The purpose of the Hockey Manitoba Regional Volunteer Recognition Awards is to recognize outstanding commitment and significant contributions to the game of hockey in Manitoba.
2024 – 2025 Regional Volunteer Recognition Award Winners
Darcy Simard – Brandon Region
Darcy’s volunteering career in Brandon began in 2011 when he coached Under-7 Timbits. From there, he went on to coach U9, U11, U13 and U17 in both co-ed and girls divisions as a Head Coach and an Assistant Coach.
For many of those years, he was coaching both house league and travelling teams, and if he wasn’t coaching, he was managing or called upon to fill in for a coach that was absent or as a parent liaison as well as an on-ice facilitator for tryouts.
Additionally, Darcy has assisted with development programs including NHL/NHLPA First Shift and extra practices for players trying to work on and/or keep their skills up before tryouts or camps. Darcy plays senior hockey around the region at both the competitive and recreational level.
Dennis Brannen – Eastman Region
Dennis has been active in various roles within minor hockey in the Eastman region for a decade. Starting out volunteering as team staff in the Beausejour/Brokenhead Minor Hockey Association, he quickly took on responsibilities on the Board of Directors and served as a board member for seven years. His roles included the coveted ice scheduling role, then moving on to serve as Vice-President and President within their organization.
During his tenure with the BBMHA, Dennis took on other responsibilities within Eastman for regional teams, eventually joining the Eastman Regional Board of Directors. Dennis has now been a part of EMHA’s Board for three years, currently serving as Vice Director of Co-ed. He continues to support many aspects of the region’s programs.
Dennis always approaches any task, challenge, or opportunity in a logical and methodical way, providing good perspectives on issues that need to be addressed. Dennis is always the first one to put up his hand and continues to be a great asset to his region and its members.
Greg Morden – Interlake Region
Moving his family to St. Laurent in 2014, Greg saw an opportunity to help contribute and express his love of hockey to his community. He served as President of the St. Laurent MHA from 2015-2019.
Serving as President, he also helped coach all of his children’s teams at some point. Greg was fortunate to learn from local legend Laurent Kerbrat about all the ins and outs of ice maintenance and plant operations. Greg was President of St. Laurent Minor Hockey when the community won Kraft Hockeyville in 2016. Winning $25,000 from Kraft , receiving an MMF contribution, an accessibility grant and a generous anonymous donation, his committee oversaw a huge renovation to the arena.
When Greg’s children aged out of hockey in St. Laurent, he saw a need in Interlake Minor Hockey, serving as the ice scheduler from 2021-2024.
Greg and his wife Sandy have 5 children (Isabella, Matthew, Maria, Daniel & Kaitlin). Greg and Sandy currently own and operate Interlake Embroidery in St. Laurent.
Jennelle Quiring – Norman Region
Jennelle is a minor hockey coach in Moose Lake who started coaching at the age of 18 while she was in University. Jennelle has worked as a teacher in Moose Lake for the past five years and was the Hockey Canada Skills Academy Teacher from 2021 to 2024.
Jennelle has a passion for hockey but most importantly, she provides an opportunity for everyone to succeed. Jennelle currently coaches the U9, U13, and U18 programs within Moose Lake. She has been proactive by ensuring players and parents have the proper certification and registration to participate. Jennelle also assists with the OCN hockey program in which she contributes her time twice a week. Nearly every day of the week, Jennelle is at the rink coaching and mentoring youth.
Jennelle’s dedication to the game is evident to the players within the Moose Lake and OCN organizations. Jennelle has spent countless hours on and off the ice supporting the development of the youth in these areas and building their hockey skills. Jennelle can often be seen at local tournaments and various other tournaments such as Dakota Winter Fest and M30 Indigenous Championship. Despite the demands of her job as an educator, Jennelle still finds the time to volunteer to the youth through hockey.
Jennelle is a great ambassador for inclusion and opportunity for all youth, and seeks to provide them with the best opportunities possible. Jennelle consistently seeks to build not only youths hockey skills, but also their personal characteristics on and off the ice.
Tyler Carefoot – Parkland Region
As a lifelong resident of Dauphin, and a dedicated pillar of the Parkland region’s hockey community, Tyler embodies the very essence of volunteerism—selfless dedication, transformative leadership, and an unwavering passion for nurturing young athletes. Tyler’s journey in hockey began as a talented forward, earning accolades during his playing days in the MJHL. His transition from player to coach has been nothing short of inspirational, spanning decades of volunteer service that has profoundly impacted countless youth in our rural Manitoba communities.
Tyler’s volunteerism shines brightest in his commitment to minor hockey development, where he has invested countless hours without compensation, driven purely by his love for the game and desire to give back. Tyler has coached at various levels within Dauphin Minor Hockey and the Parkland Rangers organization, including stints as an assistant and head coach for AA and AAA teams. His leadership has been instrumental in revitalizing programs, fostering team unity, and achieving on-ice success that extends far beyond wins and losses. Notably, Tyler served as head coach for the Parkland U18 Rangers for multiple seasons, guiding the team to historic milestones such as their first second-round playoff appearance in over 20 years in 2022.
In the most recent season (2024-25), Tyler took on the role of head coach for the U13 AA regional team in Parkland, a volunteer position that demanded extraordinary time and energy amid his personal and professional commitments. Balancing family life and his role as a community leader—including his four years as President of Dauphin Minor Hockey (DMH), during which he streamlined operations, boosted registration numbers, and implemented positive changes to enhance the overall experience for players and families—Tyler poured his expertise into building a cohesive squad from diverse rural backgrounds.
Robert Collet – Pembina Valley Region
Robert “Hoss” Collet has been a dedicated and influential figure in Notre Dame’s hockey community for nearly 45 years. Beginning as a referee and later serving as Chief Referee for more than 25 years, Hoss has consistently demonstrated unwavering commitment and integrity, ensuring fair and consistent officiating across countless games.
Beyond officiating, Hoss has played an instrumental role in developing future referees and contributing to the growth and success of the Notre Dame Arena through his work on the arena committee. His longstanding involvement with the SEMHL Notre Dame Hawks senior men’s team—as Trainer, Equipment Manager, and board member—has been a key part of the team’s many successful seasons and championships.
Hoss’ selfless dedication has touched every corner of the local hockey landscape, benefiting players, officials, fans, and the wider community. His legacy of mentorship, service, and commitment continues to inspire all who share his passion for the game. Your tireless dedication, generosity, and love for the game have touched so many. Thank you, Hoss, for being an exceptional mentor, volunteer, and pillar of our hockey community.
Rob Riffel–Winnipeg Region
Rob Riffel has served as the Referee-In-Chief for the Transcona Minor Hockey Association (TMHA) from 2014 to present. He has also served TMHA as the Officials Assignor from 2017 to present.
Rob became involved in officiating to give back to minor hockey. Both of his sons played AAA hockey and he spent a lot of time at the rink with them. To quote Rob’s exact reasoning for getting involved: “I’m not gonna lie, I was one of the guys in the corner behind the glass criticizing officials with the other dads. So when my sons finished their minor hockey careers I decided to put my money where my mouth was so to speak. With my career in law enforcement it was a natural fit and I fell in love with being on the ice with the kids and other officials.”
