CANADA'S YOUNG HOCKEY STARS SHARPEN THEIR SKILLS AT THE ALLSTATE ALL-CANADIANS MENTORSHIP CAMP

TORONTO, ON (July 28, 2011) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) is pleased to welcome the 42 selected bantam-aged players who will participate in the first annual Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp. The intensive five-day camp, led by 21-year NHL veteran Gary Roberts, will give young athletes from across the country the exclusive opportunity to learn from NHL players – such as Luke Schenn, Jeff Skinner and Jason Spezza – about the importance of fitness, nutrition, mental conditioning and much more. The inaugural camp will be held from August 2 - 6, 2011 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, ON, with the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup being held on Saturday, August 6 at 1:00 PM.

To view the list of the 42 players competing in the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp, visit www.Allstate.All-Canadians.com.

“I’m looking forward to sharing with these young players my knowledge of health and nutrition that helped me achieve success and longevity in my career,” said Gary Roberts. “Our on and off-ice training programs have been carefully developed to demonstrate how elements like nutrition, fitness and mental health can give these players an edge over their competition. Learning this early in their development will provide them with infinite benefits throughout their careers.”

The Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Program aims to support all levels of hockey players and athletes by providing tips and advice to players, coaches, parents and fans.  Since its launch in November 2010, the program has enabled NHL players and leading experts to successfully reach tens of thousands of Canadians through the web, grassroots initiatives and special events, for the purpose of mentoring and guiding the next generation of Canada’s hockey youth.

“The NHLPA understands the importance of supporting Canada’s hockey communities in order to continue raising intelligent and healthy athletes who can flourish both in the game and outside of it,” said Mike Ouellet, NHLPA Chief of Business Affairs. “That’s why the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp is about more than just on-ice skills. Players and parents will be educated on a variety of subjects that not only create a well-rounded athlete, but a strong individual as well.”

“Allstate Canada is committed to tapping in to the talents of our youth in order to build stronger future Canadian leaders,” said Jeff Burke, Senior Vice President of Allstate Canada.  “Together with the NHLPA we believe this camp will provide an outstanding environment to educate these remarkable athletes on how good habits are formed along with the amount of support and dedication it takes to be at your best.”

Players attending the Mentorship Camp will have the opportunity to improve their skills both on and off the ice. Several NHL stars will work with the players during their daily skates to help sharpen their skills. The players will also learn from Dr. Paul Dennis, sport psychologist who formerly served as the Player Development Coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs,on the importance of achieving a strong mental state to excel in the game. Other off-ice sessions will be led by Roberts who will teach the athletes about proper nutrition to ensure stamina throughout a game. Parents will also be invited to selected sessions designed to equip families with the information they need to improve both on and off the ice. Each day, players will learn optimal workouts with renowned strength and conditioning trainers, Lorne Goldenberg and Matt Nichol. 

The Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp will conclude with the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Cup on Saturday, August 6, broadcast on TSN. The teams will be coached by NHLPA members Luke Schenn and Jason Spezza. 

For the latest live news and live updates from the Allstate All-Canadians Mentorship Camp, visit www.Allstate.All-Canadians.com  

There will be daily media availability during the camp with further details forthcoming.

About Allstate Insurance Company of Canada

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is one of Canada’s leading producers and distributors of home and auto insurance products. “The Good Hands Network®” enables consumers to contact Allstate Canada through one of 93 community-based Agencies, directly online at www.allstate.ca and through the Customer Contact Centre at 1-800-Allstate. Allstate Canada is committed to making a positive difference in the communities in which it operates and has partnered with organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada), Crime Stoppers, United Way and Junior Achievement. In 2010, Allstate Canada, in partnership with the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), created the Allstate All-Canadians program, a mentorship program designed to guide the next generation of Canada’s hockey youth. Learn more at www.allstate.all-canadians.com.

About the National Hockey League Players’ Association

The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA launched the Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 11 years, more than 60,000 deserving children in 25 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $20-million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.