More than 350 young hockey hopefuls learn the ropes from Canadian Women's Hockey Elites Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Sami Jo Small

CALGARY, Oct. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - Two-time Olympic team captain and gold medalist Cassie Campbell-Pascall and two-time gold Olympic medalist Sami Jo Small are lacing up their skates this weekend for the fifth annual Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest in Calgary. The two hockey stars will coach 350 young hockey players on Sunday, November 4, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Scotiabank Saddledome. 

"Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is a day where young athletes come together as a community to learn valuable skills from strong role models like Cassie and Sami Jo, and we're excited to bring this event back to Calgary this year," said Shannon Burch, Scotiabank's District Vice President, Alberta South Region. "As the official bank of the Canadian Women's Hockey League, we're proud to help young female athletes really cultivate their hockey skills. This event is a great opportunity for these girls to be coached by some of Canada's best, and we're just happy to play a part in making it possible."

Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest in Calgary is free to all participants and is open to Novice, Atom, Peewee and Bantam-level players, ages seven to 14. Over the course of the day, more than 350 players will receive on-ice skills and off-ice life coaching from Olympians Cassie Campbell-Pascall and Sami-Jo Small as well as a tour of the Calgary Saddledome Arena. The day also features a "New to the Game" session led by Team Alberta players of the CWHL. The session is designed to teach hockey basics to girls who have never played the game before.

"Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest gives young female athletes the chance to learn both life and hockey skills that I hope will stick with them after this event," said Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Scotiabank Hockey Ambassador. "We look forward to introducing the game to some future hockey stars who have never put on a pair of skates or shot a puck. It means a lot to me as a coach to be a part of this event, to both help young girls to improve their game, but also to celebrate this awesome sport."

Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest began in Ottawa nine years ago, and was first held in Calgary in 2008. This year, it will be held across Canada, in Brandon, Winnipeg, St. John's, Toronto and Ottawa. To register or learn more about the event please visit www.scotiabankgirlshockeyfest.com.

About the coaches

Cassie Campbell-Pascall, one of the most successful and recognized players in women's hockey, holds 21 medals from Olympic, international and national championships - 17 of them gold.  She is a former Captain of the Canadian National Women's Hockey Team and she is the only player to captain two gold medal winning hockey teams. She is also the first woman to provide colour commentary for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. Campbell-Pascall is a Scotiabank Hockey Ambassador.

Sami Jo Small, a powerful force in women's hockey, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time World Champion and two-time World Champion MVP. She co-founded the Canadian Women's Hockey League and is a proud member of the Toronto team in the CWHL.

About Scotiabank

Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL®, NHL Alumni™, CWHL, Winnipeg Jets®, Toronto Maple Leafs®, Calgary Flames® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome, and the Ottawa Senators® whose home arena is Scotiabank Place. 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 than 3,700 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, 'Bright Future'.  Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, Scotiabank has provided on average approximately $45 million annually to community causes around the world over each of the last five years. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

SOURCE: Scotiabank - Sponsorships & Donations