CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced a five-year partnership extension with international marketing partner BFL CANADA, one of the largest employee-owned and operated risk management, insurance brokerage and employee benefits consulting services firms in Canada.

A long-time supporter of women’s hockey, BFL CANADA formally became one of Hockey Canada’s international marketing partners in 2019.

“For years, our partnership with BFL CANADA has benefited the growth of hockey in Canada and we are looking forward to strengthening those efforts during the next five seasons,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “We’re grateful to Barry and his team for their trust in Hockey Canada and cannot wait to celebrate even more women coaching as part of this extension.”

“At BFL CANADA, hockey has always been a story of passion,” said Barry F. Lorenzetti, chief executive officer, founder and chair of the board of directors of BFL CANADA. “We are honoured to continue our support of Hockey Canada’s games and initiatives, as hockey exemplifies passion, perseverance and leadership—qualities that reflect BFL’s identity.”

The partnership extension includes an ongoing commitment to annually honour women coaches across the country through the BFL Women in Coaching Award.

Entering its seventh season, the initiative has already recognized 123 coaches from community, competitive and high-performance backgrounds across the country.

Nominations for the 2025-26 BFL Women in Coaching Award can be submitted here beginning Dec. 1.

About BFL CANADA

Founded in 1987 by Barry F. Lorenzetti, BFL CANADA is one of the largest employee-owned and operated risk management, insurance brokerage, and employee benefits consulting services firms in Canada. The firm has a team of over 1,450 professionals located in 27 offices across the country. Thanks to its local international office network of independent brokers (LION), BFL CANADA provides clients with privileged access to insurance partners in over 140 countries, helping to support their operations both in Canada and globally.

For more information, visit bflcanada.ca and follow on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Coaching her daughter got Trula Seaward back into hockey and she’s enjoying every minute of it.

Growing up in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Seaward played the game throughout the 1990s when she was one of the only women’s hockey players in her small community.

“It was very unheard of in my community when I played,” Seaward says. “I have a strong hockey background and played right through university.”

She eventually turned her focus from playing hockey to her career as a nurse and then starting her family.

When her daughter was 18 months old, Seaward put her on skates for the first time—and she loved it.

“Of course, I wanted her to be a hockey player just like me. When she was four, we enrolled her in hockey in Port aux Basques,” Seaward says. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved again. You don’t realize how much you miss it until you take some time away from it.”

It all came full circle for Seaward when her daughter’s U7 Timbits program needed help on the ice during practices.

“When she started with the U7 program, I went on the ice more as a helper. There were some great coaches on the ice with me,” she says. “They showed me the ropes, how to run practices and how to build a positive relationship with the kids, because the more positive your relationship, the more the kids tend to respond to you.”

Seaward stayed behind the bench with her daughter’s teams, moving up to the U11 program where she currently coaches both the minor and girls' programs with Port aux Basques Minor Hockey.

One of the moments that cemented her decision to continue coaching was at a U13 girls’ provincial championship that took place in Port aux Basques two years ago.

“[A team] had a female coach, but the coach’s daughter got really sick during the first game of the tournament. Being certified to be on the bench, they asked me to help,” she explains. “I couldn’t see these girls forfeit, so I said I’d do it.”

As nervous as she was, Seaward helped lead that team to a provincial championship, winning all five games.

“I was a nervous wreck. I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I felt totally out of place,” she says. “When I walked into that dressing room, I was so intimidated, but we won, and it was probably one of the most rewarding weekends I’ve had.”

Seaward continues to be the head coach for the U11 rep team and still volunteers with the other minor programs. She also helps with her son’s team and other divisions needing support, and is the director of female operations for Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador.

“That tournament was my turning point. From that moment forward, I decided that I would keep on coaching,” she says. “It was a wonderful experience because it built my confidence and I’ve grown so much in that area.”

Getting back into the game in a different capacity revived not only her love for hockey, but it also brought a different kind of joy—watching the growth of the kids she coaches.

“For me, it’s just having the opportunity to be a part of the kids’ lives and trying to have a positive impact on them,” she says. “It’s not about the goals or saves, it’s the personal growth I get to witness in these kids. I think what I love about coaching the most is getting to pass on what the game has given to me.”

In Port aux Basques—with a population of just over 3,500—the growth of women’s hockey has taken off in recent years. Without girls playing in several of the minor divisions, they wouldn’t exist.

With the introduction and growth of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), young girls now see actual opportunities to go after their hockey dreams.

