Being named the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association (MHSAA) Payworks Coach of the Month for April is a feel-good moment for a Warren Collegiate Institute alumna who now gives back by coaching and managing multiple school sports teams.
Michelle Riddell, a student counsellor at Warren Collegiate, manages the boys’ hockey and baseball teams, coaches the junior varsity girls’ basketball team, and co-coaches the track and field squad.
On April 30, the MHSAA announced Riddell as the Coach of the Month for April — a surprise to her.
“One of our students told me in the hallway — I didn’t know anything about it,” Riddell said on Monday. “It was an honour to be recognized in my home community. This is a community I also grew up in, so I’m just happy to give back my time by volunteering to coach.
“When I attended Warren Collegiate, I had lots of coaches who gave up a lot of hours coaching me and the teams I played on. So it was just an honour to be recognized.”
Riddell has been part of several milestone moments this school year, including the launch of the school’s new girls’ hockey team, which completed its inaugural season in the top division of the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League.
She also manages the boys’ hockey team, which reached the Winnipeg High School Hockey League Price Division finals this year. Riddell helped coordinate a student fan bus to the championship series at Seven Oaks Sportsplex in Winnipeg and regularly drove athletes to games and practices when needed.
Her junior varsity girls’ basketball team captured a Zone 5 championship in March.
Currently, Riddell is managing the boys’ baseball team and co-coaching the track and field squad.
“For me, it’s a way to connect with the students,” she said. “It’s important to build those relationships outside of the classroom, so getting involved with our sports teams and clubs is a way for me to get to know the students in our building.
“I also know what sports did for me growing up — it was kind of an outlet — and I know it’s the same for a lot of the athletes in our building. So giving them that chance means a lot.”
Among her favourite moments of the year were the girls’ hockey home opener, the boys’ hockey team reaching the finals, the large group of student athletes coming together for track and field, and seeing teammates surprise a fellow athlete as he received a Yes I Can Award.
