NATIONAL BALL HOCKEY
ASSOCIATION OF CANADA

CANADA – The Best Junior U-20 Girls Players in the Country

On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Associa­tion of Canada and the High Performance Committee we are proud to announce the 2020 U-20 Girls Team Canada roster for the World Ball Hockey Federation Championship being hosted in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30 - July 5. 

The 22-player squad is comprised of seven players, who will be defending their gold medal from Nitra, Slovakia in 2018. The remaining fifteen players will be wearing the Canadian ball hockey jersey for the first time. Although the team is comprised of a lot of fresh, new talent in terms of international ball hockey, there is extensive ice hockey experience being added to the team roster this year.

We are excited about the group of players we have selected and are confident that they all possess the qualities we were looking for in a gold-medal team,” said Melissa Miller, General Manager/Head Coach.  “These players have all earned their spot through hard work and dedication to the sport and I am excited to coach these young women at the international level. We have built a gold medal caliber club. Now we have to work on coming together as a team so that we can stand on our blueline at the end of the tournament and listen to our national anthem with gold medals around our necks.  

Miller continued, “our staff brings forth a strong work ethic and ball hockey background and we are confident in their abilities to prepare our athletes as we continue to work towards the 2020 World Championships.”

“On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada, I would like to congratulate the players named today, along with their leagues, club teams, families, coaches and officials who have helped them along the way,” said Stephen Dockerty, High Performance Director.  With that said, it is with great pride that we present you the 2020 U-20 Girls Team Canada:  

Goalies: Josee Lalonde, Natasha Restrup

Defenseman: Sarah Bestic, Makenna Chokelal, Madison Fruhner, Olivia Lalonde, Mia Landry, Claire Lyons, Sierra Moreau, Madi Schroder

Forwards: Eden Conquer, Hanna Dundas, Abigail Giesbrecht, Olivia Klunowski, Saurin Lalonde, Lauren Martin, Alyssa Regalado, Lily Sedore, Elyssa Simpson, Hayley Szymanowski, Taylor Trussler, Mckenna Van Gelder,  

Your Passion…Your Dedication…Play Like A Champion…Play Like Team Canada…Commit To The Culture of Excellence….We Are Canada 

#wbhf2020rovaniemi #WeReady #BeGreat #WeAreTeamCanada #BeTheStandard

The National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) recently approved a regulation change to revise the naming of the age divisions used in minor ball hockey across Canada.

Following the recommendations, the age divisions will become U6, U8, U10 through to U21, impacting all minor and female ball hockey programs under the NBHAC umbrella for tournament play.

Changes will be implemented in all NBHAC programs in 2020

As a reminder, for house league programs, leagues may merge age groups/divisions to the benefit of their program.

CONCORD – November 18 – On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Associa­tion of Canada and the High Performance Committee we are proud to announce the 2020 Women’s Team Canada roster for the World Ball Hockey Federation Championships being hosted in Nitra, Slovakia in late June.  Canada will be attempting to reclaim gold as they prepare for the competition.

Team Canada staff was very busy scouting various events and have a few players returning from previous team and it is the players with international experience that will be a good foundation in preparing for this high level tournament. The players were selected, not just on high calibre skills, but for their personalities and community backgrounds as well.

General Manager, Terry King, “we feel we have gotten younger with some of the additions and upgraded our overall depth with the new players which will better prepare us for the championships.” 

With that said, it is with great pride that we present you the 2020 Women’s Team Canada players & staff:

High Performance Director – Steve Dockerty; General Manager/Head Coach, Terrance King; Assistant Coaches, Doug Crossman & Adam Dixon; Administrative Director, Crystal Parker; and balance of staff will be named in the upcoming months

Goalies:  Jalene McCulloch, Natasha Plourde 

Defensemen: Lisa Buratynski, Shannon Doyle, Natasha King, Kelly Paton, Lindsey West 

Forwards: Melissa Boal, Marissa Browning, Nicole Connery, Amanda Donaldson, Hokey Langan, Marissa McMullan, Isabel Menard, Melissa Miller, Mandy Mitchell, Corissa Parker, Jacqueline Priolo, Brittney Sero

Your Passion…Your Dedication…Play Like A Champion…Play Like Team Canada…Commit To The Culture of Excellence….We Are Canada

 #wbhf2020nitra #WeReady #BeGreat #WeAreTeamCanada #BeTheStandard

Vaughan – September 23, 2019 - On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) and the Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty, we are proud to announce an addition to the 2020 Junior Girls U20 Team Canada staff for the World Junior Championships to be held in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30-July 5. 

