Hockey Manitoba Volunteer of the Year Awards
The purpose of the Hockey Manitoba Volunteer Awards are to recognize outstanding commitment and significant contributions to the game of hockey in Manitoba. Each year, literally thousands of volunteers are the driving force behind our great game. Hockey Manitoba identifies ten (10) recipients annually from each of its ten (10) regions as nominated by representatives from those regions.
Additionally, Hockey Manitoba presents the Frank McKinnon Outstanding Volunteer Award annually to a volunteer that has made exemplary contributions through a long term commitment and dedication to hockey in our province. The award is selected by Hockey Manitoba’s Board of Directors.
2021 – 2022 Recipient of the Frank McKinnon Outstanding Volunteer Award – Ashley van Aggelen
Ashley van Aggelen grew up in Winnipeg and started playing hockey at a young age and now she is one of the most influential female coaches in the province.
Ashley’s dedication and commitment to the female game in Manitoba is immeasurable. She began coaching in 2004 and is entering her twelfth season as the Head Coach of the Winnipeg Avros in the Manitoba Female U18 AAA Hockey League. Ashley’s coaching career began after a highly successful playing career, which included four seasons playing for the University of Manitoba Bisons Women’s Hockey Team (2000 – 2004).
Prior to coaching the Avros, Ashley was the Head Coach of the Polar Ice in the Manitoba Women’s Junior Hockey League (MWJHL) for seven years as well as coaching high school hockey at Stonewall Collegiate (2006 – 2007) and St. James Collegiate (2008 – 2011). After several successful seasons, including coaching many MWJHL All-Star games and winning two Provincial Championships, she made the jump and moved into the Provincial U18 AAA program in Winnipeg.
Ashley has been a mainstay of Hockey Manitoba’s Female U18 Program of Excellence and is the first and only coach selected to be the head coach of U18 Team Manitoba on four separate occasions (2012, 2015, 2017, 2022). This year, she will lead Hockey Manitoba’s first-ever all-female coaching staff at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. In addition to being the Head Coach of Team Manitoba, she has also been an assistant coach for U18 Team Manitoba on two occasions (2008,2010).
To say that Ashley has had a huge impact on her athletes and her community would be a huge understatement. Ashley is a brilliant hockey mind and tremendous leader who always treats her players with the same level of respect. Despite her extremely busy schedule, Ashley makes herself available whenever she can to mentor her players and to give advice to fellow coaches. She makes hockey players better every day on the ice but more importantly, she also makes them better people off of it.
Ashley has spent the past two years working alongside other female coaches across Canada to become a certified WMCD (Women Master Coach Developer) with Hockey Canada. In 2020, she was also selected to participate in the NHLCA Female Coaches Development Program where she got to work closely with both male and female coaches at the Canadian university, American college, and NHL level. Ashley has led We Are Coaches clinics for Hockey Manitoba, which aim to increase the number of trained female coaches in the province in order to provide mentors and role models for young female players.
Because of her hard work, determination and for having such a positive impact on female hockey in the province, Ashley received the 2020 BFL Canada Female Coach of the Year Award, which recognizes and honours coaches who exemplify the positive values of hockey and sport, for their successful and outstanding achievements in player development and the leadership of their players and teams.
Ashley has taught at St.James Collegiate since 2007 and has been the Department Head of the Physical Education department since 2017. In addition to coaching hockey, she has given her time to coaching Varsity Basketball, Badminton, Track & Field and Soccer. Because of her dedication and committment to coaching various sports, she has twice earned nominations for the Manitoba Women of Distinction Award.
Perhaps even more remarkable than her volunteer time dedicated to hockey is Ashley’s character and integrity. She has earned the respect of her peers and colleagues because of her passion, kindness, work ethic, and determination.
Hockey Manitoba would like to congratulate Ashley and all of the Volunteer of the Year recipients and sincerely thank each and every volunteer for their dedication to hockey in Manitoba.
Past Frank McKinnon Outstanding Volunteer Award Winners
| 2020 – 21 | Bill Whitehead |
| 2019 – 20 | Ken Gladden |
| 2018 – 19 | Peter Dueck |
| 2017 – 18 | George Ulyatt |
| 2016 – 17 | Dale Fossay |
| 2015 – 16 | Doug Orchard |
| 2014 – 15 | Brian Franklin |
2020 – 21 Regional Volunteer Recognition Award Winners
| Name | Region |
| Ryan Caswell | Brandon |
| Nancy Funk | Central Plains |
| Ken Kutzak | Eastman |
| Amanda Halldorson | Interlake |
| Harvey Bolton | Norman |
| Ryder Rodriguez | Parkland |
| Matt Bestland | Pembina Valley |
| Denis Decroliere | Westman South |
| Dwayne Schmidt | Winnipeg |
| Brent Brennand | Yellowhead |
2019 – 20 Regional Volunteer Recognition Award Winners
| Name | Region |
| Kris Klemick | Brandon |
| Mike Neill | Central Plains |
| Tracy Ouellet | Eastman |
| Dave Underwood | Interlake |
| Ron Larocque | Norman |
| Wendy McDonald | Parkland |
| Shane Froebe | Pembina Valley |
| Ryan Kyle | Westman South |
| Bob Capstick | Winnipeg |
| Dan Johnson | Yellowhead |
2018 – 19 Regional Volunteer Recognition Award Winners
| Name | Region |
| Jason Scott | Brandon |
| Carol Stewart | Central Plains |
| Neal Stoesz | Eastman |
| Alvin Amos | Interlake |
| June Shlachetka-Monias | Norman |
| Tannis and Dave Pulock | Parkland |
| Barb Orchard | Pembina Valley |
| Michael Wiseman | Westman South |
| Pam Campbell | Winnipeg |
| Derek Tibbatts | Yellowhead |
2017 – 18 Regional Volunteer Recognition Award Winners
| Name | Region |
| Terry Popadynetz | Brandon |
| Ferdi Nelissen | Central Plains |
| Paul Magnan | Eastman |
| Darren Bond | Interlake |
| Jerome Conaty | Norman |
| David Hopfner | Parkland |
| Greg Ens | Pembina Valley |
| Corey Anderson | Westman South |
| Guy Jeanson | Winnipeg |
| Bill Brown | Yellowhead |
