The IIHF World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend is an international celebration of the women & girls’ game. Throughout the last decade, Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Hockey Canada Foundation and BFL Canada; have proven to be leaders by reaching hundreds of thousands of young Canadian girls through this event. The IIHF World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend creates a national sense of community. The selected hosts will have the ability to make the event uniquely their own and showcase girls and women’s hockey in their region during a week/weekend in October. From games and skills sessions to classroom activities and road hockey, people of all ages contributed to the growth of women’s hockey in their own unique way!
What is the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend?
It is an opportunity for girls of all ages to try ice hockey. We are looking for hosts all around the world to bring girls from their community together on the ice so they can:
- be introduced to basic skills in hockey in a positive, fun and safe environment.
- learn about opportunities in ice hockey in their community.
- learn about fair play, sportsmanship, and teamwork.
- meet new friends and have a chance to fall in love with a new sport.
Objectives for 2024
- Same format as 2023 = Less Events, More Impact. Inspire community involvement to determined what works best for the local association (player event, coaching clinics, officiating course, tournament etc.)
- Utilize application process that encourages and rewards creative flexibility at the membership and local level. Associations are given autonomy to host their WGIHW during October or November, whichever is best for their season schedules. Members to select successful applicants and provide direct reimbursement.
- Hockey Canada to provide resources (financial & personnel) to bolsten successful applications if needed.
- Facilitate sharing at a national level (awareness, best practices, marketing campaign - #hashtag etc).
Who can apply to be a host for the World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend and what do they need to do?
To apply, hosts must be a Hockey Canada / OWHA sanctioned local hockey association that is planning an event for women and girl's geared towards:
Ideas for Hosting
- Virtual Celebration events
- Season Kickoff events
- Skills Development session
- Floorball/Floor Hockey
- Road Hockey
- Watch a game
- Celebration party
- Classroom Session
- Tournaments
- New to hockey events like Esso Fun days
Applications must be submitted prior to September 1, 2024 with successful applicants being contacted by their Member branch. Successful applicants will receive financial reimbursement to offset the costs associated with putting on their event.
The World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend traditionally takes place the same weekend in October, this year, Oct 7-8, 2023. Understanding this is a very busy time of the hockey season, applicants are empowered to select another day(s) that works best for their community
2024 WGIHW APPLICATION FORM
If you wish to host an event, please complete the applicaiton and return it to the OWHA via info@owha.on.ca
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
For our celebration to be heard around the world, let’s spread the word on social media!
Share you story and your pictures!!
@OWHAhockey @IIHFHockey @HC_Women @hockeycanada #WGIHW
While you can add anything else that can help promote women’s hockey in your area, as a host, you will be required to do the following:
- advertise within your community about the event to draw as many participants as you have space for.
- organize an ice time and arrange some coaches to run some very basic and fun drills.
- provide pucks and sticks, and possibly arrange to have some skates available if you are in an area that the sport of ice hockey is not common - participants should be asked to bring their own protective helmet such as a hockey or bike helmet, hockey or any type of glove that will offer a bit of protection against the cold ice and either hockey or figure skates.
- provide pictures and some information on the event to the IIHF to be included on the IIHF.com website during the actual event day.
- have a certified person at the event to take care of any first aid needs based on the legal requirements of your nation.
Some suggestions on how to promote the event or add to the basic requirements:
- if you have the option, have members of your women’s national team and/or under-18 female national team be part of the event or male professional players, famous coaches or hockey legends who want to support the event - on the ice, autograph sessions, and just sharing their love of the game.
- if the host is a female team, have each team member bring one friend to the event (if you have 15 players on your team, you will automatically have 15 new girls coming!).
- hold information sessions for parents on the sport and the opportunities
- do off-ice hockey activities for younger girls or participants who cannot skate in addition to the on-ice portion so they get a chance to use a stick and ball while in shoes as they may not be able to do many of the activities on the ice.
