Ontario Women's Hockey Association (OWHA)

General Information

If you need any information about girls'/women's hockey in Ontario (tournaments, leagues, or any other info), please contact the OWHA. Their mailing address is:

Ontario Women's Hockey Association
5155 Spectrum Way, Unit #3
Mississauga, ON
L4W 5A1
Canada
Phone: (905)282-9980 or FAX: (905)282-9982

The purpose of the OWHA is to promote girls' and women's hockey throughout the province of Ontario as well as encouraging national and international growth. Its mandate includes the development of coaches, referees, trainers, administrators and players and to provide a structure for competition leading to Provincial, National, and World Championships and to the Olympics.

Membership in the Association shall consist of all teams which have applied and have been accepted by the OWHA Executive. There is always a place for the youngest interested player to the oldest, tot-to- grandmother.

All hockey played under the jurisdiction of the OWHA is governed by the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA) rules and are subject to certain amendments set by the OWHA.

In the 1996-97 season, there were 13497 female hockey players registered in Ontario, ranging from 4 to 79 years of age (962 teams). There were 98 sanctioned tournaments, with a record 243 teams attending the Provincial Championship tournament.

In the 1995-96 season, there were 12296 female hockey players registered in Ontario (853 teams). That's up from 411 teams in the 1992-93 and 325 teams in the 1990-91 season.

OWHA Mission Statement: Through a provincially unified, collective voice, the OWHA promotes, provides and develops opportunities for girls and women to play female hockey in Ontario.

Other Information

• The OWHA hosts provincial championships for ages as of Dec. 31/96: Novice (9 & under), Atom (11 & under), Peewee (13 & under), Bantam (15 & under), Midget (17 & under), Intermediate (20 & under), Senior (open).
• Women's hockey was an Olympic Sport for the first time in 1998 in Japan.
• In the 1997 Women's World Hockey Championship attendance was over 62,000.
• The OWHA registers female teams of all ages and ability in Ontario. Players range in age from 4 to 75 +.
• Women's hockey has been played since the early 1890's.
• Participation in girls and women's hockey is growing at an amazing rate. The number of teams participating in the OWHA has gone from 411 teams in 1992/93 ® 557 in 1993/94 ® 693 in 1994/95 ® 854 in 1995/96. Final figures are not yet in for 1996/97, but there are over 950 teams in the OWHA.
• There has been a 300% increase in the number of registered female players in Canada in the past 10 years.

Contact the OWHA

Visit their web site at www.owha.on.ca.

Fran Rider, Executive Director, OWHA Phone: (905) 282-9980 Fax: (905) 282-9982

Pat Nicholls, Vice President,OWHA Chairperson, Provincial Championships Phone: (905) 282-9980

Resources

• Tournament Listing
• Clinic Listing
• Provincial Tournaments

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