Many thanks to all the individuals whom have accepted their nominations for next season's Executive Committee. Please have a look at the listed nominees and review the bios that have been provided. The Executive positions will be voted on at our AGM on Thursday May 30 @7pm at the CCC
Below is a list of each Executive position, all of the Nominees and their Bio.
VP of House League Hockey = 1 Nomination
Lisa Lafreniere· Hello! My name is Lisa Lafreniere. I have lived in Cobourg my whole life and am an active member in the community. I am always willing to help out where ever I can. I have three kids and two of them play hockey for the Nighthawks. I spend a lot of time in and out of the arenas during the hockey season. I enjoy watching them play and support their teams during all the highs and lows of the season. Not only do I have children of my own, but I also work at a private school and interact with students on a daily basis from Grade 5 to 12. I also have previous experience convening HL hockey and soccer in the past. I would be happy to be part of the board and bring knowledge and positive attitude to the association, in hopes of making each season a positive experience for all the kids on and off the ice. I believe hockey should be a fun and positive experience for all the kids and I promise to do my part to make sure that happens
OMHA Centre Contact = 4 Nominations
Shawn Banks
· My name is Shawn Banks and I was nominated for the position of OMHA Centre Contact. I would like to accept the nomination and join the Northumberland Nighthawks Executive Committee to help give back to a game that has provided me so much over the course of my life. My background in hockey started with Stroud Minor Hockey; from there I moved on to AAA with the York Simcoe Express, Barrie Flyers and finished with the Toronto Redwings. At 16, I moved on to play five seasons of Junior A starting with the Muskoka Bears of the MJHL, Collingwood Blues and Orillia Terriers of the OJHL. After Junior A, I attended Plattsburgh State University winning a National Championship and earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. The position of OMHA Centre Contact is a very important position that requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills as the organization’s first point of contact in many cases. A few examples may include providing guidance to new residents, registration inquiries, try out passports, and travel permits. Having been involved in a number of OMHA involved cases during my playing career and as a player parent has provided very valuable insight, knowledge and familiarity involved within this position. A thorough understanding of OMHA rules, regulations and policies is a requirement and after being involved with the game for as long as I have, my personal experience and knowledge has developed to the point where I am confident with my abilities to fulfill the requirements of the position. I am well aware of the challenges and workload that come along with the position of OMHA Centre Contact and vow to fulfill the responsibilities to the best of my ability.
Rachel Dyson
· I have been in the OMHA position for 2 years. During this time I have only begun to learn the ways of the OMHA and have just started building a relationship with our Regional Director. I feel consistency is most beneficial to our association because we are in need of some changes only the OMHA can provide. Every time the position changes takes us back to square one.
Josh Lamers
· I am a father of 3, owner of a Residential Appraisal Firm with my wife Hannah (Lamers Appraisal Services), a goalie and enjoy spending time with my family/friends and watching my kids play sports. My oldest son Linkin is a goalie for our U11AA team and my younger son Thatcher is also a goalie currently playing house league. I wish to hold the position of OMHA Centre Contact as I believe I have many attributes which would allow me to carry out this position at the highest standard possible. I am detail oriented, have great communication skills and overall very efficient. Running my own business, I deal with many different clients (homeowners, lenders, lawyers and mortgage brokers) on a daily basis which requires me to be extremely organized, professional and always multi tasking. I am extremely passionate about hockey and believe I can be a reliable, honest and hardworking OMHA Centre Contact for our organization.
Bill Woodman
· My name is Bill Woodman and I am a father of 4 with 1 child in NMHA and another 1 starting this year or next. I have been coaching/training for the association for approximately 10+ years and have volunteered in various roles on Executive for 5+ years starting at Equipment Manager to VP of House League, then President and also Events. I also have officiated for the OMHA for 20+ years. My passion is always hockey and have felt that if we do not have volunteers to give back to hockey there will not be any hockey.
Ice Scheduler = 1 Nomination
Patricia Flynn-Press
· My name is Patricia and I have been a NMHA hockey mom for 7 years now. Man time certainly flies! In my business life, I am an Account Manager for a large graphics company where scheduling plays a role in my daily duties. Prior to this, my husband and I ran our own company for 20 years where I pull from my experience, organizational and problem solving skills to successfully take on the role of Ice Scheduler for the NMHA. For the past 4 years, I have been NMHA’s ice scheduler so having the knowledge and relationships already for the position, within the lakeshore league and with our partners, will allow me to continue to contribute to the NMHA and the growth of our organization. There is nothing better than putting the kids first, supporting them to grow with confidence and maturity while playing the game we all love.
