CLANCY Named 2024 Coach of the Year, News (Minor Hockey Alliance of Ontario)

My son has had the privilege of having many dedicated coaches during his time in minor hockey. This year has been no exception.  The schedule was packed full of team events, hockey games, yoga, outdoor rinks, weight lifting, guest speakers and so much more. Practices were planned and executed better than anything my son has experienced. After every game and practice, the players are to clean and mop the dressing room and thank every coach for their time.  Kevin has placed a huge emphasis on respecting the officials regardless of emotions.  It is the little things like this that add up to big things in life and on a team.

Game Plans were sent out prior to games with a written plan and a guide regarding who they were playing.  My son always looks forward to this email coming through.

Kevin has taken the time to educate each player on the next steps in their hockey career. Having meetings to ensure players are aware of important camps and opportunities as well as many talks with OHL professionals.

The coaching staff has advanced my son’s game and helped him return from injury on more than one occasion. They have fostered a healthy team environment in a very competitive age group.

Throughout the season, I have witnessed firsthand the positive impact Kevin and his leadership team have had on our boys both on and off the ice.
Kevin has consistently fostered a positive and supportive environment for our players. His dedication to boosting each child's confidence, instilling belief in the team's abilities, and encouraging continuous improvement has been exceptional. Additionally, Kevin's emphasis on preparation and professionalism, such as providing the boys with the game day performance sheet, sets a standard that positively influences their attitudes and behaviours.
Beyond teaching hockey skills, Kevin has imparted invaluable life lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and dedication. Their mentorship extends far beyond the game, shaping our boys into confident individuals who understand the importance of hard work and determination.

As a family who is new to Cambridge, we were unsure what to expect at the beginning of the year. We liked Kevin’s open communication style and how he described his program and emphasis on individual growth, team discipline and positive culture. We’ve been absolutely thrilled with the experience to date, and the transformational impact it’s had on our son. Although our son’s love of the sport has not wavered over the years, his confidence and belief that he ‘belongs’ at this level had taken a beating over a few seasons.
The program Kevin has established for these boys is like medicine for all the things that can go wrong in this culture and at the age our boys are at. Our boys are part of an incredibly well laid out full-year program. It develops them as people first, empowering them to own their progress, creating a community that leaves no question about their worthiness to be here, and accepts failure as a (big) part of the journey. In order to accomplish this seemingly impossible task, Kevin’s program has something for everyone. From structured community building, stretching / injury prevention (yoga!), team-based mindset work and goal setting, high standards of accountability and professionalism, individual mental strength work, guest speakers who talk about lifestyle, coaches from the OHL, former NHLers, recruiters/scouts, discussions about social media, resilience, being a good citizen; runs for charity, fundraisers to make the arena better, cleaning their change room each use, making their bed, holding a door for someone, looking others in the eye and greeting them with respect, when to take off your hat…it’s all there.

Kevin clearly knows the things 14-year-olds struggle with (a lot of it aligns with what we all struggle with!). He is willing to try anything to address any challenges the kids face. If a new challenge pops up, Kevin would meet them where they’re at and make sure he supports them in any way he can. As a parent, I feel like we have been given a gift and I know it will resonate for the rest of our lives. You don’t find many "Kevins" in the world, so when you get to have one in your life, it’s something special.

As a player, I know Kevin pushes the kids to reach their potential; makes sure they all know their strengths and what to work on next in their development path. He makes sure they keep their conditioning up, keeps the team working as a unit and that they hold each other accountable too. He always makes sure the game is still fun while also expecting elite effort. He’s always cracking jokes.

When an injury occurred, my son was checked on, was still included in team activities, and was able to complete a team activity prior to a practice even though he couldn’t join them on the ice. That stuff means a lot – like you’re not disposable, like you’re still there and still part of the team. 

There really isn’t anything Kevin won’t do for his players. If you need extra skates, if you need to talk to someone, if you need to meet to discuss anything, he’s there. If you want daily feedback, he’ll give it to you. If you want to be left alone, he’ll do that too.

He is big on off-ice routine and maintaining a high standard of living for oneself. At this age, it’s essential for these boys to hear from more than just their parents on how those ‘little things’ are everything. Before each game, the kids receive detailed game sheets with reminders, opponent info, strategy info. It’s a great way to get the boys thinking along the same lines, prepared and visualizing the game they want to play. 

Our son has had great coaches in his younger years and they were great. But to coach this age group is a whole different thing. I can’t imagine many dig into this role nearly as deeply as Kevin does. It can mean everything to these kids to have Kevin and his coaching staff in their corner. We couldn’t be more grateful.”

We are so unbelievably grateful for this past season. This season was led by an incredible skilled team of coaches. Kevin Clancy has approached this season as a program.  It’s a program to teach elite athletes how to be elite.  His early approach is to get to know the root of each player, he conducts hours long meetings with each family to truly get to understand each individual and their family.  It’s an opportunity to let go of the past and move forward.  The encouragement to have a voice is rare in the hockey world, and Kevin wants that from each player.  He challenges them when using their voice, but continuously allows them to have one.  Kevin’s unique approach has given each player an opportunity to open their minds to yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, conditioning, accountability and individual growth speaks volume about his passion for coaching.  It’s inspiring how much he focuses on each individual’s progress and prioritizes the well-being and growth of each individual player.  Kevin has discovered the right balance between pushing players to excel and providing support and encouragement along the way.  Regardless of the attitude each player brings, he pushes them to see that if they push their limits they can achieve greatness.  His game time emails craft clear and detailed game information that is crucial for keeping everyone on the same page.  It ensures smooth coordination and understanding among each player, their position, coaches responsibilities and key components that are individualized for each competing team.  They have become a critical part of game time preparation in our household.  The amount of time in the emails alone, show the continuous dedication to this team of players.  Then his humour… he is hip, knows the lingo and all the kids just think he's the coolest.  His motivational talks are filled with humour and seriousness to remain in check.  His wit during practices keep the fun alive and not a lot of coaches can create that balance.  

We are just beyond grateful for this season's experiences and hope it continues, and regardless where my boys hockey career goes we have always wanted to provide him with opportunity to have a head coach like Kevin Clancy and opportunities to be led by this coaching team. Kevin Clancy's dedication shines through in every aspect of his coaching.  It’s evident that he goes above and beyond to support and uplift his team, making him a true asset to the players development and our organization. 

An important piece that I want to highlight is his caring approach.  You can see he is whole heartedly into supporting and caring for each child.  When they are off sick he takes the time to check in.  No other coach has been like that.

Thank you for your commitment and contributions to the game, and congratulations Coach Clancy on being named the 2024 ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year!



- About the ALLIANCE Hockey Coach of the Year Award
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. The recipient must be active in hockey during the year of the presentation.