Summerside native receives coaching award
Summerside native Stacy Montgomery receives a coaching award
SUMMERSIDE — Stacy Montgomery’s motivation to give back to a sport that has given the Summerside native so much is simple.
“I like working with kids and giving back to the community,” said the 24-year-old daughter of Gordie and Cathy Montgomery. “Hockey is one of my things.
“My dad coached me all the way through, and it’s something we do together. It’s why I love doing it so much. Having that relationship with my dad is pretty awesome.”
Montgomery’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. She has been named one of two P.E.I. recipients of the BFL Female Coach of the Year Awards. Montgomery received recognition for her work at the community level, and Nicole Derry of Stratford received the high-performance award.
“I was shocked,” said Montgomery, describing her reaction to receiving the award. “I had no idea that was coming. It’s nice to be recognized.”
The award recognizes the best female hockey coaches in Canada.
National winners receive a $2,500 bursary, a customized Team Canada jersey, a five-year subscription to the Hockey Canada Network, a Hockey Canada merchandise package and a tablet. As provincial recipients, Montgomery and Derry each receive a $1,000 bursary.
“We are very fortunate to have a few females in our association who are wonderful leaders,” said Summerside and Area Minor Hockey Association (SAMHA) president Doug Dexter, who nominated Montgomery for the award. “Stacy has been here a long stretch, six years-plus, coaching right out of her minor hockey career.
“She has been a wonderful leader and role model for the girls with all special initiatives that we have run that are female-driven.”
FORMER PLAYER
Montgomery started skating at age three and played hockey from skills until graduating from the under-18 ranks out of the SAMHA. She has coached Summerside’s under-11 A team for the last five years.
“You could move up with them and stay with them every year, but it’s nice every year to go back to basics and teaching them when they’re still willing to learn,” said Montgomery. “Summerside is small, and you still get to see (former) players around the rink.
“Sometimes we do pre-season camps or in-season camps, so we still get to have (former players) on the ice for that.”
A former AAA-level player, Montgomery likes working with the under-11 age level, noting a lot of teaching and work on the basics is required. For example, she pointed out, that often includes the players learning what an offside is.
“You see them stop before the puck goes into the zone, and that’s a big accomplishment in under-11,” said Montgomery.
She added that the coaching staff, consisting of her father, Lorne Pidgeon and Rachelle Gallant, strives to make the experience much more than just hockey for the young players.
“We try to make it the most fun we can by playing the music in the dressing room, doing the face paint and trying to make it a big event for them,” said Montgomery, a youth worker with the Public Schools Branch.
Montgomery said it is rewarding to follow the progress of her current and former players.
“One of the big things is when you go to the rink, you know every second kid, and you get to watch them,” said Montgomery. “I still watch some of the kids I first coached, and they are playing under-18 now.
“I make an effort to go to a couple of games, chat with them, ‘How is the season going’?”
INSPIRATION
Dexter said he is hoping Montgomery’s efforts can inspire other females to get involved with the game. He added she contributes to the First Shift program, which is open to boys and girls aged six to 10 who have never played hockey before.
“As a coach, the feedback and the response we see from the players and parents for Stacy’s contributions have been just overwhelming,” said Dexter. “It’s a large part of the reason, because she works with U11, kids are having a fun time. Their friends are coming along to join in the fun, and they are staying involved.”
Montgomery, who played both forward and defence and continues to play senior hockey today, has no plans to slow down any time soon. She embraces each coaching opportunity that arises.
“It keeps me busy, and I still play, too, so I’m at the rink most of the winter,” said Montgomery.
That is welcome news for the SAMHA and Dexter, who described Montgomery as a person with excellent people skills.
“She is a great role model, and she does it because she has a love of the game,” said Dexter. “She is very positive, supportive, and she has wonderful people skills. That really resonates with the kids.
“Everyone gets the same smile, the same treatment and are made to feel very special and very important. That’s how Stacy is, and I’ve known her since she was a little kid. She is wonderful in every regard. We are lucky to have her. It’s great to see her receive this recognition.”