Calling all Ottawa Minor Hockey Players! NHL Alumni™ Take the Ice to Coach first ever Scotiabank Community HockeyFest

• Over one thousand minor Ottawa hockey players will receive expert instruction during this 10-part event, which kicks off on Sunday, September 29.

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Scotiabank is proud to announce it is bringing Scotiabank Community HockeyFest to over 1,000 young male and female minor hockey players in the Ottawa region. Young players, ages 7-14, will have the chance to be coached by great NHL Alumni™ like former Ottawa Senators® player Brad Marsh, learning valuable ice and life skills during the series of events happening across the greater Ottawa area. The first event will take place on Sunday, September 29 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at Bell Sensplex.

"We're thrilled to be able to bring this new event to the talented and dedicated young hockey players in this great city," said Carole Chapdelaine, Scotiabank Senior Vice President of Quebec and Eastern Ontario Region. "Earlier this year we announced we'd be increasing our support of community hockey in Ottawa. At Scotiabank, we understand how much it means to be part of a team. We hope the young future hockey stars that join us at Scotiabank Community HockeyFest are able to learn some on ice skills, but also some valuable lessons off the ice from great role models that they won't ever forget."

At each individual event, approximately 120 young players will put on their skates for an unforgettable day with their fellow future hockey stars and elite coaches, including Senators Alumni such as Brad Marsh, Todd White and Shaun Van Allen along with ten certified instructors from the Ottawa Senators hockey programs at the Bell Sensplex.

Offered to boys and girls from Novice, Atom, Peewee and Bantam levels, the all-day event is comprised of on and off-ice training and keynote addresses from the Senators alumni on the hard work, dedication and determination that helped them reach their goals. The Alumni will also speak about the importance of giving back to the community.

The first of the 10-part series Scotiabank Community HockeyFest event, will take place for the Lower St. Lawrence district and will feature guest instructor and former Ottawa Senator Brad Marsh.

"I look forward to participating in Scotiabank Community HockeyFest to help some of our city's great young future hockey stars hone their skills," said Brad Marsh. "As a former player and a minor hockey coach, it means a lot to me to help young girls and boys improve their game, and also give them the chance to learn some key life skills that I hope they'll remember throughout their lives."

The individual events will be taking place through the fall and into the early months of 2014. For more information about upcoming dates and how to register, please visit www.scotiabankcommunityhockeyfest.com.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHL Alumni™, CWHL, Vancouver Canucks®, Winnipeg Jets™, Toronto Maple Leafs®, Ottawa Senators and the Calgary Flames® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Bank also has a partnership with the Montreal Canadiens®. Scotiabank has a long tradition of supporting hockey in Canada from local teams and minor hockey associations to professional players and leagues. Across Canadian communities from coast to coast, Scotiabank's Community Hockey Sponsorship Program reaches out to more 4,500 minor hockey teams and leagues. To find out more about Scotiabank's hockey programs, please visit www.facebook.com/scotiahockeyclub.

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad, through our global philanthropic program, Scotiabank Bright Future.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $47 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League.  NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.  All Rights Reserved.

SOURCE: Scotiabank - Sponsorships & Donations; Scotiabank

Diana Hart, Scotiabank Media Communications: T: 416-866-7238; C: 647-821-3849 E: [email protected]