Dubai Sandstorms Junior Ice Hockey

News Release

Generous community support enables 120 youth to benefit from intensive ice hockey training camp   

October 26, 2003

More than 60 youngsters in Dubai, and an additional 60 in Abu Dhabi will be lacing up their skates for an intensive 3-day ice hockey camp, thanks, in part to the generous support of local hoteliers.  The camp, coordinated by volunteers with the Dubai Sandstorms Junior Ice Hockey, will be delivered by four coaching staff from the Canadian Ice Academy in Toronto, Canada.   The Dubai session will be held October 29-31 at the Al Nasr Ice Rink.

 Adam Ward, Tyler Cragg, Brian Hood and Brian Shaw are all avid hockey coaches who have several years of experience playing and coaching hockey in Canada.  Ward played Junior Hockey in Canada and coached minor hockey at a high level.  Cragg played Junior and College Hockey and teammates considered him a ‘two-way’ centreman.  Hood, who played AAA and college hockey in Canada, was voted Top Defensive Defenceman at the College level.  Shaw played Junior Hockey and is a skating specialist referred to as a “power forward”.  The Canadian Ice Academy staff conduct elite training and run specialty camps to improve forward and defensive plays and hockey basics for adults and youth in Canada.

 Management at the Fairmont Hotel Dubai and the Movenpick Hotel Bur Dubai have offered to provide complimentary accommodation for the ice hockey professionals delivering the sessions, which organisers say helps off-set costs considerably for participants.

 “We are extremely grateful for the support we are receiving from the local community.  Thanks to their generosity we have been able to keep participation fees at reasonable levels to ensure as many youth as possible can benefit from the hockey school,” said Jack Guerreiro, a volunteer coach with the organisation who also spearheads the group’s sponsorship activities.

 “This year we have secured two tournament sponsors which will enable us to host nation-wide competitions this year.  The Royal Bank of Canada and CAE will provide financial support to help offset expenses incurred in hosting annual tournaments that draw competition from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Muscat.  The CAE Ice Hockey Tournament will be held November 13-14 in Dubai and the Royal Bank Ice Hockey Tournament will be held February 12-13, 2004.  In addition, donations from Wild Wadi and Second Cup have enabled us to award game MVPs (Most Valuable Players) selected in our weekly in-house competitions with small prizes, a first for our organisation.  We have also received support from UPM that supports our Wednesday in-house competitions,” he added.

 The youngsters participating in the hockey camp to be held this weekend are gearing up for the 2003-04 UAE ice hockey season which kicked off in mid-September.  This year more than 150 youth, ages 5-18 have registered to play with the Dubai Sandstorms.  Practices for novice (ages 5-8) and juniors (ages 9-10) are held Saturdays and Wednesdays at Al Nasr.  Intermediate (ages 11-13) and Seniors (14-18) practice at Al Nasr on Saturdays and Mondays  (Tuesday instead of Mondays during Ramadan).

 CAE Ice Hockey Tournament – November 13-14, Al Nasr

 The Sandstorms will host their first tournament of the season, the CAE Ice Hockey Tournament at Al Nasr on Thursday, November 13 and Friday, November 14.  Teams from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Muscat will be travelling to Dubai to participate in the two-day event which is being sponsored by CAE’s Dubai-based operations.  CAE builds flight simulators for pilots and cabin crew.

 The two-day event will feature more than 24 games with competition at four levels – novice, junior, intermediate and senior.  The general public are welcome to attend the event which will kick-off at 8 am on Thursday, November 13 and wrap-up by 5:00 pm on Friday, November 14.

 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.  dubaisandstorms.com

 For more information, media may contact:

Janice Edgar

050 559 9161