The Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy is pleased to announce the following players have been invited to Team Canada's National female U-18 and U-22 selection camp Aug 6-15 at the MC Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

Bestland, Lacquette, Campbell

Jessica Campbell - U22 Selection Camp Invite. She captained Team Canada to the 2010 U-18 world championship in Chicago this past spring.. She was Top scorer and Most Valuable player at the World's. Jessica was captain of the Pursuit female AAA midget team the past two seasons. This year she lead the POE girls to a 51-3 record and 6 tournament championships. Jessica received a full scholarship from Cornell University and will be attending Cornell in the fall of 2010.

Christine Bestland - U22 Selection Camp Invite. Christine was a member of Canada's U-18 world championship team in Chicago this past spring. This past season Christine was a member of Pursuit of Excellence's Midget AAA team and was a key player in helping them to 6 tournament victories and a 51-3 record. Christine received a full scholarship from Mercyhurst University (Div 1) and she will be attending Mercyhurst in the fall of 2010.

Brigette Lacquette - U22 Selection Camp Invite. Bridgette was a key member of Canada's U-18 World Championship team this past spring in Chicago. Bridgette was the second top scorer in the tournament. She was selected the most valuable defenseman in the tournament. Bridgette was also a member of Pursuit of Excellence's Midget AAA team and was a key player in helping them to 6 tournament victories and a 51-3 record. Bridgette received a full scholarship from the University of Manitoba and will be attending U of M in the fall of 2010.

Meghan Dufault - U-18 Selection Camp Invite. Meghan was the MVP at the National U-18 Championships in Surrey November 2009. Meghan was the leading scorer on the Pursuit of Excellence's Midget AAA midget team this past year helping to lead them to a 51-3 record. Meghan will attend the Pursuit Academy in the fall of 2010.

Alexis Woloschuk - U-18 Selection Camp Invite. Alexis was a key member on defence for the pursuit of Excellence Female Midget AAA this past year. She anchored the D that helped lead the POE to 6 tournament victories and a 51-3 record. Alexis will attend her 4th year at the Pursuit Academy in the fall of 2010.

The Pursuit Academy would like to congratulate these young ladies on their success. They are all quality athletes and people, and have worked with extreme diligence on and off the ice to reach the first stages of their dreams to play in the Winter Olympics in 2014. They are true examples of the 360 degree player that we are developing at the Pursuit Academy.

MAKING A MASTERPIECE

LOOKING BACK AT CANADA'S WOMEN'S U18 GOLD

http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/74923/ss_id/74005/la_id/1.htm

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HOCKEY NOW NAMES MINOR HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Vernon's Lazar follows footsteps of Nugent-Hopkins, Alzner, Brule

NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C. - Hockey Now announced today that Curtis Lazar of the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy's Bantam AAA team is the winner of the 2010 Hockey Now / BC Hockey Hall of Fame Minor Hockey Player Achievement Award. The honour is handed out annually to a B.C. Amateur Hockey Association player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, leadership, and hockey skill. A committee established by Hockey Now reviews applications and selects the winner.

The Edmonton Oil Kings selected Lazar with the second overall pick at this year's WHL Bantam Draft. The Vernon, B.C.-native scored 57 goals and 115 points in 51 games while captaining Pursuit's Bantam AAA team, this season. In the 2009/10 season alone, Lazar led his team to tournament titles in Kamloops, St. Albert, Ridge Meadows, Penticton, South Delta, and Prince George. At two of the most prestigious Bantam tournaments in Canada - the Kamloops International Bantam Tournament and St. Albert's John Reid Memorial Tournament - Curtis was named top forward and tournament MVP, respectively. Lazar grew up playing for the Vernon Minor Hockey Association before playing his two Bantam seasons with Pursuit.

The 15-year-old Grade 9 student maintains a 4.0 GPA at Winfield, B.C.'s George Elliot Secondary. Along with his teammates, Lazar has volunteered in the community by doing yard work, preparing food to be sent to third world countries, and teaching young children to skate. His coaches and teachers characterize him as having extraordinary character, humility, and work ethic.

Next season, Lazar will play for Penticton's Okanagan Hockey Academy on the Major Midget prep team and hopes to get a taste of the Western Hockey League by playing the maximum amount of games as an under-age player.

Lazar will formally receive his award at the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Penticton, July 23. The Hall of Fame induction class of 2010 includes Trevor Linden, Dallas Drake, Bruce Hamilton, and Frank Lento.

Lazar will also skate in the BC Hockey Hall of Fame Summer Classic at the South Okanagan Events Centre, the following night. The charity hockey game will feature NHL stars Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Shea Weber, among others. Proceeds benefit Penticton Minor Hockey.

The Hockey Now Minor Hockey Player Achievement Award was established in 2000 when it was awarded to Colin Fraser (now with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks). Other past winners include Tyler Burton (2001) of Germany's Hannover Indians, Brock Bradford (co-winner, 2002) of the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters, Gilbert Brule (co-winner, 2002) of the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, Karl Alzner (2003) of the NHL's Washington Capitals, Dustin Sylvester (2004) now with the WHL's Kootenay Ice, Geordie Wudrick (2005) of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, Stefan Elliot (2006) of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, Kevin Sundher (2007) of the WHL's Chilliwack Bruins, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2008) of the WHL's Red Deer Rebels, Morgan Rielly (co-winner, 2009) of the Notre Dame Hounds, and Griffin Reinhart (co-winner, 2009) of the Vancouver North West Giants.

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