Calgary, Alta - The Calgary Inferno and the Olds Minor Hockey-Female Program are excited to announce the launch of a two-week hockey camp to develop hockey skills for young girls ages 8-16.

Erica Kromm, a veteran defender for the Inferno along with teammate Jenna Cunningham, who just played her 100th game in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) are leading the charge. Both women played division 1 hockey in the NCAA before continuing their professional careers with the Calgary Inferno. Continuing with their community work and giving back, other senior Inferno players are expected to make guest appearances and drop in for autograph sessions with the girls.

“The camp aims to emphasize the importance of work ethic, skill development, and smart hockey sense. Players will be pushed to focus on every last detail, all the while having fun playing hockey, the sport we all love,” remarked Kromm. “Inferno players will run the camp, sharing their knowledge and experience with young girls who have dreams of one day playing in the CWHL."

The camps will be split up into one week for the different age groups and will include power skating, stick handling, technical skills, passing, shooting and team focused drills. After each day there will be special sessions for the defense and forwards that will include dry land training and video review sessions.

Murray Pound, the Olds Atom/Peewee Coordinator, helped coordinate all the details and create the camp.

“We hosted the Inferno’s December game against the Toronto Furies in Olds and saw the incredible skill the players have,” said Pound. “Bringing female athletes into Olds is just another tool to make the sport appealing and demonstrate to our girls the level of hockey they can strive for.”

The camp, that costs $275 per player already has interest from as far away as Okotoks. Proceeds will be split between Olds and the Inferno.

“With the Inferno as role models for our players, the girls can see the graduated level of where they can go and how to get there,” added Pound. “The Broncos College team here in town is a great example and the Inferno further that progression, that there are heroes for the girls to look up to in their sport.”

The camps are set to take place at the Carstairs Arena.

April 4-8, 5pm-8pm, Ages 8-12
April 11-15, 5pm-8pm, Ages 13-16

Register at: www.calgaryinferno.ca/camp