HDCO Penalty Free Sweepstakes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (TORONTO, Ontario – November 22, 2010) The Hockey Development Centre for Ontario, in partnership with its member associations and program sponsors, is pleased to announce the official launch of the 2011 Penalty Free Sweepstakes contest. The Sweepstakes is a provincial safety initiative created to foster fair play, skills, safety and sportsmanship in amateur hockey throughout Ontario. The Penalty Free Sweepstakes encourages and rewards amateur hockey teams for staying out of the penalty box and has generated a positive response from all ages and levels of amateur hockey in Ontario. Statistics indicate that sixty-two percent of the teams who have entered the contest have either won or tied their games, demonstrating that fair play and good sportsmanship is not only rewarding but can substantially increase the chance of being successful on the ice. As an added incentive, the program also features a Penalty Free MVP award that recognizes individual players who exemplify the values of the Penalty Free Sweepstakes – skills, safety and sportsmanship. A total of 18 sponsorship partners will be supporting this year’s initiative by contributing valuable team prizes to amateur hockey teams in Ontario that play a penalty free game during the contest period. The Penalty Free Sweepstakes is supported by former NHL and Team Canada member Paul Henderson, Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean and former Women’s National and Olympic team member Geraldine Heaney. -30- For more information, please contact: The Hockey Development Centre for Ontario 416-426-7252, toll free 1-888-843-4326
or email hockey@hdco.on.ca
OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM for the 2011 Penalty Free Sweepstakes is available at www.hdco.on.ca
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2011 PENALTY FREE SWEEPSTAKES
CONTEST DETAILS How does a team qualify? Any amateur hockey team in Ontario can qualify by playing a penalty-free game within the province of Ontario during the contest period (December 3, 2010 to January 31, 2011). If one team plays an entire penalty free game, that team qualifies. If both teams play penalty free then both teams qualify. All games must be refereed by qualified officials and the game sheet must be signed by at least one of the officials. All entries are subject to verification by the Penalty Free Sweepstakes Committee. A team may submit an entry for every penalty free game they play during the contest period. All league, exhibition, tournament and playoff games played penalty free during the contest period may qualify. Inter-squad and novelty games do not qualify. How are the winning teams chosen? Sweepstakes winners will be drawn at random from the eligible entries received. The draw will be conducted on Monday February 7, 2011 at the offices of the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario (HDCO). Winning teams will be notified within fourteen days of the draw if the team has won a Sweepstakes prize through their team contact. How does a team enter?
To enter, simply complete an Official Entry form and send it, along with a copy of the game sheet signed by a qualified official, to the HDCO office. Entry forms can be downloaded from the HDCO Web site at www.hdco.on.ca or by contacting the HDCO office. Eligible entries must be received by 4:00 pm Friday February 4, 2011 to be eligible for the prize draw. What are the MVP Awards? To further promote the ideals of the Sweepstakes program, the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario is also offering coaches the opportunity to nominate their team’s Penalty Free MVP. Each team’s nominee should embody the values of the Penalty Free Sweepstakes – skills, safety and sportsmanship – and have a low number of penalty minutes this season. Ten winners will be randomly drawn on February 7, 2011 and contacted by phone. Winners will receive a McDonald’s® Great Taste Card, a family pass to the Hockey Hall of Fame, a special gift from RYR Sports Inc. and a trophy. Coaches can enter one player from their team by filling out the MVP nomination ballot and submitting it to the HDCO office. Ballots can be downloaded from the HDCO Web site or by contacting the HDCO office. Nominations must be received by 4:00 pm Friday, February 4, 2011 (only one nomination per team is eligible). Play to Win…Play Penalty Free!
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2011 PENALTY FREE SWEEPSTAKES
LIST OF SPONSORS PRIZE SPONSORS: BRAMPTON BATTALION OF THE OHL HOCKEY HALL OF FAME KARBON KOBE SPORTSWEAR LASER QUEST MCDONALD’S RESTAURANTS OF CANADA NHL PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION ONTARIO MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION OSHAWA GENERALS OF THE OHL PIZZA PIZZA PLAYDIUM RYR SPORTS INC. SUDBURY WOLVES OF THE OHL THE HOCKEY NEWS TORONTO MARLIES OF THE AHL VICEROY RUBBER & PLASTICS WAYNE GRETZKY’S TORONTO WINDSOR SPITFIRES OF THE OHL SUPPORTED BY: THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH PROMOTION & SPORT