OHL and Special Olympics form special partnership

Belleville — The Ontario Hockey League today officially launched a year-long partnership with Special Olympics Ontario that will include unique marketing initiatives leading up to the Special Olympics Winter Games, which open on February 1, 2007 in Owen Sound, Ontario.

Throughout the next year, the 20 member teams of the Ontario Hockey League will help promote the Special Olympics with unique fund raising events.

“This is an excellent opportunity for the OHL and its member teams to expand our relationship with Special Olympics Ontario and to help promote the Winter Games next February in Owen Sound,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “It is our mandate to help the young student athletes that compete in our league to develop in all aspects of life and expanding this relationship will hopefully inspire our athletes and the special Olympians to continue to strive for excellence in reaching all of their goals.”

As part of the official launch of this program, Special Olympics Ontario will take part in the opening ceremonies of the 2006 Bell OHL All-Star Cup tonight at the Yardmen Arena in Belleville.

About Special Olympics Ontario

Special Olympics Ontario is a community-based program. Its primary instrument of program delivery is the local sport clubs, which gives athletes the opportunity to train and compete twelve months of the year. Invitational and Regional meets occur frequently, and athletes advance through a regular cycle of Provincial Games to compete in both National and World Games and Championships. Provincial competitions are held in the Spring, Summer and Winter every two years. National Summer and Winter Competitions are conducted every four years as are World Winter and Summer competitions. This competition cycle ensures that every year, Canadian athletes have an opportunity to compete in either a provincial, national or international event.

About the Ontario Hockey League

The Ontario Hockey League is a member of the Canadian Hockey League, the premiere junior hockey league in the world. The CHL supplies more players, coaches, managers and officials to the National Hockey League than any other organization. The OHL consists of 17 Ontario-based teams and three teams located in the United States. More than three million spectators attended OHL regular season and playoff games during the 2004-05 season.