Carolyn Matthews
Carolyn Matthews grew up in Roblin, Manitoba on a farm. She started her love for the sport of hockey at the young age of 5. Many of her memories are on the farm dugout in the winter and the gravel driveway playing hockey with her older brothers and their friends. Carolyn spent most of her minor hockey time playing boys hockey and continued through to Midget. She also enjoyed refereeing many minor hockey games throughout the Parkland Region for 3 years. At age 12 she played with the Midget Female Parkland Panthers team and was able to attend two Manitoba Games alongside this team. They also won the Western Shield which was one of the highlights of Carolyn’s hockey memories. In 1999 Carolyn attended the Canada Games in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland with Team Manitoba. Cornell and the University of Manitoba become options for schooling and continuing her hockey career. She decided to move to Brandon and play with the Brandon Wildcats team who at that time played exhibition games in the CIS.
In 2006 Carolyn moved to Morden with her 3 children. Coaching became a love for Carolyn in Morden where she coached Female Atom through Midget and Male Atom through Peewee teams in the past 10 years. She was honored to assistant coach Team Central at the Manitoba Winter Games and watch them capture a medal in 2012. This past season, her Atom Female team hosted and captured a Gold medal at the Atom Female A Provincials in Morden. This proved to be a very special time for her as a coach, volunteer and a parent. Carolyn served on the Morden Minor Hockey Executive for two years before joining the Pembina Valley Minor Hockey as Female Vice Director for the past two hockey seasons. She truly enjoyed her time on this board and saw so many great things happening for the game she is passionate for.
Carolyn had many mentors growing up and is truly grateful to all the volunteers that touched her life through the sport of hockey. There is one volunteer that stands out not only as a volunteer but a mentor to Carolyn, her Auntie Wanda Carriere. Wanda suddenly passed away this spring and brought so much to the game of hockey. She will always be a role model as a volunteer as she only brought forth perfection in everything she was involved in. This spring Carolyn will sadly be stepping down from the Pembina Valley Minor Hockey board. She will still enjoy coaching and watching this game that always gives back.