Rebecca Spence who was part of the 2018 Girls U20 World Championship team has come on board as a Mentor.

Rebecca began playing ice hockey when she was four with the Elmvale Minor Hockey Association.  She played ball hockey for the first time the following year with the Penetang-Midland Minor Ball Hockey Association, making the provincial team whenever she was eligible. 

She found a real love and passion for hockey and played competitively growing up.  She still continues to play with the Clearview IceCats Senior ice hockey tournament team and the Midland Battalion women's ball hockey team. 

Ball hockey has given her the opportunity to excel at a sport she loves and she has made so many wonderful memories, lifelong friendships and have taken away so many life lessons that will continue to benefit me throughout the rest of my life. 

Rebecca is beyond excited to be apart of the U20 Women's Team Canada Traveling to Findland in 2020, as their team mentor. “It is an honour to have been chosen for this position and can't wait to support all of these amazingly talented girls and experience yet another amazing opportunity with them and my fellow coaching staff.

Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty stated, in addition to finding and developing the best players, we are also proud to add Rebecca who has gone through the process as a player and we feel brings her experience and knowledge to assist the coaches in working with them towards the team goal of winning gold.”

#wbhf2020rovaniemi  #WeReady  #WeAreTeamCanada  #BeTheStandard

To honour the 20^th year of Junior U20 Ball Hockey, we have selected the top 25 players to wear the Red and White of which there has been 225 players.

The selections are based on the ten World U20 Championships that Canada has competed.  The team was chosen based on the players' impact in the tournament at the highest possible level.

The selection was organized by the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada and named in August of 2019.  The panel consisted of 5 individuals and included people who have worked in the game for an extended period and whose opinions are widely respected. 

No effort was made to distinguish a first team or second team, the organization instead choosing only to select a 25 player roster (3G, 8D & 14F) and listed below:

Goalies ~ Kevin Bailie (2012), David Di Gironimo (2000), Brian Valentine (2010)

Defence ~ Peter Cappadocia (2000), Paolo Colaiacovo (2002), Hayden Cole (2014), Ryan Gieseler (2010), Jaisen Gill (2018), Evan Greer (2012), Patrick O’Keefe (2008), Justin Pender (2008)  

Forwards ~ William Calverley (2018), Benoit Chin (2016), Benoit Gilbert (2002), Frankie Giustini Jr. (2008), Andrew Howes (2010), Matthew Paul (2010), Jason Pineo (2018), Teddy Purcell (2004), Jacob Robitaille (2012), Jack Scanlan (2016), Andrew Shaw (2010), Robert Slaney (2008), Quinn Syrydiuk (2016), Garrett Wilson (2010)

#WeAreTeamCanada #BeTheStandard

Vaughan – June 19, 2019 - On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) and the Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty, we are proud to announce the 2020 Junior Team Canada staff for the World Junior Championships to be held in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30-July 5. 

Canada has had incredible success at international competitions over the years and the U18 program will be sending 22 players along with staff members to defend our World Championship gold against the best of the rest of the world.

The Junior Team Canada staff will be very busy in the coming months including attendance at the CanAm Junior Championships in Brampton from which Junior Team Canada 2020 players will be selected.  The CanAm’s offer elite level competition at which players with prior international experience compete alongside their peers battling for one of the available roster spots.

Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty who has represented Canada in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2016 is now once again spearheading the entire Junior program, and had the following to say about how the program has taken shape. “Our 2020 squads will definitely be competing for the gold again. Even though Canada has won in the past, we continually work hard to improve and advance the program. We have established a success process for building a team of strong individuals and players from across the country.”  

Dockerty continued, “In addition to finding and developing the best players, we are also proud of the strength and quality of of our team executives, support staff and group of coaches,  who all bring with them years of success in their respective minor programs for numerous years. 

