Gold Medalist to Coach at Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest Weekend in Ottawa

Canadian Women's Hockey Elite Tammy Lee Shewchuk to train aspiring young athletes

OTTAWA , Jan. 6 /CNW/ - Former Olympic gold medalist Tammy Lee Shewchuk will join players from the Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Senators Women's Hockey teams to coach 450 female hockey players during Ottawa's sixth annual Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest on Friday, January 22nd and Saturday, January 23rd . To accommodate record registration numbers, Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest has been extended to include a Friday evening session.

"We host Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest in Ottawa and Calgary each year to offer young female hockey players the chance to get advice and training from some of the best women in the game," said Emily Farrell , Scotiabank District Vice-President, Ottawa River District. "With online registration having reached capacity within a half-hour, there is ongoing demand for skills training and exposure to great role models who will inspire a new generation of girls and young women to reach their goals on and off the ice."

Scotiabank Place, the home of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, will be the venue of the all-day event comprised of on and off-ice training, a stadium tour, and a keynote address from the former Olympians on the hard work and dedication that helped them reach their goals.

With the addition of Friday evening's session with Tammy Lee Shewchuk , Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is proof of the desire for novice, atom and peewee-level girls (ages 7 - 14) to receive the opportunity to improve on-ice game skills and off-ice life skills while celebrating and learning about the game of hockey with their peers.

"Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is a great opportunity for these young girls to learn about the experiences they can have by setting goals and following through with their passions," said Tammy Lee Shewchuk . "These girls know that to give themselves the best possible chance of performing to their full potential, they must prepare for anything, which means practice, discipline and teamwork - all lessons that can be taken with them wherever they go."

Free to participants, Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest will begin on Friday, January 22nd from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. , and continue on Saturday, January 23rd from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. All on-ice skills sessions will be facilitated by players from the Carleton Ravens and the Ottawa Senators women's hockey teams.

"The Ottawa Senators are passionate about our community and hockey," said Senators President, Cyril Leeder . "This is the sixth year we've held this event in Ottawa and every year the number of girls who express interest continues to amaze us. Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is the type of program that will foster the next generation of hockey stars from our region and we're very proud to play host to it each year at Scotiabank Place."

"Girls hockey has come a long way over the years," said Shewchuk, two-time gold medalist at the 2000 and 2001 Women's World Hockey Championships and 2002 Olympic gold medalist. "Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest gives girls a real taste of possibility. It shows them what they are capable of with the right training and encouragement. I wish there had been a program like this when I was starting out."

Tammy Lee Shewchuk was a member of the 2000 and 2001 gold medal teams at the Women's World Hockey Championships and competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City , bringing home the Olympic gold medal. Having graduated from Harvard, Shewchuk was the NCAA's all-time leading scorer and earned the John Dooley Award for combining sportsmanship, enthusiasm and devotion to hockey.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank has a long tradition of supporting hockey in Canada from local teams and minor hockey associations to professional players and leagues. Through its partnerships, Scotiabank's hockey programs enrich the communities where Canadians live and work by engaging fans and players in new ways to celebrate our game. Scotiabank supports the passion and pride Canadians feel for the game and believes it is fundamental to helping young people learn about teamwork camaraderie and the spirit of competition. Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL, NHLPA, NHL Alumni and CWHL, and has partnerships with the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators whose home arena is Scotiabank Place. For more information on Scotiabank's hockey programs visit www.scotiahockeyclub.com.

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2009 the Bank provided about $39 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com

For further information: Media: For more information please contact Livy Feldgajer: Scotiabank Public Affairs, [phone] or [email protected]