The Canadian Hockey Association announced Wednesday that it has agreed to a five-year sponsorship program with NIKE Canada Ltd. to promote the country's national game and help develop the hockey skills of young males and females across Canada. The Canadian Hockey Association welcomed NIKE as a Premier sponsor during a news conference at the York University Ice Gardens. The launch highlighted a multi-level skills development program which has been developed by the Canadian Hockey Association, with the support of NIKE to benefit young hockey players and coaches. The NIKE Skills Development Program Achievement Certificate, a four-phase initiative that rewards players for successfully performing a series of skills.
Players receive a certificate and paste-on decals that they receive as they complete each phase.
High-performance camps for male and female players will be staged in Calgary, starting in the summer of 1998. The CHA is a world leader in developing high-achieving young hockey players who also serve as outstanding ambassadors for our country. While NIKE is proud of its place as a leader in the global sports marketing industry, we also share the CHA's commitment to hockey players of all ages and skill levels, and to the volunteers who guide them. This major commitment by NIKE and our other corporate partners makes it much easier for us to continue producing winners on and off the ice in all areas of our game.