Kingsbury takes charge of women’s hockey

CALGARY Gina Kingsbury twice won Olympic hockey gold for Canada. She’s now in charge of getting the country back atop the women’s hockey podium.

Kingsbury has taken over management of the women’s national team program at Hockey Canada from Melody Davidson, who stepped out of the general manager’s job after eight years to focus on scouting.

Kingsbury, 36, retired from the national team in 2010.

After coaching at the Okanagan Hockey School, she apprenticed under Davidson in Calgary for three years, managing Canada’s under-22andunder-18teamsand working in skills development.

“I certainly didn’t see this type of transition this quickly,” Kingsbury said.

Davidson coached Kingsbury and the Canadian team to Olympic gold in 2006 and 2010 before becoming GM of the national team.

Hiring world championship and Olympic team coaches, inviting players to camps and selecting them to teams, organizing and strategizing an Olympic preparation period are just a few of the responsibilities that now ultimately fall to Kingsbury.

But with Davidson staying on as a scout, it takes that job off Kingsbury’s plate.

“The purpose and the vision and just the standards she has set, I really want to continue along that path,” Kingsbury said. “I believe in what she has built.”

Born in Uranium City, Sask., but raised in Rouyn-noranda, Que., Kingsbury counted 29 goals and 45 assists in 116 career games for Canada between 2001-10.

Meanwhile, Kingsbury’s Canadian teammate Jayna Hefford was recently named interim commissioner of the Canadian Women’s Hockeyleague.