This event is an evaluation and selection process for the Under 17 program. The U17 program will be going through an overhaul starting this year – more information on that later.

The Ontario Minor Hockey Association will field two teams at this event. We are in the process of reviewing Team Staff applications and we will announce our Management and Operations Staff shortly.

Player selection process will be through an invitation to players identified to participate. Further information will be posted as details are finalized.

 

Under 17 POE | Program Updates

Hockey Canada will be introducing significant changes to the Under 17 Program for next year. Historically, as well as this year, the program consisted of 5 regional Canadian teams – Atlantic, Ontario, Pacific, Quebec and West. 

Beginning in 2015, Canada will be represented by three national teams – Black, Red and White – which will be made up of a combination of the best 66 under-17 players from across the country. The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will go from five Canadian teams to three, and from 10 teams overall to eight. As in past years, five international entries will compete at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge; Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States will round out the eight-team field.

To help identify players for the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Hockey Canada will host the first national Under-17 camp in July 2014, welcoming the best 100 players born in 1998 or later to Calgary.

Over the course of the next several weeks, we will continue to provide programming updates as they are confirmed and announced. 

The Program of Excellence is part of the Hockey Canada and OMHA Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model. Visit our Player page for more information on LTPD, POE and all programming opportunities for players.