The top 1994 born hockey players in province are ready to hit the ice for the 2009 Alberta Cup in Calgary from April 22-26 at the Don Hartman NE Sportsplex.
“We are very impressed with the caliber of athletes that will be playing in the Alberta Cup tournament this year. We are expecting a lot of WHL scouts to be in the stands so it’s a great opportunity for the players to develop through the Team Alberta Program while having the chance to get noticed by a WHL team, said Justin Fesyk, Coordinator, Team Alberta Male Programs.
Each one of the Eight Zone teams had the opportunity to practice on Wednesday, April 22 before entering into tournament play on April 23. The teams are made up of 20 players, 3 coaches, 1 trainer and a director of operations. The Calgary South Flames are the defending Alberta Cup champions.
“We have spent months preparing for the 2009 Alberta Cup and we are excited to get the tournament going,” Fesyk added.
The Alberta Cup Program begins in March each year with close to 1000 players trying out at their respective zone camps. Each of the 160 athletes playing in the Alberta Cup is competing for one of eighty invites to the U16 Male Provincial Camp in July. The U16 Male Provincial Camp is the final stage in the first year of the Team Alberta Program.
The Alberta Cup is the premier event in the province that helps identify the top male players in Alberta. It is well attended by scouts as they prepare for the Western Hockey League’s bantam draft. In addition to player evaluations, the competition is also an opportunity for administrators, coaches, trainers and referees to be evaluated for future positions with the Team Alberta U17 Program.
The Alberta Cup began back in 1986 as a program for midget hockey players. It was held again in 1987 and 1988 then it disappeared until 1993 when it re-emerged as a bantam level competition. The Alberta Cup aids in the preparation, evaluation and identification of potential players for Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta Program.
Former Alberta Cup graduates include such players as Kyle Brodziak, Dany Heatley, Jay Bouwmeester, Scottie Upshall, Dion Phaneuf, Scott Hartnell, Jordin Tootoo, Todd Fedoruk, Andrew Ference and Chris Phillips.
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