“We see the PWHL and a woman coach in the National Hockey League now. My little girl said she wants to play in the PWHL, but her back up plan is to be a coach,” Seaward says. “There was none of that when I was growing up. This generation of women’s hockey players are finally realizing there is no limit—you can be a coach, a referee, a trainer or a player.”

Being able to see women in roles throughout hockey also starts at the grassroots level—something Seaward is very aware of and willing to lead the way in her community.

“It is so important, and the girls love having a woman coach—they are more comfortable, and they can spread their wings, find their confidence and their comfort. They can just be themselves,” she says.

Not only has Seaward been honoured in her own community for her involvement and giving back to the game, but she was also recently announced as the national winner of the BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award in the Community category.

“When they told me I won, I was quite shocked,” she says. “It’s pretty special to me and I’m very honoured.”

The accolades are nice, but Seaward hopes this personal achievement will provide a boost to the growth of hockey in Port aux Basques and other communities by showing girls and women that they belong and can dream big.

“I think it’s just so important not only for my community to see that, but it’s an opportunity to grow women’s hockey.”

Coaching was always a natural fit for Karissa Kirkup.

The Brandon, Manitoba, native was interested in becoming a teacher when she was younger, so she decided to get involved in coaching to gain experience working with kids.

“I think I’ve always enjoyed the connection with people. Through my experiences as a player, I’ve always really enjoyed and learned so many life lessons through the game of hockey,” says the 29-year-old Kirkup, who was named the national recipient of the BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award in the Competitive category. “I always loved giving back to the game that gave me so much.”

Now a Grade 6 teacher and working on a master’s degree in education, Kirkup defines herself as a lifelong learner. She loves learning new teaching strategies that can benefit her in the classroom and on the ice.

“The world is constantly evolving and we’re learning a lot about the next generation coming up,” she says. “I think it’s super important to keep pushing myself and not staying stagnant in both of my coaching and teaching roles.”

Balancing teaching and coaching can be challenging. It requires a lot of preparation and organization for Kirkup to be set up for success.

“I will admit, it is a juggling act right from the start of September,” she says. “It does have to be a full team effort throughout a long hockey season. It’s a lot of months and a lot of time being put into both teaching and coaching.”

Kirkup grew up playing minor hockey in Portage la Prairie before her family moved to Virden for high school. She joined the Westman Wildcats to play U18 AAA in the Manitoba Female Hockey League (MFHL).

“That experience was a major driving force in why I’m coaching again today,” she explains. “I always look back with fond memories of [playing for the Wildcats]. I enjoyed my time there.”

Kirkup believes in chasing adversity. She believes by trusting those around you and leaning on people for support, you will come out of adversity as a stronger and better person.

As Kirkup was looking to get into coaching, she noticed that there was no U15 AAA or U18 AAA teams in Brandon. After discussing the idea with others, she took a leap of faith to start working with community members to build a program.

“Being a small part of building a program from the ground out was a tremendous experience. I got to grow and learn with people around me that also cared a lot about the game,” she says. “I knew with the dedicated people around me, we could make it happen.”

Quickly, Kirkup began to find success on and off the ice with her team. In the first season as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, her U15 AAA team became rural provincial champions in the 2021-22 season.

“Those are some of the memories that I’ll never forget, how those players are clutch in some big moments,” Kirkup says. “We carried momentum from there—next season, we had some strong players again, and we found some success again.”

The U15 AAA Wheat Kings went on to be the MFHL champions in back-to-back seasons (2022-23, 2023-24). Kirkup moved up to coach the U18 AAA Wheat Kings last season. She continues to watch the careers of the players she has coached—in fact, all six graduating players from her first U15 AAA team are moving on to become student-athletes this fall.

“The players that I was working with had a lot of resilience,” Kirkup says. “I have so much pride for those groups that our coaching staff initially got to work with and continue to work with now.”

As a player, Kirkup represented Manitoba twice at the U18 Women’s National Championship—she won bronze in 2011 and silver in 2012. Kirkup also had the opportunity to attend camp with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team in 2013. She always knew that she wanted to come back to Team Manitoba as a coach in some capacity. She applied to be a part of the coaching staff at the 2023 Canada Winter Games and was named an assistant coach.

“[I had] a couple of years of head coaching under my belt and I wanted to continue to push myself, chase that adversity and challenge myself to be a better coach and a better teacher,” she says.

