WickFest 2021 Hangout Speakers
When: Saturday, March 13th and Sunday March 14th, 2021
Times: Starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. each day.
Each session is 30 minutes followed by a brief break to get set for the next hangout.
Where: ZOOM
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Link is sent to individuals who are registered
(additional information below bios)
Retired Pro Goaltender and Olympian
Manon Rhéaume
Manon Rhéaume is a retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender. An Olympic silver medalist, she achieved a number of historic firsts during her career, including becoming the first woman to play in any of the major North American pro-sports leagues, by making an appearance in the NHL.
Manon is a published author of "Manon: Alone in Front of the Net" and a successful business woman working to grow the game in Canada and the USA. She has set up a Foundation to ensure all girls can play.
To learn more about Manon, click here!
Broadcaster and TV Personality
Harnarayan Singh
After leaving TSN, Singh worked for CBC. Singh came to the attention of fellow CBC employee, former NHL goalie, and announcer Kelly Hrudey; Hrudey recommended Singh to the network as a possible new announcer. In 2008, Singh began announcing NHL games in the Punjabi language for the Hockey Night in Canada program. Singh had one of his games turn into a viral video in 2016 when he made an energetic call of goal-scorer Nick Bonino's name. He was the first person to announce an NHL game in Punjabi for television, and, in 2016, became the first Sikh Canadian to broadcast an NHL game in English. He also hosts a weekly online segment for the Calgary Flames.
On January 13, 2021, Singh made his English play-by-play debut, calling a regular season game between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers for Sportsnet.
Stunt Woman, Peformer and World Champion
Kelsey Andries
Kelsey Andries is an actor, stunt actor and stunt performer. She is a retired professional Muay Thai fighter. She is the 2014 IFMA Muay Thai World Champion and the 2016 IFMA Muay Thai Bronze Medalist at 67kg.
Before finding Muay Thai, Kelsey competed in freestyle wrestling and field hockey. She was a member of the 2002 University of Calgary Dino’s Field Hockey team and then made the switch to wrestling in 2003. She then competed for the University of Calgary Women’s Wrestling team from 2003 until she graduated in 2006.
Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist & Mom
Meaghan Mikkelson
After twelve seasons with the National Women’s Hockey Team, and starting a family with her husband Scott, Meaghan is currently balancing motherhood along with the demands of training as a national team athlete. With two gold medals from the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Winter Games, a silver medal from the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, a gold medal from the 2012 IIHF Women’s World Championships, and six silver medals from the 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championships, Meaghan aspires to represent Canada and win gold at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. With these goals in mind, Meaghan continues to look for ways to improve as an athlete, an individual, and a “hockey mom”, and is excited to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
RockOn Founder and World Champion Multi-Sport Athlete
Dr. Syl Corbett, DC, PhD
Syl found athletics to be the staple in her life. It was her undying passion and the fuel she thrived on. Syl has never relented and is forever driven by her belief in boundless human potential, especially through athletics. Syl was involved in many sports growing up, but gravitated towards the freedom of solo pursuits. She competed on the World Cup and in numerous World Championships in triathlon, duathlon, mountain running, snowshoeing, marathons, etc. Syl shares her passion and knowledge as a private consultant to many professional athletes in hockey, running, triathlon, cycling, speed skating, and halfpipe skiing.
Hockey Hall of Famer
Angela James
Angela James is considered the first superstar of modern women's hockey having been honoured by numerous halls of fame.
She was a member of numerous teams in the Central Ontario Women's Hockey League (COWHL) from its founding in 1980 until 1998 and finished her career in the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). She was named her league's most valuable player six times. James is also a certified referee in Canada, and a coach. She is currently the Senior Sports Coordinator at Seneca College in Toronto.
Internationally, James played in the first women's world championship, a 1987 tournament that was unsanctioned. She played with Team Canada in the first IIHF World Women's Championship in 1990, setting a scoring record of 11 goals and leading Canada to the gold medal. She played in three additional world championships, winning gold medals in 1992, 1994 and 1997. Controversially, she was left off the team for the first women's Olympic hockey tournament in 1998. She played her final international tournament in 1999.
Emergency Physician, Medical Educator and Entrepreneur
Dr. Mardelle Gamble
Dr. Mardelle Gamble is a respected doctor and medical educator in Alberta, having worked with patients in the Emergency Room for more than 21 years.
She has lead many teams at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 and with a young family of her own, has a unique perspective of both the challenges youth face during these unprecedented times - mental, physically and medically. She brings her expertise to WickFest, along with input from her own daughter Kaiya who will act as a sounding board and intermediary, in a short presentation followed by an "ask me anything" question and answer period for parents and youth alike. Information will be presented in youth-friendly terms and at the level of the attendees.
