Canadian Women's Hockey Elite and former Assistant Captain Team Canada, Vicky Sunohara to train aspiring young athletes at Scotiabank Place

OTTAWA, Jan. 10 /CNW/ - Two-time Olympic gold medalist Vicky Sunohara will join players from the Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Senators Women's Hockey teams to coach 300 young female hockey players during Ottawa's seventh annual Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest on Saturday, January 15, at Scotiabank Place. This free event offers girls from novice, atom and peewee-levels the opportunity to improve both on-ice game skills and off-ice life skills with coaching from some of the best female hockey players in the world. 

"Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest offers young female athletes the chance to get advice and training from some of the best women in hockey," said Emily Farrell, Scotiabank District Vice-President, Ottawa River District. "Having a role model like Vicky Sunohara coach the girls and give them a few tips and tricks of the trade is a great opportunity for the young hockey hopefuls. Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest provides them with skills training and exposure to the great role models who will inspire a new generation of girls and young women to reach their goals both on and off the ice."

Scotiabank Place, 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 Olympian on the hard work and dedication that helped her reach her goals.

"Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is proof of the desire for novice, atom and peewee-level girls 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," said Vicky Sunohara.  "These girls will learn about the experiences they can have by setting their goals and following through with their passions. They know that to give themselves the best possible chance of performing to their full potential, they must prepare for anything. These are lessons that can be taken with them wherever they go."

Free to participants, Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest will take place on Saturday, January 15, from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. All on-ice skills sessions will be facilitated by players from the Carleton Ravens and the Ottawa Senators women's hockey teams.

"We have seen the number of girls participating in hockey and becoming hockey fans continue to increase here in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and across the country," said Ottawa Senators president Cyril Leeder. "The Senators and Scotiabank Place are pleased once again this year to be able to help bring Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest to the community. In the months and years ahead, we are committed to working with local minor hockey and girls' hockey officials and administrators to find ways to improve the game in any way we can."

"Girls hockey has come a long way over the years," said Sunohara, former Assistant Captain for Team Canada from 2001-2008 and two-time gold medalist at the 2002 and 2006 winter Olympic games.  "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."

Vicky Sunohara, one of Canada's all-time most popular female hockey players and elite athletes, helped bring home the silver medal from the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, the gold medal from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and another gold medal from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy as a member of Canada's National Women's team.  Having attended Northeastern University in Boston on full scholarship for two years, Sunohara was awarded Rookie of the Year and named to the NCAA All-American All-Star team.  Through the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championships, Sunohara won 15 gold medals and three silver medals as a member of Canada's national women's team.  A recent graduate from the University of Toronto with a degree in Physical and Health Education, the former Captain of the CWHL team, the Brampton Thunder, Sunohara today directs the Women's Hockey program at the Hill Academy, a private school for elite student athletes. 

About Scotiabank
As the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHLPA®, NHL Alumni™ and the CWHL, Scotiabank is very proud to be Canada's Hockey Bank.  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 hockey and believes it is fundamental to helping young people learn about teamwork, camaraderie and the spirit of competition. Scotiabank's partnership with Pro Hockey Life provides exclusive in-store and online discounts to the Bank's customers, promotes advice on equipment and enhances the grassroots community programs of both companies.  Scotiabank also has partnerships with the Montreal Canadiens®, the Calgary Flames® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome, 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 2010 the Bank provided about $50 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.