Kirkup joined assistant Maddie Litchfield-Medd and head coach Ashley van Aggelen on the bench for the tournament—a full circle moment considering van Aggelen coached Kirkup at U18 Nationals back in 2012.

In 2024, Kirkup was an assistant coach with Manitoba at U18 Nationals, and she will lead her province at the 2025 tournament in Newfoundland and Labrador later this year. As someone who has both played and coached in the national championship, Kirkup brings a unique perspective to the bench.

“It’s very important to humanize the experience and to acknowledge that the reason you have nerves is because you care and you want to do well at these bigger events,” she says. “In short-term competition, it’s about building that trust early on and continuing to do little things to maintain that throughout a tournament.”

This season marks a new chapter for Kirkup. After four years with the Wheat Kings, she is moving to the U18 AAA Westman Wildcats to coach the team she grew up playing for.

“I’m so excited for this coming season. […] Some people that were involved when I was there as a player are still involved and are doing their best to create and maintain a program that has sent lots of players on to the post-secondary level,” she says. “I plan to go in there and continue on the legacy of that program.”

As she reflected on the impact of being one of the national recipients of a BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award, Kirkup is fortunate to have worked with and lean on some amazing coaching staffs—including working alongside her dad for two seasons.

“Having that experience in that relationship to have hard conversations, to incorporate the entire coaching staff, it’s important,” she says. “You’re doing the next best right thing, but you’re always evolving and you’re always learning.”

Kirkup encourages women that are getting started on their own coaching journeys to chase their own adversity.

“If you wait for the right moment to be ready to take on an assistant or head coaching role, that moment of readiness is never going to come,” she explains. “If you’re interested in coaching, dive into it with the best intentions and the best effort that you can. Ask questions, be open-minded and have fun with it.”

Coaches are leaders in hockey. Providing the space and resources to allow players to be the best they can be on and off the ice is an important job—and it’s something Vicky Sunohara takes seriously as a coach.

“[Our job as a coach] is to develop people through sport,” Sunohara says. “I take that very serious. It’s not only developing the hockey side, but it’s also trying to help provide a supportive environment and be a leader within a good culture.”

When Sunohara she learned that she was selected as the national recipient of this year’s BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award in the High Performance category, she was surprised.

“I’m not certain I’m deserving of this recognition, but it’s very humbling,” she says. “I coach with and against some amazing women coaches and I’ve learned so much from many of them. This is pretty special.”

It’s no secret that Sunohara has a wealth of experience and accolades that she pours into her coaching roles. A two-time Olympic gold medallist and seven-time world champion during her playing career, Sunohara sits 11th in scoring with Canada’s National Women’s Team with 118 points (56-62—118) in 164 international games and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Her playing career dates back to the 1980s; after four seasons of college and university hockey—two with Northeastern University and two with the University of Toronto—she spent time in the old Central Ontario Women’s Hockey League (COWHL) before playing parts of 11 seasons with the Brampton Thunder in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL)

Some players know they want to coach after they retire, but that was not the case for Sunohara.

“I didn’t think that I would get into coaching, to be honest,” she explains. “It was kind of just sprung on me at the time. I started to help out at practice, running a few drills.”

Near the end of her last CWHL season, Sunohara discovered she was pregnant with her twin boys. Deciding not to take any chances, she spoke to some teammates and decided to hop behind the bench for the rest of the season.

“From then on, [coaching] was in the back of my mind because I realized I wasn’t going to play anymore.”

After her sons were born, Sunohara became the director of women’s hockey at The Hill Academy in Caledon, Ontario, a role she held for two seasons. In 2011, a full-time head coaching position opened with the University of Toronto’s women’s hockey team.

She jumped into the role with her alma mater, despite not having much insight into all of the responsibilities of a U SPORTS head coach.

“I didn’t start as an assistant coach, so I didn’t really learn from a head coach or have a mentor coach. I had many great coaches as a player, and that’s where I drew a lot of my coaching philosophies from,” she says. “I had my own thoughts on what I really liked and what I wanted to continue, but not any experience as an assistant coach. That was difficult.”

With the help of a supportive athletic director and staff, Sunohara began to navigate through her journey as a head coach, learning as she went.

Thirteen seasons later, Sunohara has guided the Varsity Blues to three McCaw Cups as Ontario University Athletics (OUA) champions (2020, 2023, 2025) and a trip to the U SPORTS national championship game in 2024. She was named coach of the year for both the OUA and U SPORTS for three consecutive seasons from 2019-23 and earned OUA Female Coach of the Year honours spanning across all sports in 2019-20.

