It’s an opportunity of global proportions for Joe Butkevich. The Head Coach of the Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League is about to help lead the Chinese national U18 women’s team into the 2020 World Championships in Katowice, Poland. For all the negativity that has surrounded the hockey world in the last few weeks, this is where the beauty of the game shines. This is where the phrase; Hockey is for everyone, actually rings true. A North Bay native, taking a team of players from Asia, into a tournament in Europe.
“There are putting a lot of resources and time into developing the program,” Butkevich says of China’s approach to developing a women’s hockey team.
“They do have the upcoming 2022 Olympics coming to Beijing so they are putting all of that into making sure the program develops,” says Butkevich.
“They are relying heavily on Canadian coaching contingents to help them develop their game. We were told that as coaches we can plan and do what we need to, and it’s been remarkable. They have been very supportive.”
Without getting too deep into the history of China’s athletic program it shouldn’t surprise anyone that they want to be competitive in every sport they compete in. They have competed in 10 different summer games, winning 546 medals, and have competed at 11 different winter games, bringing back 62 medals. And now as hosts of those winter games, they will dress a team for women's hockey. The goal is to not just put some players out there that can skate, the goal from China’s side is to be a competitive, and maybe even a contending team.
Butkevich says there is already some real skill and talent among the players. He says, “The players are sponges. They do exactly what we ask and they are all very good individually, we’re just trying to teach a team game and teach systems and how to play as a team, but it’s been remarkable so far.”
The team arrived just this past week and set up shop in Markham, Ontario. Butkevich was asked to be a part of the coaching staff and says it was an opportunity he didn’t want to pass up. He says “we have been doing two a days since they arrived and we start playing some exhibition games this week.”
“I’m excited,” said Butkevich of the opportunity.
“I fly to Beijing on December 16th and I’ll be there training with them until December 30th and at that point, we fly over to Katowice, Poland.”
“It will be a great opportunity for me in my development as a coach and I’m pretty excited to coach on a world stage and hopefully we can help China medal at this upcoming championship.”
Butkevich is coming off a coaching appearance at the National Women’s Under-18 Championship in Winkler, Manitoba. He says, “a National Championship and a World Championship within a couple of months, for myself it’s pretty remarkable.”
During his time in Winkler, he helped coach both Team Ontario Red and Team Ontario Blue and it was the Red side that brought home some hardware, a gold medal courtesy of a 3-1 win over Saskatchewan in the finals.
He says, “Great opportunity to see Canada and see what Canada’s best talent has. All the players in this tournament are now part of the selection for Team Canada’s World Championship team at the upcoming tournament.”
Butkevich continues to be a positive influence and mentor for the women’s game. His main role behind a bench is with the Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins of the PWHL and he says there’s always a great feeling when you can share an experience like this with some of the players you see on an almost everyday basis.
“I got to travel to these championships with six of my own players, winning a national championship with them is something that I will cherish forever and it was just nice to see that our program was able to provide them opportunities to make this team and showcase their talents for Hockey Canada,” he said.
