The Ottawa Charge capped off the PWHL’s summer of youth programming with a four-day camp in late August that brought more than 60 young players to the Jim Durrell Recreation Centre in the city’s South End.
The Charge hosted 64 participants split evenly between U9 and U13 age groups. While many came from the Ottawa area, the reach extended far beyond the capital—one player traveled from Syracuse, another from Florida, and plenty of others made the trip in from out of town. For the Charge staff and players, that enthusiasm underscored just how much their team and the league at large is resonating with young hockey fans.
On the ice, campers were joined by Charge forwards Élizabeth Giguère, Rebecca Leslie and Alexa Vasko, along with Playoff MVP goaltender Gwyneth Philips. These Charge players rotated through drills, spent time with the kids, and brought a glimpse of professional hockey life to each session.
The coaching staff for the camp featured Charge assistants Haley Irwin, Pierre Groulx and Greg Houde, while Head Athletic Therapist Amanda Deluca (of pickles and mustard fame) and strength and conditioning coach Kristine Walker helped introduce campers to the importance of training, nutrition, and balance in building a sustainable hockey career. The players also received a visit from Charge GM Mike Hirshfeld.
For Giguère, the opportunity to give back to the next generation carried special meaning.
“I would have liked to attend a camp like this when I was young, but it didn’t exist back then,” she said. “I remember meeting Marie-Philip Poulin a few times when I was a kid, but there was nothing like this. It’s so gratifying to see the excitement in the kids to be around us during four straight days on the ice. I realize a little more every day, the impact we have on these young girls.”
That impact was visible throughout the week, whether it was U9 campers joking about where they live or what players they look like or U13 players working hard to keep up with the pros on the ice. No matter their background, each left camp with new skills, new friends and a stronger connection to the Charge.