“When I won my first Olympic gold medal, I loved watching the joy in my teammates and staff, and just knowing the work and what went into winning that. I get that feeling when we won the OUA championship because it’s really difficult,” she says. “We play in a difficult league; it’s not something that is easy to win. I love watching my assistant coaches, staff and the players—I can step back and I feel so great and proud of them.”

Having the chance to reconnect with players after their university career is over provides another opportunity for reflection.

“Seeing players again and talking about their experiences and where they’ve done after they’ve graduated—it’s awesome,” she says. “Having the opportunity to be a small part of their lives is amazing.”

In addition to university sports, Sunohara loves to coach women’s U18 athletes. As a player, she didn’t have as many chances to play high-level hockey and develop at that age.

“I had great leadership and guidance playing on the senior team, but I think missed out on those years of opportunities on at a very young age,” Sunohara says. “These U18 teams, they’re learning at a younger age and able to be supportive of each other, but they also understand that even if you’re not on a top power play or the top line, you can still have an impact on the team’s success.”

Sunohara was an assistant coach when Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team won gold at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in 2022 and bronze in 2024. This past season, she took the reins as head coach, winning another world title, and she is returning to lead Canada at the 2026 U18 Women’s Worlds in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia.

With her own experience representing Canada on a national stage, Sunohara is happy to have the opportunity to share what made her teams successful and make a different in the next generation’s development.

“It’s really rewarding and so exciting for me to watch the young players put on the Team Canada jersey for the first time and represent their country,” she says. “After this past worlds, to watch them win gold, it’s such a feeling of pride.”

Sunohara’s coaching experience doesn’t stop there—she joined the PWHL’s Toronto Sceptres hockey operations staff this season as a coach consultant and participated in practice planning with the team’s coaching staff.

“I loved every minute of it,” she says. “I learned so much and being on the ice with the players at that level was pretty special.”

Witnessing the evolution of professional women’s hockey up close also provided some reflection about how far the game has come since Sunohara hung up her skates.

“I would have loved to be a part of that as a player. Watching something that is a dream come true for me was pretty special,” she says. “I loved having the opportunity to have conversations with the players and coaches about continuing to develop the game and listening to their thoughts.”

The phrase, “if you can see it, you can be it,” is often associated with women’s hockey in terms of inspiring the next generation to play, coach and officiate. Sunohara says she’s still learning and developing as a coach.

Although she was initially thrown into her coaching journey, she’s happy that she has mentors now to get guidance, feedback and help.

“We always talk about getting out of your comfort zone as a player. Get out of your comfort zone as a coach and ask for a mentor,” she encourages. “Coaches are often willing to help each other. The best part of development is having those conversations, learning, working with people and being a fly on the wall.

“There’s so many people that would love to help and be a part of the growth of a coach.”

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced an expanded partnership with SportsPay that will see the organization become the Exclusive Payment Partner for all transactions involving the Hockey Canada Registry (HCR), which is recognized as the premier system for hockey registration and management in Canada.

Most recently Hockey Canada’s Preferred Payment Partner, SportsPay facilitates seamless and secure online transactions and provides a smooth payment experience for its users while using the HCR.

“The Hockey Canada Registry processes hundreds of thousands of registrations for participants across the country each season, and the expansion of our partnership with SportsPay will ensure that the user experience for our participants and associations continues to be world-class,” said Jesse Albers, vice-president of operations for Hockey Canada. “We appreciate SportsPay’s longstanding commitment to supporting amateur hockey in Canada and look forward to working together for many years to come.”

A leading payment provider for amateur sports organizations in Canada, SportsPay was also a proud supporter of the Beyond the Boards Summit in November 2024, which examined outcomes of unhealthy hockey culture.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

OTTAWA, Ontario – With the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship beginning today, Hockey Canada is proud to recognize and thank the corporate partners who are supporting the tournament in Ottawa.

“The 2025 World Juniors would not be possible without the tremendous support we’ve received from our partners across the National Capital Region and beyond,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “From the moment Ottawa was awarded the tournament, we have worked with the host organizing committee to engage organizations that are excited to contribute to the legacy of this year’s event, which has led to one of the largest group of partners in World Juniors history.”

The successful bid to host the World Juniors was a partnership between the Ottawa Senators, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), Ottawa Tourism, Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), the City of Ottawa and the Province of Ontario.

