An Interlake hockey coach is being honoured for her work behind the bench.
Stonewall’s Megan Humeniuk was named the PLAY Hockey Community Member of the Month presented by MLT Aikins after coaching the 2013 Female Manitoba Jr. Freeze this spring and summer.
“Megan coaches the 2013 Female Freeze and has become a true role model for her players,” the PLAY Hockey Hub Team said in a news release. “She brings unmatched energy and positivity to every practice and game, inspiring confidence and a love for the game in everyone around her. She goes above and beyond to build strong relationships with players and families outside of coaching, too. Her compassion, commitment and leadership make her an invaluable part of the Freeze and the PLAY Hockey community.”
Humeniuk and the Freeze won three elite tournaments during their trips across Canada. It was her second consecutive summer coaching the team, which strengthened her connection with many returning players.
“I know that parents and players and other people involved in spring hockey are the ones who nominate folks like us who win them, and it’s really nice to feel my parents and my players are having a good enough experience with me as a coach to want to nominate me for something like that,” Humeniuk said. “That makes me feel very good about my job and what I’m doing, and hopefully it makes a positive impact on everybody who’s involved. Getting something like that makes me feel like I am making a good impact.”
At 23, Humeniuk is still new to coaching but has already gained years of experience. She grew up playing for the AAA Female Interlake Lightning and with Team Manitoba’s Program of Excellence during summers.
Her father coached her and her brother in a variety of sports, from hockey to softball and baseball. She now carries on the family tradition.
“The kids are pretty fantastic, and it makes it hard, even when you lose, to not have fun,” Humeniuk said. “It makes it really easy to just do my job and laugh and smile and make great memories. I guess that’s the best way to say it, because it’s all you can do the whole time you’re playing hockey.”
Humeniuk was working at a daycare during the COVID-19 pandemic when she got her first offer to coach. Her playing career had just ended due to the pandemic, leaving her in an unfamiliar place where hockey wasn’t part of her daily life.
She accepted an offer to help coach on Mondays and Wednesdays and soon after, more teams began asking her to join their benches.
Since then, she has coached at multiple levels, from AA to the World Selects Invitational.
“I like to spend a lot of time doing it. It’s something that I really love doing, plus the kids are really great, so I want to make it a good experience for them all the time,” Humeniuk said. “It’s been a fair amount of time doing it but I think it’s worth my while.”
Humeniuk is currently pursuing an honours degree in psychology at the University of Manitoba. She hopes to eventually earn a master’s in sports and performance psychology.
