Girls Ice Hockey
It is the kind of strategy of the Olympic Girls Ice hockey coach had hoped, but was not sure would happen.
“Our time is now,” said Davidson. “We need to that jump.”
Most member countries have historically treated women IIHF Hockey as a footnote in their operations.
But when International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge expressed concern about imbalances in the competition in the sport after the 2010 Olympic Games, the IIHF was galvanized into action.
The IIHF took a four-year strategy – ‘Women’s Hockey to Sochi 2014 and Beyond “- is subject to the approval of members at the 2011 Annual Meeting of 12 to 14 May in Bratislava, Slovakia.
It calls on the top four countries – Canada, the USA, Sweden and Finland – their time and experience to share with others far behind them in the sport.
The plan includes international camps, tournaments and seminars designed to allow coaches and players to learn from other countries is mixed. Increasing international service plans 21 to 23 players is a proposal. Associations waiving transfer fees for players who play in their country is another.
Davidson trained Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2006 and 2010 and is now Hockey Canada’s female head scout. She attended the IIHF Women’s Committee meetings last week at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Canada, the USA, Russia, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Slovakia, Switzerland, Norway, France and the Czech Republic. China and Kazakhstan were invited, but were canceled, said Davidson.
She arrived at the Four Nations Cup on Saturday in St. John’s closed feeling is that women hockey turned a corner. But she thinks it can not afford to lose speed coming from this corner.
“We must all do about it and what we can,” said Davidson.
The August-hockey summit in Toronto, including a plenary session on women’s hockey. IIHF president Rene Fasel committed two million Swiss francs (C $ 2,060,000), women’s hockey on the peaks. The IIHF also has hired Tanya Foley from Canada as Manager of Women’s Ice Hockey IIHF.
Under the IIHF plan if a country wants to display its Women’s Committee, Federation have a full-time staff person must monitor women’s ice hockey.
“We are the nations that do not run on a single full-time person for the whole program,” said Finland’s women’s team general manager Arto sieppie.
Associations would also be required to ensure an under-18 girls program and a plan for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. 30 in a dozen domestic and international – to their national teams must play a minimum number of games.
The first year of the four-year plan includes an under-18 camp and tournament in which the top 16 countries bring their young players and mix them on teams.
But it was at the meeting in Zurich decided the under-18 component is too important to restrict only a year and should occur every year, the Quadrennial position in Sochi, said Davidson.
The increase in service plans 21 to 23 can bring the country an additional young striker and defender to international tournaments to improve their development. Women’s teams were only allowed out a third-choice goalkeeper since the World Cup 2009th
Development includes coaching seminars and clinics at world championships and the opportunity for a coach from Japan, for example, travel to Canada’s training camp and learn.
“They want to understand a part of the program, they succeed and take that back, to do their teams,” said Davidson. “A lot of it, how hard you can push the women. We are not fragile items is.”
The most ambitious part of the plan – and probably unrealistic – the proposal for Canada and the U.S. is qualified in each of the other six countries for the 2014 Olympics for a week before the tournament host.
Canada superior preparation is what they won the gold at Davidson. Hockey Canada is not likely to sacrifice to help other countries in an Olympic year.
“We talked a lot about the” Davidson said. “I said ‘let’s face it, we give you all that you have the first three years (the four-yearly) and the last year we do not care about you.” They understood, dass ”
Hockey Canada’s new director of female hockey Kalli Quinn replaced Julie Healy, who took a job with the Canadian Olympic Committee. Quinn is the under-18 component of the plan the thumbs up, but is cautious about proposals for the 2013-14 year.
“I think it’s all doable,” said Quinn. “The only concern I have is that last year up to the Olympic Games, because at this point in time, it’s about us as successful at the Olympics. I have a little hesitation on some of the things that she suggested it. ”
The countries have different participation of women hockey. Canada has about 80,000 registered women to just under 5,000 in Finland.
The IIHF recruitment plan is, templates for brochures, banners and slogans for organizations, and countries that host girls hockey days helping others do the same thing have.
Sieppie says in order to increase numbers, must go to an association of an employee to clubs across the country and the campaign for girls hockey programs. He doubted most countries can do.
Davidson hopes the IIHF hockey associations will follow and invest financially in the women’s hockey. She believes the Women’s International Hockey community is now inspired to work together to keep the sport in the Olympics.
“The commitment we have, we will take it and run with it and there,” said Davidson. “It is another heritage, another standard of Vancouver 2010. Women’s Hockey is here to stay.”