Hockey Canada has 11 of its corporate partners activating at this year’s tournament, including Esso, TELUS, Tim Hortons, Bauer, BFL CANADA, PepsiCo, OK Tire, Timber Mart, AMJ Campbell and SportsPay.

TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, will broadcast all 29 tournament games.

In addition, 10 event partners are supporting the delivery of one of international hockey’s most prestigious tournaments: Access Storage, BUMP, Bumper to Bumper, Canadian Blood Services, FLO, LP Building Solutions, Myers Automotive Group, Niagara College, Supplement King and Walker Real Estate Group with RE/MAX.

The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship begins today, with extremely limited ticket inventory for select games available at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta –Hockey Canada has announced a multi-year partnership extension with one of its long-standing premier partners, Imperial Oil’s Esso brand.

The extension will see Esso continue to work with Hockey Canada on initiatives that promote and strengthen inclusion in hockey, as well as enhancing programming opportunities for grassroots participants across Canada, including with women and girls.

“Hockey Canada has made it clear to Canadians that we are committed to building a healthier hockey that is rooted in safety, excellence and sport for all, and today’s announcement is extremely important to help us work towards that in partnership with Esso,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “We are grateful to have its unwavering support and cannot wait to work together to connect more Canadians, and especially women and girls, with our national winter sport for years to come.”

“Imperial and the Esso brand have proudly supported hockey in Canada for more than 80 years, recognizing its vital role in connecting people and communities,” said Sherri Evers, senior vice-president with Imperial Oil. “Supporting the next generation of players and fans helps ensure the spirit of hockey in Canada continues to thrive. We look forward to our continued partnership with Hockey Canada that allows us to support achievement at all levels of hockey – from grassroots to the world stage.”

Imperial Oil and the Esso brand have been synonymous with hockey in Canada for nearly 90 years and a premier partner of Hockey Canada since 1981.

As part of the extension, the Esso brand will continue to have an extensive presence in creating unforgettable experiences for women’s and girls’ hockey across the country as the title sponsor of the Esso Cup, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship, and Esso Fun Days, which is an introductory program that introduced over 1,500 girls and women to hockey last season.

“For many Canadians hockey isn’t just a game, it’s what brings us together in our communities, and when Team Canada hits the ice it’s what unites us a nation” said Cheryl Seaward, director of partnerships at Imperial Oil. “As a long-standing premier partner of Hockey Canada, Imperial is proud to extend its partnership, fuelling the next generation of athletes from pond to podium while supporting the expansion and growth of the women’s game.”

The 2025 Esso Cup is scheduled for April 20-26 in Lloydminster, Alberta.

Along with Esso, Hockey Canada’s premier partners include TELUS, Tim Hortons and TSN/RDS.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , X and Instagram .

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada and Bauer Hockey have announced a partnership expansion that will see the official equipment provider of Hockey Canada add the title of official team apparel partner, effective Nov. 1.

As part of the expansion, Bauer Hockey will outfit Canada’s national team athletes with branded team apparel, provide fans with a new lifestyle apparel lineup and launch official replica jerseys in fall 2025.

“Hockey Canada is thrilled to expand our partnership with Bauer Hockey, which will benefit Canada’s national men’s, women’s and para hockey teams throughout the next three years with Bauer as our official team apparel partner,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “We are equally as excited for our fans, who will have access to more apparel options to wear as they cheer on Team Canada, including during the upcoming 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.”

“For more than 20 years, we’ve been the official equipment partner to Hockey Canada, providing the best and most innovative product to help the athletes perform their best on the ice,” said Darryl Hughes, senior director of marketing partnerships for Bauer Hockey. “With the expanded partnership, we see opportunities to elevate the experience for fans with new branded lifestyle apparel and replica jerseys and for athletes with their apparel needs off the ice.”

During the three-year agreement, Bauer Hockey will also continue to provide Canada’s national men’s, women’s and para hockey teams with helmets, visors, face masks, neck guards and gloves at all International Ice Hockey Federation events, as well as the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Fans can purchase the new apparel today at HockeyCanada.ca, Bauer.com and authorized Bauer Hockey retail partners across the country and at tournaments hosted by Hockey Canada, including in Ottawa at the 2025 World Juniors.

“Expanding our agreement advances more than our support for the athletes on the ice,” said Mary-Kay Messier, vice-president of global marketing for Bauer Hockey. “We’re continuing to invest into and develop initiatives with Hockey Canada to grow the game and help make it even more accessible to families and kids across the country. Hockey continues to be part of the fabric of our Canadian culture, and we believe providing fan apparel helps inspire a connection to hockey in Canada and opens the door to bring new families into the hockey community.”

