Vaughan – May 29, 2019 - On behalf of the National Ball Hockey Association of Canada (NBHAC) and the Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty, we are proud to announce the 2020 Junior Team Canada staff for the World Junior Championships to be held in Rovaniemi, Finland the week of June 30-July 5.
Canada has had incredible success at international competitions over the years and the U18 program will be sending 22 players along with staff members to defend our World Championship gold against the best of the rest of the world.
The Junior Team Canada staff will be very busy in the coming months including attendance at the CanAm Junior Championships in Brampton from which Junior Team Canada 2020 players will be selected. The CanAm’s offer elite level competition at which players with prior international experience compete alongside their peers battling for one of the available roster spots.
Team Canada High Performance Director, Steve Dockerty who has represented Canada in 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2016 is now once again spearheading the entire Junior program, and had the following to say about how the program has taken shape. “Our 2020 squads will definitely be competing for the gold again. Even though Canada has won in the past, we continually work hard to improve and advance the program. We have established a success process for building a team of strong individuals and players from across the country.”
Dockerty continued, “In addition to finding and developing the best players, we are also proud of the strength and quality of of our team executives, support staff and group of coaches, who all bring with them years of success in their respective minor programs for numerous years.
It is with great pleasure to introduce the following selections for the 2020 U18 Junior Team Canada program:
General Manager: Scott Jacobi
Jacobi has been looked upon in the ball hockey world as a builder, from his local association to provincial, national, and international teams. The NBHAC JTC High Performance team knew he was the right person for this program. His long list of achievements include coaching at four Nationals coming home with three gold and one silver. Internationally he was bronze as the head coach while with the U16 team in 2012, and World Championship gold in 2014, 2016 & 2018 as head coach of the U18 team and general manager of both the U16 & U18 teams. His coaching abilities and experience has transitioned to a management role with ease and he will once again be responsible for the U16 & U18 JTC programs.
Head Coach: Shawn McGuire
Shawn, served on staff with the U16 & U18 program in 2018, and now elevates his presence to that of Head Coach. An elite level coach on the ice as well as the floor, Shawn has also enjoyed success at the local and Provincials levels of competition. Shawn is a true student of the game, not only bringing his deep technical knowledge of the game, but he is always on the lookout for innovative and new tactics that he can deploy to give his teams that winning edge.
Assistant Coach: Samuel Gagnon
Sam makes his JTC coaching debut in 2020 but brings with him years of experience as both a ball hockey player and a coach. Sam has lead his local and Provincial teams to multiple Championships over the years. Sam is known for his ability to communicate to his players and get his teams to play the game “the right way”.
The JTC U18 Coaching staff’s will be complimented with a Championship level professional support team including:
Dr. Andi Jones
Andi will serve as JTC doctor for all 4 of our attending teams, in addition to serving as the U18 team trainer/RMT. Andi is a veteran of the Team Canada program serving may tours with the Junior, Men’s & Women’s, and the Master’s programs. A true professional, Dr. Jones sets the standard of excellence that the Team Canada ball hockey program has become known for.
These individuals together will select and direct the best ball hockey players in the World and by volunteering their time and skills will have an enormous impact creating the environment necessary for success at the 2020 U18 World Championships. Together they will find a way to bring a collection of individual players together, elevate their play, and build the team chemistry necessary to repeat as Champions. And while our stated goal is clear, to bring home gold at every Championship, as a staff we also measure success in creating a life lasting experience for all that offers new friendships that lead to shared memories and moments, both on and off the floor, that will endure for many years to come.
#wbhf2020rovaniemi #WeReady #WeAreTeamCanada #BeTheStandard
