2007 – 2008 News Archives
May, 9, 2008
Author: Pat Borzi
Win-Win Situation for Women’s Hockey Groups
Click on the following link to read the latest news story on the MN Whitecaps: MinnPost.com.
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April 14, 2008
Breaking Barriers
The Minnesota Whitecaps Hockey Club was selected to receive a “Breaking Barriers” Award for their positive impact and contributions towards providing athletic opportunities for girls and women of all races, all ages, and all levels of abilities. In attendance to receive the award on behalf of the Minnesota Whitecaps Hockey Club was 2006-07 team captain Carrie Holldorf.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) is a time to celebrate the accomplishments in girls and women’s sports, to recognize our state’s leaders and athletes, and to look to the future. These awards are presented annually at the Minnesota Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration, which was held at the State Capitol Rotunda in St. Paul, on February 6, 2008.
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February 13, 2008
Fox 9 News Story
Click on the following link to watch the news story on the MN Whitecaps: Fox 9.
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January 29, 2008
Author: Pat Borzi
Women’s hockey team faces new threat to its future
The following article was featured in MinnPost.com: Women’s hockey team faces new threat to its future.
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January 16, 2008
Author: Eric Walsh
The MN Wild featured in their December and January Women in Hockey, the following articles:
1. MN Whitecaps 2. Manon Rheaume
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October 15, 2007
KSTP News Story
Click on the following link to watch the news story on the MN Whitecaps: KSTP.
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September 27, 2007
Author: Jennifer Botterill
New Women’s Hockey League set to launch
Mere months after one of only two women’s elite hockey organizations in Canada shut its doors, TheHockeyNews.com has learned a new league has been created to take its place.
And this time, the players themselves have taken matters into their own hands.
Created and organized by local volunteer businesspeople and veteran Canadian Olympic Team members such as Jennifer Botterill and Sami Jo Small, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) will begin its season this fall with seven teams based out of Ontario and Quebec. It replaces the eastern division of the National Women’s Hockey League, which suspended operations in May due to ongoing financial and structural woes.
“What makes this league different is that many of the teams will be supported by the girls’ minor hockey associations in the communities in which the teams are located,” Small told TheHockeyNews.com.
The CWHL will kick off its inaugural campaign with two teams in Montreal, one in Ottawa, and four in the Greater Toronto Area.
“We are very excited about this season,” added Botterill, who, like Small, is a two time Olympic gold medal-winner. “It not only gives us a chance to play at a high level, but it also gives Canadians the opportunity to share the experience with us.
“There’s no question that along with increased awareness of our league, there’s also great potential for growing the game of women’s hockey.”
The CWHL’s teams – the Brampton Canadettes Thunder, Mississauga Chiefs, Burlington Barracudas, Vaughan Flames, Ottawa Capital-Canucks, Montreal Stars and Quebec Phoenix – will play a 40-game regular-season schedule.
The league’s top two teams will travel to the Esso Women’s National Championships in Charlottetown, P.E.I., to play for the national championship against the top two teams from the Western Women’s League, as well as provincial teams from around the country.
Though the CWHL begins as a not-for-profit enterprise, the executive committee will actively be searching for corporate sponsors.
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August 31, 2007
Author: Bill Espey
New Year, New Hopes
The Western Womens Hockey League entered the 2006-2007 season with a great feeling that women’s hockey across the continent was finially coming together for what was best for the game. We felt the idea was right, two divisions, two schedules, some exhibion play between divisions, and a National Championship prior to the World Championships. We failed our players and our supporters by not accomplishing our goals. Unfortunately, our eastern friends pulled their support for the league for the 2007-2008 season.
Today as we enter our fourth year in the WWHL, we have a renewed hope that our goals can be reached. The players in the east have banned together, have taken a negative situation and turned it into a positive step. They are moving forward without the old team structure, forming teams and setting up playing schedules. With the help of Hockey Canada, we are gearing up for a new look Esso National Womens Hockey Championship which will feature the best teams from both leagues next spring.
Now more then ever we need the support of you our fans. We have a great game, a great past and a wonderful future. The support for the game was well felt at the World Championships in Winnipeg this spring with sold out arenas and fans showing support for all teams not just Canada. Please go to Minnesota Whitecaps website and read an article by Pat Borzi of the New York Times called “Women Pay for a Chance to Play”. This article is not only true in the USA, but is true for our Canadian players as well. Every four years we get our National Pride going with our National Women’s Team at the Olympics. Our support is lost shortly after the anthems are played and the teams head home. We need you to be proud of our players every year and everyday no matter the color of the uniform they are wearing that day. We need our players playing to improve skills even more, and we have room to help develop players from other nations so that the games become more competative at the IIHF level.
There is no support too small, all funds given to the Western Womens Hockey League will go directly to the teams for player support. It is our plan that no player will have to pay to play in the future and some of our developing teams can offer their players the same opportunites as the more established teams
Take the time and come see the best hockey players in the world, play in your own backyard. We know you will fall in love with the game.
