Dubai Sandstorms Junior Ice Hockey

Etihad Airways, Borouge and Weco bring Canadian ice hockey coaches to Dubai October 13, 2004

A team of six ice hockey professionals from Canada's oldest ice hockey school are at the Al Nasr Ice Rink in Dubai this week delivering training to more than 100 ice hockey players who represent the Dubai Sandstorms.

The coaches, who delivered training to players in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain earlier this month, are on the final leg of the their UAE visit, and are concluding it with a series of sessions for Dubai players.

The training, which began on Monday will conclude this weekend and follows an exciting week of ice hockey action for the Sandstorms who initiated their 'house-league' games with a mini-tournament among the Novice and Junior players which concluded on Saturday, October 9th.

"Our annual hockey camp is always a highlight on the Sandstorms calendar and this year is no different," says Sandstorm president, Darren Scott, adding that players at all four levels (Novice, Junior, Intermediate and Senior) were keen to lace up and hone their skills for the upcoming season.

The Dubai Sandstorms house league tournament which concluded on Saturday, saw the Red Wings claim the novice victory and the Oilers reign supreme in the Junior division. There were some heated matches and the competition was intense.

"Hosting a house league event has really got the players fired up for the 2004-04 season. It is great to provide them with game exposure early in the season so when they meet rival teams from Al Ain and Abu Dhabi in the upcoming months, they have a cohesive team approach" says Tim Elliott, a volunteer coach with the organisation and one of the main individuals responsible for organizing this weekend's ice hockey camp.

"We are delighted to welcome the six Okanagan Ice Hockey School coaches to Dubai - they run a tight camp and we like their style. The players learn more than hockey skills - they learn the importance of a winning attitude and the value of self-discipline. They offer a well-rounded program that is admired by players and parents alike," he says.

The Okanagan Hockey School is the oldest hockey school in Canada providing top quality hockey instruction since 1963. Its staff conduct camps throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. While in the UAE, the coaches aim to develop UAE players and provide a positive training experience that focuses on both hockey and life skills.

The junior ice hockey program in the U.A.E. began in the early 1990's, with a handful of young players mainly from Canada and some northern European countries. The growth of ice hockey in the U.A.E. has mirrored that of the U.A.E. itself with over 300 players, from more than 20 different countries now participating in the different hockey programs offered by the U.A.E. Ice Hockey Clubs, which are run as non-profit organisations by volunteers. The players aged 5 through 18, participate in a house league program offered by each of the U.A.E Ice Hockey Clubs, as well as tournaments in which junior teams from Oman and Saudi Arabia also participate. This year the U.A.E. Ice Hockey Clubs will be forming an All Start Team to play in tournaments in Europe.

Editor's Note: The Dubai Sandstorms is an organisation run entirely by volunteers, which has been providing youth in Dubai with an opportunity to develop their hockey skills in a warm, friendly environment for more than ten years. www.dubaisandstorms.com

For more information, media may contact:
Janice Edgar
050 559 9161