Wickfest aims to raise profile of women around the world through sport
Hayley Wickenheiser's annual hockey festival attracts peewee team from China for the first time
The most competitive part of the Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival is landing a spot in the tournament.
More than 200 teams from around the world applied, but the annual event, helmed by hockey legend and former Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser, took only 108.
Wickfest, as the tournament is known, drew 2,300 girls from ages eight to 18 to Calgary over the course of two weekends. Beyond the game, there are seminars and workshops as well as presentations from Olympians, such as Erica Wiebe and Chandra Crawford.
Focus on professional development
With the tournament into its second weekend, Wickenheiser said Saturday she's less concerned about the hockey aspect of the event and more interested in fostering professional development
"I want these kids to leave better prepared as athletes, and parents understanding what kids go through in sport," Wickenheiser said.
"The competition will take care of itself and the elite players will always rise to the top no matter what."
It's been Wickenheiser's life mission to raise the profile of women's hockey around the world. This year's Wickfest featured teams from across Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, the United States and its first ever peewee team from Harbin, China — where the sport is on the rise.
"With the next three Olympic Games being in Asia, China wants to do really well in the next Olympics and they've been really pushing in the sport of hockey so it's just exploding over there," Wickenheiser said.
Some of the girls on the Harbin team have been playing for only a year, but they defeated B.C.'s Tri-Cities Predators 6-3.
Predators coach Dave Whitworth said his team didn't know what to expect before they hit the ice.
"They were a mystery until the puck dropped, then they become just like anyone else, it's just a hockey game," Whitworth said.
Respect through hockey
Wickenheiser said they are working to bring a team from northern India to the Wickfest next year. She said she believes raising the profile of women's hockey in other countries can better the lives of the women around the world.
"I believe that how women in hockey are treated in several countries is also how they are treated in society so if we can elevate the respect level through the game of hockey then their lives are better for it," she said.
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With files from Dave Will