SHA TO HOST SASKFIRST TOURNEY THIS WEEKEND
The Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) is gearing up for their SaskFirst provincial tournaments as the Midget SaskFirst Tournament is up first and is set to take place this weekend at the Cooperators Centre in Regina.
A total of 160 Midget players were selected to take part and will represent the eight provincial zones across
Saskatchewan as they compete in the three-day tournament with games set to being on Friday evening. The
players and coaches will arrive on Thursday afternoon for a quick presentation prior to hitting the ice for practices.
The Midget SaskFirst Program is open to all midget aged players who are not registered with a Midget AAA, Junior A, B, or C Team. The tournament allows the players to be recognized and also offers the potential to go onto play high levels of hockey as scouts and representatives from a variety of leagues will be in attendance. Notable players who have gone through the Midget SaskFirst Program include Regina’s Tyler Bozak (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Kindersley’s Derek Dorsett (Vancouver Canucks).
The SHA takes great pride in the Midget SaskFirst program as it is one of a kind as no other provincial branch in Canada offers a program such as this for Midget hockey players. The tournament is also held as part of the Saskatchewan Development Model (SDM) – a partnership the SHA developed with the Western Hockey League (WHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) to create an athlete focused development program.
The Sask First High Performance Program begins every February with zone camps held across the province and are open to all players in the Midget category. From there, the top players are invited to take place in the Sask First Tournament held every April. The process ensures all players not only have the opportunity to compete with their peers, but receive significant exposure at all SaskFirst event.
The SHA created this elite SaskFirst Program to ensure not only players, but coaches and officials all receive ample opportunity for development both on and off the ice. The SaskFirst Program is unique as no other provincial branches offer such as in depth developmental program for athletes, coaches and officials. It remains the mission of the SHA to lead, promote and develop positive hockey experiences across the entire Province of Saskatchewan. The SHA will also host the Female SaskFirst Tournament April 7th
-10th and conclude with the SaskFirst Bantam Tournament April 14th – 17th. Details of each event will be sent prior their start.
(Courtesy Sheri Trapp/SHA)