It is with great pleasure to introduce the following selections for the 2020 U20 Junior Team Canada program:

U20 General Manager: Mauro Cugini

Cugini passion for the junior program is what drives him since 2008.  He returns after finishing second in 2018 and under Cugini, the U20 program has only lost one game since 2008 tying a game once in 2008 and twice in 2012 and going undefeated in 2010, the first time that occurred in this division of play. 

He looks forward to this new challenge in returning gold to Canada with a new group of players and staff.  The general manager is an extension of the staff and reflection of the Junior Team Canada program and he hopes to blend the combination to win gold for a sixth time.

Cugini stated, '“I am eager and excited to get started with the process and scouting at the CanAm Junior Championships, as well as working with the newly appointed staff."

He continued, "I’m hoping to utilize my experience from nearly two decades in athlete development and improve the NBHAC JTC player experience as we have the best players and program in the world."

"Cugini is an important and invaluable to the program said Dockerty.". “He’s incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and it shines through in all he has already done in the game and couldn’t ask for a better person to lead our team in Finland."

U20 Head Coach: Daniel Ranalli

‘The General’ returns to international competition and is regarded as the sports best coach of all time.    His philosophy and success comes down to three core pillars - culture, talent, and the system of play/game style.  He stresses great culture as a must-have ingredient at the elite level, regardless of how good the other two factors are.  Without this there is nothing.

He was the captain and perennial leader of the Fernview Rangers and was selected to five League All-Star selections and he moved the ball with dexterity and precision, amassed over 400 regular season points at the AAA level of competition while capturing titles in three different OBHA leagues.

He was the longest standing member of the Rangers Ball Hockey Club, arguably the most established (1977 - 1996) and celebrated organization in OBHA history, whose personal and team accomplishments at all levels of competition are a testament to his commitment and dedication to the game as a player throughout the years.

Ranalli officially retired along with the storied Ranger franchise in 1996. "The General", who was the recipient of the prestigious 'Golden Jet' Award for a lifetime of excellence in the game, capped off his illustrious 20 seasons of ball hockey that year by commandeering Canada to the Gold Medal at the inaugural World Championships of Ball Hockey in Bratislava, Slovakia as the coach of the team. 

Ranalli is a student of the game with a masterful ability at team dynamics and group building.  He will teach, guide and elevate players to their potential.

Oh and the best story teller in the sport, the program welcomes, ‘The General’.

U20 Assistant Coach: Quinn Syrydiuk

Quinn has a great understanding of the international style of play and an appreciation of what it will take as a player to compete at the World level.  He was a player on Junior 2016 gold medal winning team and 2018 Men’s Team Canada that won silver in Moscow.

Quinn’s greatest strengths will be to teach these young men and prepare under his guidance and coaching.   The tactician, motivator and leader will give the 2020 team an opportunity to win gold, but the bigger message will stay with the young men they coach for rest of their lives.

The program welcomes CQ!

Amanda Spence, Registered Massage Therapist

Amanda returns to the U20 bench where she has been since 2012 and brings with her the ability to put her players at ease, and seek treatment when necessary and before an ailment becomes and injury, keeping all of the players in her charge ready for play throughout the Championships.

She added, “representing Canada at any sporting event is a huge honor and responsibility and am pleased to be a part of the 2020 JTC U-20 program and look forward to meeting the staff and players.”

These individuals together will select and direct the best ball hockey players in the World and by volunteering their time and skills will have an enormous impact creating the environment necessary for success at the 2020 U20 World Championships.  Together they will find a way to bring a collection of individual players together, elevate their play, and build the team chemistry necessary to repeat as Champions.  And while our stated goal is clear, to bring home gold at every Championship, as a staff we also measure success in creating a life lasting experience for all that offers new friendships that lead to shared memories and moments, both on and off the floor, that will endure for many years to come.

#wbhf2020rovaniemi  #WeReady  #WeAreTeamCanada  #BeTheStandard

WHERE THE WORLD UNITES for the World Master’s Over 35 Ball Hockey Championships in June 2019 at the home of Master’s Ball Hockey supremacy in Canada, Ontario and Mississauga will play host to the tournament.