Topics will touch on the unique challenges of mental health for youth during this time, some of her own stories of being on the front line, and she will share her knowledge of how the disease affects young people.
NHL Analyst and Consultant & His Daughter, Ella Belfry
Darryl & Ella Belfry
NHL Player Development Author, Analyst and Consultant. Working with top young NHL players. Pioneered a career in the NHL centered on skill training to game transfer. Belfry is credited with accelerating the development of many current and rising National Hockey League stars including Patrick Kane, John Tavares, Auston Matthews and Noah Hanifin. He was also paramount during Hayley Wickenheiser’s career.
Ella, an '04 player was practically born in a rink and has unique insights herself into the culture of female hockey, the nuances between how girls play the game vs. the professional men's game - having spent much of her spare time at the rink with her dad and the pros.
4-time Olympic Gold Medalist and WickFest Founder
Hayley Wickenheiser
Hayley is the founder of The Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival. She is a 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist, public speaker, author and is currently in her final year of medical school while maintaining a full-time position as assistant director of player development with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Most recent recognized by her peers by her induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, her hockey IQ is highly respected in all areas of both the male and female game. She has played in or coached at four NHL development camps with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, the first woman in history to have done so. She is also still holds the record for the most assists, points and goals for the Canadian Women’s National team.
Hayley joined the Canadian National Women’s Team at just 15 years old and had a career spanning 23 years, retiring in 2017 to begin her pursuit of a career in medicine, which she is currently studying at the University of Calgary. She is a member of the Order of Canada, a member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission, Founder of The Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival, the Vice Chair of the Calgary 2026 Bid Committee and most importantly, a mom to her grown son Noah.
Adventurer Extraordinaire
Jenna Caira
Jenna Caira is the Co-Captain of the Canadian Softball Team and an Olympic Hopeful. Jenna has been a member of the team since 2009, but Softball’s last appearance at the Olympics was in 2008. Since joining the National Team, she has been a part of 3 medal-winning Pan American Games Teams and she’s a 2-time medallist at Worlds. Jenna will discuss her journey to Tokyo, what the last year has been like and how she stays connected with her teammates while training apart. Jenna has been a Canadian Tire Jumpstart Ambassador since 2018.
Adventurer Extraordinaire
Ray Zahab
Ray Zahab is a Canadian Explorer, ultra distance runner and Founder of non-profit impossible2Possible. A recent recipient of the Meritorious Service Cross of Canada, Ray is an Explorer in Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2015 Canadian Geographic recognized Ray as one of Canada’s Top Explorers. He has ran 17,000+km across the world’s deserts, and unsupported expeditions in some of the coldest places on the planet.
In 2008, Ray founded impossible2Possible (i2P) (impossible2possible.com) an organization that aims to inspire and educate youth through adventure learning, inclusion and participation in expeditions.
Exercise Scientist
Anthony Wolfe, MS
Anthony is an exercise scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s satellite laboratory at the Baylor, Scott, and White Sports Performance Center in Frisco, Texas. His interests lie in exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and human performance and recovery in team sports. Anthony earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Hamline University where he competed in NCAA ice hockey while finding an interest in research. He then moved on the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin where he obtained his Master’s Degree under the guidance of Edward Coyle, PhD
Senior Scientist
Sara Oikawa, PhD.
Sara is a Senior Scientist at the GSSI satellite lab at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Sara earned her Honours Bachelor of Science Kinesiology, Masters of Science in Kinesiology, and her Ph.D. in Kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada. Sara’s Masters focused on resistance training-load
mediated muscle hypertrophy in trained young adults. Her Ph.D. work focused on dietary protein quality and alterations in protein metabolism, specifically muscle protein synthesis, in both inactivity and resistance training models. In her spare time, Sara enjoys travelling, hiking, cooking, and watching Toronto-based sports teams.
Olympic Medalist, Hockey Hall of Famer and Scout for The Seattle Kraken
Cammi Granato
Cammi was a part of the history-making Team USA that took the gold-medal from the Canadian team in a shocking upset win in the 1998 Olympic debut for women’s hockey. Cammi took on the role of broadcaster and colour commentator for the NHL before starting Golden Dreams for Children Foundation, which is an organization dedicated to providing supports for special needs children. Today she is a Scout for the NHL expansion team, The Seattle Kraken among many other business pursuits.
Additional Information
- Exact schedule to be released.
- Each attendee will be able to attend up to 8 hangout sessions + Group hangouts with Hayley within the weekend.
- Descriptions of the hangouts to be released soon.
- Many presenters will do 2 hangouts, so if you miss one due to a schedule conflict, you should be able to catch another.
- Each registrant will be required to have an individual email address in order to access the Zoom.
-There will be lots of room for people in all hangouts