It may seem odd on the outside that the United States and Canada would be open to helping each other get better on the ice.

However, collaboration between the rival countries was one of the benefits of the IIHF Women’s High Performance Camp held this July in Finland. 

Katie Million, the director of women’s national team programs for USA Hockey, explained that both the U.S. and Canada have a history of working together to help grow the game.

“It was another level at this camp where we got to see not only players doing the same thing, but coaches,” Million said. “To be able to go and be in a setting where it’s very casual, you’re learning from each other, you’re having dinner together.”

The Finland Olympic Sports Institute in Vierumäki, Finland, hosted the week-long camp, and it included participants from 16 IIHF member national associations, including USA Hockey. The camp provided athletes and coaches opportunities to learn from each other’s experiences with education, leadership and on/off-ice training experiences. 

In total, 160 participants from across 22 countries participated in the camp.

The U.S. brought four players to Finland for the camp: Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards from the U.S. Women’s National Team, plus U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team players, Maggie Averill and Bella Fanale.

But the camp wasn’t just for the athletes. USA Hockey personnel, including Million, traveled to Finland for a couple of days before the players arrived.

That time was valuable because the coaches and general managers touched base with their counterparts from around the world to discuss how each program operates and compare notes.  

“[We] also did a lot of cultural stuff, and just learned about what other sports No. 1, do, and how we can relate that back to our teams,” Million said.

In the past, the camp was held every other year with its primary focus being an on-ice component to help countries develop their players and share common strategies, according to Million. 

The players also took advantage of learning opportunities in Finland. Players had mental performance sessions, cultural sessions and learned from players from all over the world. Though they went into the camp not knowing what to expect, they all returned having learned things they can apply to their season.

“One of the really cool things for me was to see not only our staff but players interacting with opponents, if you will, from other countries,” Million said. “But then, coming away from this camp as friends. So, that’s always really special when you have that opportunity and get to see that.”

According to Million, Averill heard the experiences from players in other countries. She was surprised to hear about the lack of resources players in some other countries have compared to what she’s used to.

“She was so grateful to have the opportunities and the resources that we do have,” Million said. “It was going to motivate her to be an even better player than she was before.”

Following the Finland camp, USA Hockey turns the page into its biggest camp — the 2024 Women’s National Festival held Aug. 4-11 at the Lake Placid Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. 

The event brings together the top American female hockey players from the under-18 through professional levels.

The festival is part of the evaluation process for a number of teams during the 2024-25 season, including the U.S. Women’s National Team roster ahead of the Rivalry Series, which starts on Nov. 6 in San Jose, California. 

“To have this camp in Lake Placid each year is awesome,” Million said. “They’re just such great hosts, and we’re happy to go back there every August and stay at the Olympic Training Center and be a part of a really professional camp that helps us develop our players but also narrow down those selections for our special teams.”

The festival is a chance to bring in players from all levels, allowing USA Hockey an opportunity to see and evaluate everyone during a set camp. 

The festival’s structure is a little different this year, adding 76 players who will compete for spots on the U18 team. That’s in addition to the 74 professional and collegiate players competing for the women’s national team.

For the professional players, the festival will resemble a training camp as coaches run through systems, styles of play and positioning, according to Million. The college side will look more like a normal selection process, with a couple of practices and scrimmages.

“It’s our biggest opportunity to see, not only develop but evaluate, everyone and make selections,” Million said.

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.