www.owha.on.ca 5155 Spectrum Way Building # 3 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5A1 Tel: (905) 282-9980 Fax: (905) 282-9982

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ONTARIO WOMEN’S HOCKEY ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS
THE CANADIAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION
April 5, 2006

The Ontario Women's Hockey Association is pleased to announce a special addition to this year’s Provincial Championship. Thanks to the generous support of Pace Savings & Credit Union Ltd., and the Royal Canadian Mint, the OWHA will be supporting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation by raising awareness about the disease which affects thousands of Canadians annually. Every participant will receive a 25-cent coin featuring the symbolic pink ribbon and a specially designed coin collector card. Commemorative bookmarks from the Royal Canadian Mint will also be on sale at a number of the rinks Friday April 7^th, Saturday April 8^th and Sunday April 9^th.  For each bookmark sold, the Mint will make a $1 contribution to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

The Ontario Women’s Hockey Association is pleased to announce details of the 2006 OWHA Provincial Championships. Three hundred and eighty (380) teams have qualified to compete in this prestigious event, which takes place April 7, 8 and 9 in Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan and Toronto.

Girls and women from all parts of Ontario will vie for gold in the largest women’s hockey provincial championship in the world. Over 8,000 participants will take part and well over twenty thousand (20,000) fans will catch the games played in eight (8) facilities and thirty (30) ice surfaces.

This year’s Provincial Championship will feature teams who qualified through regional playdowns to compete in the following divisions and categories:

FREE ADMISSION TO ALL ARENAS

The 2006 Senior AAA and Intermediate AA, A, BB, B & C Provincial Championships were held in February.
A total of sixty-eight (68) teams participated. Winners were:

Team Ontario (Brampton Thunder) went on to represent the OWHA at the Esso Women’s National Championship in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Team Ontario (Brampton Thunder) took the gold defeating Team Quebec (Montreal Axion) in an exciting final.

The OWHA Provincial Championships are an exceptional program of excellence featuring superb competition that is unmatched throughout the world.

Please watch the OWHA website (www.owha.on.ca) for information, schedules & scores.

Defending Champions - 2004-2005 PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONS

EVENT HEADQUARTERS: ICELAND ARENA, MISSISSAUGA
Games take place:  Friday, April 7^th, Saturday, April 8^th & Sunday, April 9^th
starting at 8:00am on Friday morning at the following facilities:

For further information:

OWHA VALUES
Fair Play, Fun, Excellence, Good Citizenship,
Integrity & honesty, Equity.

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