Treasurer = 2 Nominations
Jill Fanning
· I am humbled to accept my nomination for Treasurer for another term for NMHA. Being an active volunteer in many organizations for children is truly my passion. I enjoy participating in organized sports alongside my children and many other children that I am grateful for meeting and continuing to connect with so many families in hopes that I can help with creating positive memories. Showing support to our youth through volunteerism brings me joy and also allows to have open conversations in a good way. I have served one term as Treasurer for Northumberland Minor Hockey and it was definitely a learning curve as I was learning the ins and the outs of the organization and finding processes that work the best for everyone involved. To be voted in to complete another term would be an honour. Through my career journey I have been involved in financial documentation, balancing and maintaining many budgets for day to day operations of non profit organization and securing funding through grants or donations to be able to deliver services that are needed. Through both employment and volunteer opportunities I am very passionate about doing the best job I can for the good of all members.
Chad Munday
· I am honoured to be nominated for the position of Treasurer with the NMHA. My administration experience, education and passion align to the values of the organization and what I believe is required for the role. I bring over 15 years of experience leading complex teams and budgets within the post-secondary education system, currently serving as a dean for Loyalist College. I hold an honours commerce degree and MBA, majoring in finance, a Master of Education degree majoring in policy and a PhD in teaching and learning from Queen's which demonstrates my ability to work with data, policy and professional standards. I have also taught International Finance at Confederation College and Budgets in the Public Sector at Queen's. I currently sit on the Habitat for Humanity Northumberland Board and specifically serve the finance/audit and risk management committees. I am relatively new to the hockey world as I never played myself. I have two children who play hockey (U12AA and (will play) WILD house league) which has forced me to learn what icing and offside calls are (do not ask me the ref calls). I enjoy the social aspect that hockey brings to families and the values that hockey instills in youth; the opportunity to serve the Board and its families within Northumberland is something that I believe I can do well if voted in at the meeting. I have capacity to join the Board and the goodwill to work with the other executives to meet the objectives of the organization.
Secretary = 1 Nomination
Melissa Esler
· I am a mom of 3 boys, 13, 10 and 7. We are relatively new to Northumberland county, moving here from Clarington in 2019 but not new to the hockey world as our oldest has playing since he was 6. My older 2 children currently play within NMHA, both playing single A this past season, and our youngest is showing interest in playing hockey like his brothers too! I feel that parents of children that are currently playing within NMHA should be getting involved in what is happening in and around the arena. To help out, but also support the sport their children love to play so much.
Director of Development = 3 Nominations
Eric Fraser
· I have been with Northumberland Minor Hockey since my son started Junior IP in 2016. I have been both a Coach and Assistant Coach with NMHA over the years and most recently have spent my time for the last two seasons as Director of Development. Over those two years I have made significant changes to the Development Program in Northumberland that I feel will make a lasting difference for the development of our players and coaches within our organization. I have increased the number of development sessions per team and increased the amount of goalie development across all levels of our organization. This year I began to institute a coach mentoring program for our coaches that will provide support to our coaches and assist in training and retaining them as the valuable resource that they are to our organization. I have been active in getting Hockey Canada programs in place to guide coaches in getting their qualifications. I am a certified Field Evaluator for Hockey Canada with respect to certifications for Coaches up to Development 1 status. I enjoy this sport and have been playing it my entire life. I love the game. I have been coaching it since 2002. I would welcome the opportunity to represent NMHA again in this position to help see the Development program through. We have great things started in Development that will continue to see results in the future.
Brad Pomeroy
· Introducing Brad Pomeroy, a distinguished hockey coach, dedicated family man, and esteemed leader within the Northumberland hockey community. With his wealth of coaching experience across multiple sports, Brad brings a unique perspective and skill set to enhance player development. Brad is an executive member with the West Northumberland Girls Minor Hockey Association and has a deep commitment to advancing youth sports in Northumberland. As a coach of the U10AA Nighthawks team, which triumphantly advanced to the OMHA semifinals this past season, Brad possesses invaluable insights into the dedication, skill, and teamwork necessary for achieving remarkable success in hockey. With his firsthand experience guiding a team to such heights, he is exceptionally equipped to contribute to the development and growth of players within the Northumberland Minor Hockey Association. Let's enthusiastically support Brad Pomeroy in his pursuit of the Director of Development position, knowing that he will bring a wealth of knowledge and passion for player development to the role!
Paul Seggie
· Being a student and teacher of the game, Paul Seggie has been involved in hockey for over 35 years as a player and coach. He has worked with teams from the development levels of Initiation Programs (IP) all the way up to the Tier II Junior A level. Paul is a certified Hockey Canada Development 1 Coach working towards his NCCP-High Performance 1. He has experience as a Lead Instructor, running Hockey Camps and running Skill Development Sessions from house league up to AAA. Some of those organization include Northumberland Minor Hockey Association, St. Mary’s Varsity Hockey, Hockey Canada, University of Guelph, Cobourg Cougars Tier II Junior A, Don Mills Flyers AAA, Lakeshore Thunder AAA, OMHA Development Camps, Performance Hockey, and Elite Hockey Consultants. Paul comes from a hockey family, managing the commitments of two kids playing competitive hockey, along with being a billet family for the Cobourg Cougars.
