Jul 18, 2022 | ALLIANCE Hockey | 8454 views
MIRANDA Named 2022 Coach of the Year
Stratford, ON - ALLIANCE Hockey is pleased to announce that
Chris Miranda (Cambridge, ON) is the recipient of the 2022 ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year award.
COACH OF THE YEAR –
CHRIS MIRANDA, CAMBRIDGE MINOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION Watch the full video HERE!
The ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year Award recognizes outstanding contributions, involvement, & service to ALLIANCE Hockey in the area of coaching.
ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year Award recipients have displayed commitment to the ideals of ALLIANCE Hockey, have worked tirelessly for the improvement of the game at their local Association level and have made a notable impact on both the game and the players involved. There is certainly no doubt that 2022 Coach of the Year Chris Miranda has displayed these attributes and characteristics. With this said, there is no better way to acknowledge the efforts of Coach Miranda than to provide a few excerpts from the nominations received from his peers, players, and colleagues.
Coach Chris has made many outstanding contributions through his involvement both on and off the ice, and he is truly deserving of this award.
Coach Chris has always encouraged the athletes to be themselves, to put forth their best effort, to have a positive attitude, and to listen to instruction all whilst having fun! He has led his team with the goal of growing the athletes as players but also as human beings. From the very first evaluation, it was evident that Coach Chris was truly invested in his team. From carefully selecting those athletes he believed would form a strong U12 team, to spending hours of his own time planning drills and practices that would best develop the athletes. Hosting coach meetings; conducting phone calls with the coaching staff to discuss tactics and any developmental pieces that would be of benefit. Coach Chris also used other resources including skating coaches to help supplement additional on ice development for the athletes. Coach Chris planned fall workout sessions outdoors as well as indoors at a local community centre along with road hockey games to keep the athletes engaged, to provide opportunities for the team to bond and to build their endurance.
Coach Chris shared his mindset on teambuilding and how important off ice activities were as well. Coach Chris organized a snow tubing day for the athletes, as well as team dinners so that the athletes could grow the bonds between one another. Coach Chris also supported many activities for the team including creating and sending Cards to Troops at Christmas, the sponsoring of a family in our community at Christmas, sharing our athletes’ stories for Random Act of Kindness Day, and a food drive for the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank.
Coach Chris truly leads by example. The compassion that Chris has shown all season is incredible and not always seen in a coach. When an athlete was affected by Covid, whether it be the athlete themselves or a family member, Coach Chris would reach out to the athlete and the family to check-in and to see how they were doing and if anything was needed. When one athlete was out during playoffs with Covid, Coach Chris arranged for the athlete to watch the game via FaceTime. His genuine support for players and his interest in their lives is admired. You can often hear him asking an athlete how school was, or how their siblings are doing, and how things are in their lives. Taking that one step further, in communicating with families, Coach Chris is professional, compassionate, and completely transparent. He is always open to having a chat to ensure that everyone is on the same page and of course, to answer any questions.
When things had shut down due to the pandemic, Coach Chris was determined to keep the athletes engaged and wanted to support them with activities off the ice. Coach Chris encouraged Zoom workout sessions which were designed and delivered by our team Trainer. Coach Chris also arranged and led various sessions where guest speakers joined our Zoom calls to talk about their experiences as athletes, provide tips and suggestions on overall success, and answered the athletes’ questions. Guest speakers included Garrett Rank and Jennifer Botterill.
Chris coaches from a sledge hockey sled which he even allowed the team to try, to show them it isn't easy.
We cant say enough about his dedication to these kids.
Chris is developing more than just good hockey players, he is focused on developing our players into great human beings. The focus is so much on one another, being there for each other as friends and teammates. One example, as a team we fundraised and gave the money to a local family to help them when they were in need at Christmas, which was a great lesson for the players. A lot of discussions are around how can we help our families at home, and how we can help our other teammates. The team really came together through his positive messages.
It would be an understatement to say that the last two years have been challenging to perform the duties of a Head Coach. In 2020-21, there was nothing but split-squad practices for an entire year...and even that was broken up with intermittent lockdowns. Throughout that tumultuous year, Chris lead a group of then 10 year-olds both on the ice and off the ice. Chris' approach is that of a caring, positive leader who emphasizes not only the skills that make a fundamentally strong hockey player but more importantly, the skills that produce a player who is strong in character. Guiding young athletes to work hard on the ice, but even harder in their community. As 2021 progressed and the pandemic seemed to ease, Chris once again volunteered to lead the same group into what we hoped would be a more 'normal' year during their U11 season. The season started off promising with upbeat practices and finally some regular season games and even a couple of tournaments. The boys of the U11 A/AA Cambridge Hawks flourished under Coach Chris, battling hard for a spot in the AA division and even winning the London Bandit's tournament in November. Sadly, just before Christmas, the season was put on standby again. This break was once again devastating for the young athletes, but Coach Chris was not deterred. He continues to stay engaged with the team, gathering them twice a week via video call to have group workouts as well as bringing in guest speakers to make sure that they are still being positively impacted, even when they are not able to play the game they love. Coach Chris is a phenomenal coach.
Thank you Coach Chris for your dedication and service to minor hockey.
Congratulations on being named the 2022 ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year!
L to R - Coach of the Year Chris Miranda, Region 2 VP Sean McGinnis, Trainer of the Year Jennifer Perrotte
2021-2022 Cambridge Hawks U12 A