Centre Ice | The Hockey Alberta Podcast

Episode Fourteen - National Coaches Week

The Centre Ice Podcast is back for the 2021-22 hockey season, and Episode Fourteen is all about celebrating National Coaches Week (Sept 18-26).

Hockey Alberta's Senior Manager of Hockey Development, Justin Fesyk, discusses Hockey Alberta's Coach Development Plan, and the numerous learning opportunities available to coaches at any level across the province.

We'll then hear a coaching panel with Hockey Alberta's High Performance Coach Mentor Barry Medori, Mount Royal Cougars Men's Hockey Assistant Coach and current Team Alberta U16 Assistant Coach Alex Mandolidis, and two-time Olympic gold medalist and 2019 Canada Winter Games gold medal-winning Team Alberta U18 Head Coach Carla MacLeod.

Episode Thirteen - Wacey Rabbit & You Can Play Co-Founder Glenn Witman

June is not only Pride Month, but also National Indigenous History Month, and Hockey Alberta has been celebrating both throughout the month.

Episode Thirteen of the Centre Ice Podcast features Glenn Witman, the Co-Founder of the You Can Play Project, and 2003 Canada Winter Games gold medalist and 2007 Memorial Cup Champion Wacey Rabbit, a proud member of the Kainai Nation.

Episode Twelve - Cassie Campbell-Pascal and Steven Tsujiura

Episode Twelve of the Centre Ice Podcast features a pair of players who coincidentally both played in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan, one for Team Canada, and one for Japan.

With the Professional Women's Hockey Player's Association's Secret Dream Gap Tour making a stop in Calgary, and being covered on Sportsnet, we chat with two-time Olympic gold medalist Cassie Campbell-Pascal, who is part of the broadcast team for the event.

And, with May being Asian Heritage Month, we also sit down with former Medicine Hat Tiger standout Steven Tsujiura to talk about his roots, his time playing hockey in Alberta, and where the game has taken him.

Episode Eleven - Lacey Senuk & Kyle Rehman

Episode 11 of the Centre Ice Podcast focuses on one of the most under-appreciated positions in the game: the official, featuring interviews with two of Alberta's biggest success stories in Level Five Official Lacey Senuk, and NHL Referee Kyle Rehman.

Episode Ten - Bob Ridley & Ron MacLean

Episode Ten of the Centre Ice Podcast features a pair of Albertan broadcasting legends in longtime Hockey Night in Canada Host Ron MacLean, and Medicine Hat Tigers play-by-play announcer Bob Ridley. 

Episode Nine - Coaching Success Stories

Episode Nine of the Centre Ice Podcast features a pair of Alberta's coaching success stories, with former National Women's Team Coach and four-time Olympic gold medalist Mel Davidson, and Colorado Avalanche Assistant Coach Ray Bennett, who's been coaching in the NHL for over 20 years.

Both coaches share their stories of rising through the ranks from small-town Alberta to coaching at the highest level, and their words of advice and wisdom for coaches across the province.

Episode Eight - Hockey is for Everyone

Episode Eight of the Centre Ice Podcast takes a closer look at the inequality and discrimination faced by many in the game, but also focuses on the steps being taken to make hockey a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

This episode features Minnesota Wild defenceman Matt Dumba and his father, long-time Hockey Alberta Official Charle Dumba speaking about the discrimination their family has faced, and the work being done to eradicate racism in hockey, including Matt's involvement in the Hockey Diversity Alliance. Sanjeev Bhagrath, a Sikh Official from Edmonton, shares his own experiences of racism and inequality, and Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke speaks on the You Can Play initiative, and the work being done to eradicate homophobia from hockey.

Episode Seven - Black History Month

Episode Seven of the Centre Ice Podcast is centred around Black History Month, and celebrating the Albertans who pushed through adversity to achieve success, featuring interviews with Team Alberta alumna Cassandra Vilgrain, and legendary goaltender Grant Fuhr. 

Episode Six - Accessing the Game

Episode Six of the Center Ice Podcast focuses on the importance of keeping hockey - and sport in general - accessible to everyone.

Canadian Long Drive Champion Lisa 'Longball' Vlooswyk, the newest member of the Hockey Alberta Foundation Board of Directors, joins us to discuss the  Foundation's Every Kid Every Community program and why she chose to join the board, while Executive Director of Heros Hockey, Kevin Hodgson, shares the incredible programming Heros Hockey offers for vulnerable youth across the country.

Episode Five - Healthy at Home

Episode Five of the Center Ice Podcast focuses on how athletes (and everyone) can stay fit and healthy at home while sports remain on pause.

Doug Crashley of Crash Conditioning in Calgary and Dr. Dhiren Naidu, Team Physician for the Edmonton Oilers joined the show to discuss proper fitness and nutrition, respectively.

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