The air of breathless anticipation and an unprecedented level of energy and enthusiasm from everyone involved as the best U35 nations in the sport of ball hockey plan, prepare and pack their bags to travel from various continental divides to play on the world's largest stage for the game's biggest prize. 

The tournament will be hosted June 4 to 9 at Paramount Event Centre in Mississauga and one nation will stand alone and accept the 2019 World Over 35 Championship trophy emblematic of global 'orange ball' supremacy in ball hockey’s Canadian hotbed.

Paramount (formerly Hershey Centre) is located at 5500 Rose Cherry Place and championships are in Rink 2 and can ONLY be accessed through ENTRY B. 

Spectators - must use the stairs to the right and proceed to the viewing area and there will be signs posted*
*will NOT be allowed to use the stairs leading down to the rink so please address this with spectators attending the tournament

For the Championships, we honour some of our builders with the naming of the divisions, Daniel Ranalli & Ken White for the men’s and Judy Ilcio in the women’s division.

It will undoubtedly be an event for the ages and one that will be remembered for generations to come...

For information on the championships, visit wbhfc.com

Click here for the schedule

Vaughan – May 29, 2019 - On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) and the Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty, we are proud to announce the 2020 Junior Team Canada staff for the World Junior Championships to be held in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30-July 5. 

Canada has had incredible success at international competitions over the years and the U18 program will be sending 22 players along with staff members to defend our World Championship gold against the best of the rest of the world.

The Junior Team Canada staff will be very busy in the coming months including attendance at the CanAm Junior Championships in Brampton from which Junior Team Canada 2020 players will be selected.  The CanAm’s offer elite level competition at which players with prior international experience compete alongside their peers battling for one of the available roster spots.

Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty who has represented Canada in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2016 is now once again spearheading the entire Junior program, and had the following to say about how the program has taken shape. “Our 2020 squads will definitely be competing for the gold again. Even though Canada has won in the past, we continually work hard to improve and advance the program. We have established a success process for building a team of strong individuals and players from across the country.”  

Dockerty continued, “In addition to finding and developing the best players, we are also proud of the strength and quality of of our team executives, support staff and group of coaches,  who all bring with them years of success in their respective minor programs for numerous years. 

It is with great pleasure to introduce the following selections for the 2020 U18 Junior Team Canada program:

General Manager: Scott Jacobi

Jacobi has been looked upon in the ball hockey world as a builder, from his local association to provincial, national, and international teams.  The NBHAC JTC High Performance team knew he was the right person for this program.   His long list of achievements include coaching at four Nationals coming home with three gold and one silver.  Internationally he was bronze as the head coach while with the U16 team in 2012, and World Championship gold in 2014, 2016 & 2018 as head coach of the U18 team and general manager of both the U16 & U18 teams.  His coaching abilities and experience has transitioned to a management role with ease and he will once again be responsible for the U16 & U18 JTC programs. 

Head Coach: Shawn McGuire

Shawn, served on staff with the U16 & U18 program in 2018, and now elevates his presence to that of Head Coach.  An elite level coach on the ice as well as the floor, Shawn has also enjoyed success at the local and Provincials levels of competition.  Shawn is a true student of the game, not only bringing his deep technical knowledge of the game, but he is always on the lookout for innovative and new tactics that he can deploy to give his teams that winning edge.   

Assistant Coach: Samuel Gagnon

Sam makes his JTC coaching debut in 2020 but brings with him years of experience as both a ball hockey player and a coach.  Sam has lead his local and Provincial teams to multiple Championships over the years.  Sam is known for his ability to communicate to his players and get his teams to play the game “the right way”.

The JTC U18 Coaching staff’s will be complimented with a Championship level professional support team including:

Dr. Andi Jones

Andi will serve as JTC doctor for all 4 of our attending teams, in addition to serving as the U18 team trainer/RMT.  Andi is a veteran of the Team Canada program serving may tours with the Junior, Men’s & Women’s, and the Master’s programs.  A true professional, Dr. Jones sets the standard of excellence that the Team Canada ball hockey program has become known for.