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

It was a full circle moment for Shakita Jensen when she stepped on the bench as head coach of Team Northwest Territories at the 2024 Arctic Winter Games.

In 2014, she played in the tournament in Alaska. A decade later, she returned to Alaska to coach.

“I felt a lot of emotions,” says Jensen, the national BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award winner in the Competitive category.

Jensen, from the Tahltan First Nation, started as an on-ice volunteer with the Yellowknife Minor Hockey Association in 2014. Since then, her passion for giving back has driven her to continue her coaching journey.

“The hockey community has given me so much that I felt an obligation to want to give back to the hockey community in any way I could,” Jensen says. “When I got back from school, I was like, ‘I should probably try coaching, see if I like it.’ And of course I liked it right away.”

In addition to giving back, a few impactful women who coached Jensen growing up opened her eyes to her own potential journey.

“Having my first female head coach was super cool, and that made me want to get into coaching,” she says. “Growing up, being sometimes the only girl on my hockey teams, not really many women coaching, and then having my first few female coaches thinking, ‘Wow they’re so cool, I want to be like them one day.’”

The position of being a role model and a leader for youth in her community was also a driving factor in wanting to become a coach.

“I’ve had so many influential coaches in my own playing career. [There are] everlasting impacts they can have on their players, not only on the ice, but off the ice as people as well, what you can teach your players as a coach. I felt that I had lots to offer [as a head coach] and I wanted to be there for kids.”

 Jensen was in the right place at the right time to get her first head coaching position. There was a shortage of coaches in her association, so they asked Jensen—who initially applied to be an on-ice helper—if she wanted to be a head coach.

“It was a lot of quick learning and kind of being thrown into it, but I felt confident in myself the whole time,” the 26-year-old explains. “I just tried to network with past coaches as much as I could to have a successful season, which I think I did.”

Early in her career, Jensen decided to apply to be a part of the 2023 Canada Winter Games coaching staff for Team NWT, but she wasn’t selected. However, one of the coaches recommended she apply for the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach program with the Aboriginal Sports Circle.

“They chose one woman and one man from the territory, and it could be from any sport, so I knew that it was a bit of a long shot, but when I heard I got in for hockey, I was super excited.”

Through the apprenticeship program, Jensen was able to attend last year’s Canada Winter Games on Prince Edward Island and work with Team NWT leading up to the event. Afterwards, she became an assistant coach for Team NWT for the 2023 Arctic Winter Games before being promoted to head coach for the 2024 tournament.

“I think that definitely opened a lot of doors,” she says. “It was cool to see the progression and to allow me to gain all the tools and resources that I needed to prepare my team.”

As head coach of Team NWT, the location of each player’s hometowns can often be difficult to navigate—sometimes resulting in very few full team practices before an event.

“It was definitely a challenge wanting to build your team culture and work on your strategies and trying to prepare for a high-performance, short-term competition when your team is scattered all over the territories, in some places that are fly in/fly out or just a lot of money barriers,” she explains. “I think one thing that was super helpful was our ability to connect online leading up to the Games.”

Another huge opportunity for Jensen’s team this year was February’s One For All event in Yellowknife. With more than 300 participants over four days, the event celebrated women’s and girls’ hockey with Try Hockey events, on-ice skills, coaching clinics and more.

Team Northwest Territories and Team Nunavut gathered to practice and face off in an exhibition game.

“It was an overwhelming successful weekend—players putting on their hockey gear for the first time and then other players who were about to be graduating minor hockey,” says Jensen, who volunteered with the event. “It felt super to contribute to that program, give back and hopefully keep that program on a yearly basis here.”

When Jensen found out she was the BFL CANADA Women in Coaching Award winner for Hockey North in the Competitive category, she was shocked.

“I was so surprised, kind of caught off guard. I felt so much pride and gratitude.”

Jensen was unsure if she would be able to compete with the great provincial and territorial candidates across the country. But when she saw Cassie Campbell-Pascall on a video call congratulating her for winning the national award, she was in disbelief all over again.

“There are really no words,” she says of winning the national award. “There are so many influential coaches who go unrecognized sometimes for all the work they do. [I’m] really feeling proud of myself, but also feeling proud of everyone else across Canada who’s doing so much for the women’s game.”