I do not measured success by the number of championships or overall wins my teams have, but by the growth and development of each of the individuals on the team. The competitive edge and a drive to win is instilled in these players by those that teach them and it is my responsibility as a coach to given them the tools to challenge themselves. My focus is giving players the ability to challenge themselves on and off the ice. To ‘teach the skill but learn the lesson.’
Why should the NMHA grant you the Director of Development position you are applying for? I feel as though I have the right skill set and teachings as a responsible coach to help shape the lives of these young athletes and work/support the Coaching staff who are leading them. For myself this would be a great next step to expand my experience to be part of the NMHA Executive as I truly care about local hockey and ensuring proper pathways are set up to grow and develop our minor hockey players. Grown from coaching I have a passion for developing the game and a commitment to Northumberland Minor Hockey to see the continued development of our league and our players within. I have had a strong background in leadership, communication, work ethic and team building. Having the confidence, composure, and optimums a team and players needs to see from a leader will allow me to give back in this role as Director of Development for the NMHA.
Locally my family is very involved in community sports in Northumberland, from Baseball to Lacrosse, Soccer and Hockey. I have had an opportunity to coach within each of the sports, but my true passion is with hockey. Our family is also involved locally with the Cobourg Cougars as we have been billeting players for the past 5 years along with my wife’s role within the organization as Director of Operations, so our family has strong ties to hockey within Northumberland. In closing I feel as though I would be the right candidate for the position to develop the role. Knowing the sport and being a student of the game has given me the confidence and ability to given back by coaching.
Risk Management Officer = 3 Nominations
Chris Littlechild
· My name is Chris Littlechild, and I have been nominated for the position of Risk Management Officer for the NMHA executive for the 2024/2025 season. As a returning executive member, I am honoured to have been nominated for a consecutive year. I have been involved in minor hockey for the past 18 years, serving in many roles, such as head coach, development coach, and running the first shift program. I enjoyed being an Executive member last season and working together as a group for all members, most importantly, our kids to enjoy the game of hockey. I believe my organizational skills and the updated ideas I can bring to the NMHA make me a great candidate for this position. Thank you for your consideration.
Trenholm Parker
· My kids have been involved in local hockey for about 7 years. I was on the executive in 2022-2023 as the Equipment Manager. I enjoyed being a part of the group and assisting in the direction of the organization. The role as Equipment Manager allowed me to meet with many of the other volunteer coaches and staff throughout the season. I can appreciate the amount of time everyone dedicates, in all the different roles. I would like to explore the role of Risk Management Officer and bring my experiences to the organization. My experiences include working as a realtor for 13 years and previously as a general contractor. In these roles I have experience dealing with extensive legal contracts, and ensuring the parties involved have a sufficient understanding of the agreements they are entering into. It has been my job to brief them on the important details. Assessing risk is a big part of preparing and executing these types of documents. Effectively expressing the risks in a way that is understandable for anyone is a beneficial skill. Protecting our volunteer organization is the main priority of the risk management officer. Thank you for your consideration.
Jason Roberts
· Risk management is a position I feel I am qualified for. I have been a hockey coach since 2001 (Varsity at St. Mary Secondary School) and with the Cobourg Community Hockey League and most recently with the NMHA. I have a very in depth knowledge of the challenges that may arise over the course of a season. We want to ensure that our teams are free from bullying, harassment and maltreatment as stipulated in the guidelines of the OHF.
Not only have I had ample coaching success and have led teams that have typically performed at or above expectations, my professional career as an educator lends itself well to this position. I have been a teacher since 1999, and since 2012 have served in the role of school based administration. I am currently the principal of a secondary school in Northumberland county. I manage 80 plus employees and 800 students on a daily basis. My skill set is one that is natural for this role. I am not an overly emotional individual, I am calm, and am governed by my integrity. I am very adept at navigating conflict, by using a problem solving method where all parties feel heard and respected. While the respective parties may not always agree with decisions I make, they always have an opportunity to express themselves in a respectful manner. Whether I am coaching or whether I am working, the best interests of the players/students are at the root of my problem solving model.
Communications Officer = 2 Nominations
Shannon Drumm
· My name is Shannon Drumm. I have been the Communications Officer for the NMHA since 2020. My family moved to Cobourg in the summer of 2019 from a small town south of Hamilton, ON. My husband and I have 2 sons that have played rep level hockey since they were 7 years old. Our oldest played 4 years of Nighthawks hockey and aged out after the 2022/23 season. Our youngest son will start his 6th and final season with the Nighthawks this fall and will age out at the end of this coming season. Hockey has been a big part of my family's life for the last 16 years. We have all enjoyed meeting some great friends over the last 5 seasons of Nighthawks hockey both on and off the ice. There is nothing quite like a hockey family!! I hope to continue on the Executive for the 2024/25 season as the Communications Officer for my 5th and final year. I have had the opportunity to work along side some wonderful and dedicated volunteers over the last 4 years since joining the Northumberland Nighthawks Executive.