These individuals together will select and direct the best ball hockey players in the World and by volunteering their time and skills will have an enormous impact creating the environment necessary for success at the 2020 U18 World Championships.  Together they will find a way to bring a collection of individual players together, elevate their play, and build the team chemistry necessary to repeat as Champions.  And while our stated goal is clear, to bring home gold at every Championship, as a staff we also measure success in creating a life lasting experience for all that offers new friendships that lead to shared memories and moments, both on and off the floor, that will endure for many years to come.

#wbhf2020rovaniemi  #WeReady  #WeAreTeamCanada  #BeTheStandard

Vaughan – May 27, 2019 - On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) and the Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty, we are proud to announce the 2020 Junior Team Canada staff for the World Junior Championships to be held in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30-July 5. 

Canada has had incredible success at international competitions over the years and the U16 program will be sending 22 players along with staff members to defend our World Championship gold against the best of the rest of the world.

The Junior Team Canada staff will be very busy in the coming months including attendance at the CanAm Junior Championships in Brampton from which Junior Team Canada 2020 players will be selected.  The CanAm’s offer elite level competition at which players with prior international experience compete alongside their peers battling for one of the available roster spots.

Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty who has represented Canada in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2016 is now once again spearheading the entire Junior program, and had the following to say about how the program has taken shape. “Our 2020 squads will definitely be competing for the gold again. Even though Canada has won in the past, we continually work hard to improve and advance the program. We have established a success process for building a team of strong individuals and players from across the country.”   

Dockerty continued, “In addition to finding and developing the best players, we are also proud of the strength and quality of of our team executives, support staff and group of coaches who all bring with them years of success in their respective minor programs for numerous years.”

It is with great pleasure to introduce the following selections for the 2020 U16 Junior Team Canada program:

General Manager: Scott Jacobi

Jacobi has been looked upon in the ball hockey world as a builder, from his local association to provincial, national, and international teams.  The NBHAC JTC High Performance team knew he was the right person for this program.   His long list of achievements include coaching at four Nationals coming home with three gold and one silver.  Internationally he was bronze as the head coach while with the U16 team in 2012, and World Championship gold in 2014, 2016 & 2018 as head coach of the U18 team and general manager of both the U16 & U18 teams.  His coaching abilities and experience has transitioned to a management role with ease and he will once again be responsible for the U16 & U18 JTC programs. 

Head Coach: Nelson Lajeunesse

Nelson has a great understanding of the international style of play and an appreciation of what it will take as a player to compete at the World level.  He was a player on Men’s Team Canada as was a mentor with the 2008 U20 team.   Nelson has 10 years of ball hockey coaching experience along with 18+ years playing the game.   His greatest strengths are to lead by example and these young men will learn and prepare under his guidance and coaching.   Nelson returns in 2020, and as a tactician, motivator and leader he will once again give the U16 JTC team the opportunity to defend their World Championship title, all the while offering his players the experience and opportunity of a lifetime.

Assistant Coach: Joe Cochrane

Joe returns to the U16 bench in 2020 after making his successful International debut in 2018.  The 2016 OBHA Minor Coach of the Year, “Grocery Joe” as he is known to his players for his inventory of snacks to help then off the floor, is every bit the players coach on it.  Joe brings years of local and Provincial coaching experience to the team and looks to build on the foundation he set in 2018 with the U16 program

The JTC U16 Coaching staff’s will be complimented with a Championship level professional support team including:

Bobbi Jo Turner, RMT U16

Bobbi Jo returns to the U16 bench in 2020 once again as the team trainer and RMT, and brings with her the ability to put her players at ease, and seek treatment when necessary and before an ailment becomes and injury, keeping all of the players in her charge ready for play throughout the Championships.

These individuals together will select and direct the best ball hockey players in the World and by volunteering their time and skills will have an enormous impact creating the environment necessary for success at the 2020 U16 World Championships.  Together they will find a way to bring a collection of individual players together, elevate their play, and build the team chemistry necessary to repeat as Champions.  And while our stated goal is clear, to bring home gold at every Championship, as a staff we also measure success in creating a life lasting experience for all that offers new friendships that lead to shared memories and moments, both on and off the floor, that will endure for many years to come.

#wbhf2020rovaniemi  #WeReady  #WeAreTeamCanada  #BeTheStandard

#NBHAC2019halifax