National Team Canada members join Okanagan Hockey Academy staff

April 8, 2010

Rebecca Russell and Gina Kingsbury to lead new female hockey initiatives

The Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA) and Okanagan Hockey School (OHS) announced on Thursday that former women’s national team member Rebecca Russell and Canadian gold medalist Gina Kingsbury have been added to their organization.  Russell and Kingsbury will make up the coaching staff of the OHA’s new female Midget program during the 2010 – 2011 season, and will run the OHS’s female prep camp throughout the summer of 2010.

Russell, who will play the role of Head Coach, played for the U-22 Canadian national team and attended senior national team camps in 2005/2007, spent five seasons with the Calgary Oval X-treme in the WWHL and recently worked as an assistant coach for the Canadian U-22 and University of Calgary women’s teams.

“I’m very excited to join the team at OHS and to be a part of the new female program there,” said Russell. “It will be a great thing for women’s hockey and I’m very happy that they’re willing to start this new women’s program. I’m proud to be a part of it and I can’t wait to get started.”

Joining Russell as Assistant Coach will be Gina Kinsgbury, a decorated member of the Canadian women’s national team, mostly recently winning a gold medal in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic winter games. Currently residing in Quebec, she will be moving to Penticton in the summer.

“The Okanagan is such a beautiful place. I’m excited to make this move out West and join Rebecca for this exciting initiative,” said Kingsbury.  “We’re both extremely excited to build the women’s team on the solid foundation of the men’s programs there. The facility and the staff are so great and I have no doubt that this new program will become a leader in women’s hockey in Canada.”
"This is great news for female hockey in British Columbia," said Julie Healy, Hockey Canada's director of female hockey. "It is great to see elite players like Gina and Rebecca stay involved in hockey as coaches.  This generation of players has a wealth of experience to draw from, and I know they will play a large role in growing female hockey in our country for years to come."

Andy Oakes, President of the OHS and OHA, agrees that the addition of the women’s programs led by Kingsbury and Russell will bring positive growth to women’s hockey.

“Our goal has always been to encourage the achievement of each player’s full potential through a stimulating and vigorous supportive environment,” said Oakes. “By branching out into women’s hockey we hope this mandate will help to increase the level of play in Canada. We are extremely excited to add two people of this quality to our organization and are very confident that Rebecca and Gina will work diligently to build the top female development program in Canada in the coming years. The young women that make the decision to join OHA will have the opportunity to work with world-class staff and facilities to enhance their development."

The OHS’s new Female Prep Camp is for girls born between 1993 and 1997, currently playing at an elite level. The OHA’s new Female Midget Program, which will commence during the 2010–2011 hockey season, is open to girls born between 1993 and 1995, currently playing at a AAA level. Both programs are based out of Penticton, BC.

Players can sign up for the summer prep camp online at www.hockeyschools.com and the female midget program at www.hockeyacademy.ca.


For more information:

Andy Oakes
President
Okanagan Hockey School & Academy
(250) 809-7191
andyoakes@hockeyschools.com

Rebecca Russell
Head Coach
Okanagan Hockey School & Academy
(403) 697-9279
rebeccafayerussell@gmail.com

Gina Kingsbury
Assistant Coach
Okanagan Hockey School & Academy
(403) 483-2882
ginaking27@hotmail.com

Steve Taylor
Director of Media Services
Okanagan Hockey School & Academy
(250) 809-9715
stevetaylor@hockeyschools.com