Courtney Stroich
· Hi! I am Courtney and I have been nominated for the Communications Officer position. I have two children who have played competitive hockey and lacrosse for more than 10 years in and around the Northumberland area. As a result of their athletic endeavors, I have been actively involved in the sport’s world as a team manager for multiple seasons, an executive member for other sport’s organizations, and I have volunteered countless hours of my time to serve the hockey community with whatever initiative has needed assistance. I feel I would be the ideal candidate for this position because I am organized, detail oriented, and can effectively communicate important information in a clear and concise way which will help to ensure that Nighthawk’s families get the details they need in a timely fashion.
Registrar = 2 Nominations
Joanna McCulloch
· My name is Joanna McCulloch, and I am the current/outgoing registrar. I joined the Nighthawks board two years ago and would like the opportunity to continue my time as a volunteer to help the organization in the same capacity, as Registrar. When I am not at the rink or field watching my kids play sports, I enjoy running, hiking and catching up on my favourite shows. I have enjoyed my time on the board these last two years and hope to continue to support the association for another term.
Kelly Morris
· I am excited to express my interest in volunteering with the NMHA. As a passionate supporter of youth sports and our community I am eager to contribute to the success of our association. My background in business management and previous volunteer experience coupled with my commitment to fostering teamwork and sportsmanship makes me a strong candidate for this role. I look forward to the opportunity to support our community.
Equipment Manager = 4 Nominations
Mike Jones
· My name is Mike Jones and I am looking to return to my role as Equipment Manager for next year's Executive. I enjoyed the role this year but feel there is always learning to be done and ways to improve the distribution of equipment to our teams. As a father of 2, who both play hockey I enjoy giving back to the hockey community in some way. This year I acted as trainer on both teams in addition to the Equipment Manager role on Executive. When not helping on the ice, you can usually find me on the diamond, as I coach 2 rep baseball teams within the Northumberland Jacks organization and the CCI high school baseball team. I look forward to continuing to help improve Minor hockey through the role of Equipment Manager and hope that what I have learned in year one can extend to improvements for year two. Working with Trudy and Lee at Source for Sports and Play it Again Sports respectively I hope to continue building relationships with local sporting good providers. We also discussed a plan to help make it easier to track equipment borrowing to make things easier for coaches, executive members and ensure equipment is borrowed and returned to keep costs controlled for the organization. Thank you all for trusting me with the role this year, I look forward to another great year of Northumberland Minor Hockey. Go Nighthawks Go!
Jared Van Dorp
· My name is Jared Van Dorp. I have 2 kids playing rep hockey in Northumberland. I am honoured to be nominated for the position of Equipment Manager. With more than 17 years of coaching experience and a lifelong love for the game, I have always committed to doing my part within the hockey community. I want all ages and levels of hockey to continue to grow and love the game. I contribute a lot to our hockey community with development, tournaments, and events. I feel that I can bring more to the players and the association with this position on the executive. I always strive to build strong relationships with the players and families around me, and I think this will complement my position in this role. Aside from my family, hockey is one of my biggest passions and priorities. I think that my commitment and values make me an ideal candidate for this position. Thank you for your time.
Trevor Watts
· I would like to hold the position of Equipment Manager as I love spending time at the rink and I have been involved in coaching in the organization. I think with my “players” first attitude I can be a valuable member of this Committee not just as Equipment Manager but eventually a bigger role! I know a lot about hockey and how the OMHA operates. I am honest (sometimes to a fault) and not afraid to speak my mind. The kids come first not the parents, not the coaches, and not the Executive members. I also know a lot of people in this community and would like to give back to minor sports as much as I can. I come from a sports family’s all of whom dedicated their younger years to minor sports in this community and I would like to carry on this tradition.
Leroy Woodman
· My name is Leroy Woodman, I am a father of 5 children, two of whom play hockey U10, U7. I have played hockey my whole life up to Junior C, and into my adult years, so I do have a large knowledge base when it comes to this sport. I wish to hold a position within Northumberland Nighthawks to help give back into the hockey community from my gained knowledge of years playing the game. I enjoy watching the game and helping the kids learn to play when assisting on the ice and have not missed a lesson or game this past season with my children. I have assisted the U15 and U14 AA team picks and practice on the ice for the last 2 years. I work in the professional trades, and usually available in the evening for games and meetings. I uphold myself in a professional manner and collaborate with team members to come to a resolution if a difficult situation arises.