Saint John, NB - The 2010 edition of the Atlantic Challenge Cup will take place Friday, October 8th through Monday, October 11th at the Red Ball Internet Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick. Many great players, coaches and officials have been a part of this event throughout its history and the participants who will be attending the 15th Annual Atlantic Challenge Cup will be looking to continue the legacy started by those that came before them.
This year’s event will see 400 of the best hockey players in Atlantic Canada converging upon Moncton looking for an Atlantic Championship and the opportunity to be noticed by the large number of scouts who will be in attendance to witness this event.
“The 2010 Atlantic Challenge Cup will be our biggest event to date,” stated Dave Curnew, Manager of Hockey Canada’s Atlantic Regional Centre. “The players, coaches, and officials of Atlantic Canada have proven themselves to be among the best in the country and this event is another opportunity to show the talent level which is ever increasing in our region. With a new age category being added in 2008, even more players have been given the opportunity to be exposed to hockey at this level and prepare themselves for future opportunities.”
The Atlantic Challenge Cup is the “Best of the Best” competition for Atlantic Canada’s top Under 15 and Under 18 Female, as well as the top Under 14, Under 15 and Under 16 Male Players. Provincial teams from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, in each of the age categories listed above, will compete in the round robin event which is played on the Thanksgiving Weekend each year. A total of 20 teams, in five age divisions, will represent their province with pride and compete for the title of Atlantic Champions and the opportunity to raise “Chally” (Atlantic Challenge Cup Trophy).
The Atlantic Challenge Cup is the culmination of the High Performance Programs in each of the aforementioned provinces. The High Performance Program at the provincial level has provided the players, staffs, and officials with an opportunity to develop, learn and challenge themselves as they strive for excellence. In most cases, the provincial development process has begun in April and will conclude with the Atlantic Challenge Cup. The players and staff continue to train and prepare as they await the opportunity to challenge themselves against their counterparts from the other Atlantic Provinces.
The Atlantic Challenge Cup has been in existence since 1996 when the event was first hosted in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The following lists the host communities for the Atlantic Challenge Cup:
1996 Sydney, NS
1997 Sydney, NS
1998 Corner Brook, NL
1999 Sydney, NS
2000 Sydney, NS
2001 Saint John, NB
2002 Bathurst/Campbellton, NB
2003 Bathurst, NB
2004 Bathurst, NB
2005 Dieppe, NB
2006 Dieppe, NB
2007 Moncton, NB
2008 Moncton, NB
2009 Moncton, NB
2010 Moncton, NB
The Red Ball Internet Centre features 4 NHL Size Rinks (200’ x 85’) with one feature arena which can accommodate 1500 spectators. Since the facility opened, it has played host to numerous events and has been a great addition to the City of Moncton and all of those people in Atlantic Canada who have had the chance to visit the facility and be a part of all that it has to offer.
Keep up to date by checking out the Atlantic Challenge Cup website at www.atlanticchallengecup.com. This website will have game summaries and updates throughout the event.
FOR FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION:
Dave Curnew (506) 642-0491
Hockey Canada’s Atlantic Regional Centre
