TORONTO, ON - May 04, 2016 /CNW/ - Olympian, Toronto Furies player and Canadian women's hockey star Natalie Spooner will lace up for the 5^th Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest in Toronto, and coach over 350 young female athletes on Sunday, May 8, from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the MasterCard Centre For Hockey Excellence.

"We look forward to celebrating Canada's 5^th Season, the hockey season, by bringing girls face to face with Canadian female hockey heroes at the final Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest of the 2015/2016 season," said Heather McFarlane-Hurst, Branch Manager, Scotiabank in Etobicoke. "Being part of a team is a living example of how we're better together. It's inspiring to see young female hockey players demonstrate teamwork, passion and have the chance to learn from Canadian role models, helping them to pursue their goals both on and off the ice."

Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest is available at no cost to girls aged 7-12. With support from Olympian Natalie Spooner, members of the Toronto Furies elite and Toronto Maple Leafs development coaches will run on and off-ice training clinics. The day will also include a nutrition session and a keynote address from Natalie Spooner on the importance of teamwork and giving back to the community.

"I am excited and honoured to be a part of Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest, coaching the next generation of female hockey players and helping them to develop their skill set," said Natalie Spooner. "Being an active member of my community and giving back is a big part of who I am. Girls Hockeyfest allows me to give back and, hopefully, inspire young girls to pursue their own hockey dreams."

Scotiabank has a long tradition of supporting Canadian hockey from local teams and minor hockey associations to professional players and leagues. Scotiabank is proud to support over 5,000 community hockey teams across Canada through the Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship Program.

Scotiabank proudly supports women's hockey through sponsorship of the Canadian Women's Hockey League and Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest which began in Ottawa and has expanded across Canada to also include Calgary, Brandon and Winnipeg. The event will be brought to Toronto in partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of their ongoing community investment in hockey development. To learn more about the event and Scotiabank's commitment to community hockey, please visitwww.scotiabankgirlshockeyfest.com.

About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL^®, NHL Alumni™, CWHL, Vancouver Canucks^®, Winnipeg Jets^®, Toronto Maple Leafs^®, Ottawa Senators^®, Edmonton Oilers^® and the Calgary Flames^® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Bank also supports the Montreal Canadiens^®. Scotiabank's Community Hockey Sponsorship Program supports over 5,000 minor hockey teams in communities across Canada. To find out more about Scotiabank's hockey programs, please visitwww.scotiabank.com/the5thseason.