The Superior Edge Hockey School Developmental camp is coming to Fort Frances for a third summer in-a-row, but may be the last time Fort Frances girls will have the opportunity to skate with an Olympian.
“We can hold 60 players but right now we aren’t even halfway there,” said 2006 gold medalist and Canadian women’s national hockey team member Katie Weatherston.
“I’m really encouraging girls in that area because it might be the last year we’re able to come to Fort Frances, as next year I’ll be involved with the Olympics [training for Vancouver 2010] and if registration is low it just won’t be possible after that,” she added.
The camp runs from July 21 to 24 at the Memorial Sports Centre, will four full days of on and off-ice instruction. Weatherston will instruct camp participants on the basics of skill development, including power skating and puck control, while also focusing on team strategy.
The off-ice portion of the program will show girls how to train specifically for hockey, including plyometrics and skating imitations, while also providing goal setting and motivational advice from Weatherston herself.
“It takes a lot of work, a lot of patience, many steps and many different goals that you have to set in order to get there,” Weatherston noted. “[It’s] important to know what kind of work needs to be put in, and sometimes that is hard for girls to know, so that’s why I run these camps—just to help them and guide them, and show them that there are a lot of opportunities out there for females and just to get them excited about the sport.
“I would’ve wished there was something like this back when I was a kid growing up, because I always had to go in the boys’ hockey schools,” Weatherston said with a laugh. “I never had a female role model and I didn’t have much guidance or awareness, and that’s what I hope to build with this camp while having a lot of fun at the same time.”
The camp is open to those girls born between 1992 and 2000, with a cost of $300 for skaters and $250 for goalies. Interested participants can register at www.superioredgehockey.com
Weatherston is a good example of how hard work and perseverance can overcome any obstacles that may stand in the way. She’s listed at 5’2” but plays the game hard and hasn’t let that prevent her from achieving the goals she’s set for herself.
Winning the Olympics in Torino was a crowning achievement for the 25-year-old, and had special meaning for her especially since the event was held in Italy.
“Italy was a great experience and that was kind of my second home country because I’m Italian and I have family there so that made it even more special,” Weatherston praised. “I can only imagine how exciting it will be to play in Canada with hockey being kind of our national sport and having fans cheering us on to hopefully give us that extra boost.”
Weatherston amassed 148 points in 99 games in three seasons at Dartmouth College and has been with Canada’s national women’s team since the 2004-05 season.
She has a national team training camp in September, where it’s expected they will narrow the roster to 30 players leading into the Olympic year.
“The Olympics are one of the great ways to showcase women’s hockey, that’s when we get most of our fans because, other than the world championships, there aren’t many times when we are on TV,” Weatherston said.
Fort Frances Times
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