National Coaches Week celebrates the thousands of coaches across Canada who give their time, passion and knowledge to their sport.
This year, National Coaches Week is Sept. 16-22 and the Lord Selkirk Minor Hockey Association (LSMHA) wants to spotlight a couple of their coaches.
Nick Reeb, President of the LSMHA put in the good word for two inspiring coaches.
Tyler Croy has been a coach with the LSMHA for five years and coaches the U9 and U11 Minor Hockey Teams.
“[He] enjoys seeing the kids improve and grow in hockey,” said Reeb. He also explained how Croy has been involved with the sport himself since he was young.
Croy’s favourite memory of coaching with the LSMHA was coaching his own son and witnessing his first shutout.
“[Croy] just wants to continue to learn and grow as a coach, be a part of hockey and give back to the community,” added Reeb.
The LSMHA wants to thank Brooke Anderson who has been a Hockey Manitoba coach for three years.
Anderson grew up in the hockey world, playing on the U15 AA Predators and U18 AAA Avros teams.
“She played for York University for six years. She was captain of the U18 AAA Avros in her last year and captain for York University in her last year there,” said Reeb.
Anderson is actively coaching the U18 AAA Avros and U16 Team Manitoba, but she has previously coached the 2021 U22 Female Junior Elite team in Ontario and the U15 AA Predators. In the future, it is her goal to coach the U18 Female Provincial Team.
One of Anderson’s greatest coaching achievements is participating in the Hockey Creating Coaches program, which is dedicated to increasing female coaching positions in Canada.
Her passion for coaching comes from her experience while playing the sport.
“She wants to give back to the programs that helped give her the opportunity to live her hockey dreams and be a positive role model to the young women she is coaching,” Reeb explained.
Reeb noted that Anderson has always displayed a ton of perseverance.
“When she was coaching in Ontario, she was coaching a team that was struggling to win games, and there was not a lot of expectations of the team having a lot of success that year. The team worked hard and grew as a team to clinch a spot in provincials that year; which was a huge accomplishment for that team.”
Reeb and the entire team with the LSMHA thanks their coaches for all they do for the athletes. It is because of their coaches, that their athletes are able to thrive on the rink.
