The GGHA and the University of Guelph are long time community partners who support and promote the development of inclusive sport in our community for youth, for both recreational and elite levels, and for spectators.
The GGHA Development Team and the University Women's Varsity Hockey coaches work together to develop the annual program. This includes a comprehensive on-ice program with skills, goaltending and power skating development. The program length allows the various GGHA teams to rotate through the programming each week, in a coordinated, age-specific approach developed by the GGHA and University coaching staff.
Teams at the U13 age and above also participate in off-ice strength and conditioning at the University of Guelph’s Gryphon Performance Centre, directed by University training staff. All Teams also have access to the gymnasiums and JOGA instructors.
Please view the recent videos below to learn more (thanks to 519 Sports Online):
"There's so much benefit for what we can provide the Junior Gryphons and GGHA as well, from education and training, strength and conditioning, nutrition, power skating, coaching support, the technical side of things and those are the expertise that we have available to us that not every local organization can tap into."
- Scott McRoberts, Director of Athletics - University of Guelph
"Having the opportunity to work with the University of Guelph and their coaching staff and their training staff, access to their facilities is an amazing advantage that we have, that other centres don't necessarily have."
- Mike Ruthven, President - GGHA
"I am also an alumni of the Guelph Girls Hockey Association, have been playing here since I was five years old. To be in this position to give back to the community in this capacity is definitely an honor and I take it very seriously with a lot of pride."
- Katie Mora, Associate Coach - University of Guelph Women's Varsity Hockey Team
"The key is keeping them for a long time, which is why I'm super excited that the GGHA has had the vision to work on this development plan."
- Janet Gibson - University of Guelph Women's Varsity Figure Skating Team
"We like to empower them with the knowledge that I can better myself if I do these things. Holistically, we get to work on skills, movement skills and competency so that they can be more successful later on in life"
- Mac James - University of Guelph Head Strength & Conditioning Coach