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Delaney Collins Hits Pond Hockey Championships to Support 2010 Women’s Team
Huntsville ON, January 22, 2008 – When Delaney Collins was growing up in rural Pilot Mound, Manitoba she played sports, lots of sports, including soccer, rugby and softball, everywhere she could, from official teams to backyard games. But her ultimate goal was set at just age five, when she picked hockey over figure skating, grabbed a stick and followed her father and older brother onto the ice.
This Saturday, January 26, Collins, like other dedicated “chicks with sticks” including the James Pond Girls and Hot Buttered Geese, will be heading to the Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville. But instead of playing to raise a trophy she’ll be raising awareness about women’s hockey in Canada with the help of the Ladies First Hockey Foundation.
A lot has changed in women’s hockey since Collins was forced to play with the boys until age 14. She has starred at the women’s World Championships. Collins also played for the powerhouse Calgary Oval X-Treme of the Women's Western Hockey League. Then, in 2006, she was picked as a defense alternate for the Turin Olympic team. Now she’s gearing up to go for gold in front of Vancouver’s “home” crowd.
But Collins hockey life hasn’t been without its share of challenges. She and her national team mates, like Cherie Piper and Gillian Ferrari, earn a tiny fraction of their male counterparts’ “million-dollar” salaries, often working full-time jobs while training and touring the country to support women in sport.
That’s where the Good as Gold Open comes in. Founded by Marty McSorley and a group of friends and associates after Canada’s 2002 double-gold win in Salt Lake City, the golf tournament was a tremendous success that led to the formation of the Ladies First Hockey Foundation. Now this volunteer organization runs a series of annual fundraising events and appearances, including the celeb-studded Good as Gold Open which comes to Deerhurst Resort June 20 to 22.
The foundation’s mission: to support the women’s team and give them a better chance for a shot at glory. To date Ladies First has raised over half-a-million dollars toward that goal. But both the organizers and players remain humble and committed. “We’re just helping level the playing field, it’s the players that really do the work,” says Foundation Executive Director Tim Harrison.
Although she’s stationed inside to say hello to fans, sign autographs and raise funds for her team, at some point Collins will definitely slip out to lace up her skates. “Having 24 rinks filled with players makes this an awesome place to share our goal,” she noted. “It’s easy to see how much Canadians love our game and why 1,500 fans have signed up to play in this year’s pond hockey championships.”
Girl Power: Calling on Collins
WHO: Delaney Collins, Canadian National Women’s Hockey player and members of the Ladies’ First Hockey Foundation
WHEN: Saturday, January 26
WHERE: Deerhurst Resort’s main Pavilion lobby
WHAT: signed, limited edition 2006 team photos, Ladies’ First sweatshirts and books by Cassie Campbell and Hayley Wickenheiser
WHY: Get inspired about women in our national sport, every dime goes back to the team
Women’s hockey has been an Olympic event since the 1998 Olympic Winter Games. Canada captured silver at the inaugural women’s hockey event in Nagano, Japan in 1998, and back-to-back golds at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City and the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. To support the team’s 2010 “three-peat” visit goodasgoldopen.ca and ladiesfirsthockey.com For the latest on the third annual Source for Sports Canadian National Pond Hockey Championships, January 25-27 and February 1-3, 2008, click on canadapondhockey.ca
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For media interviews contact:
Anne White
Director Public Relations
T 416.566.9297
F 416.883.8975
awhite@deerhurstresort.com
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