2023 Junior National Team coaching and support staff announced

Ringette Canada is pleased to announce the coaching team and support staff for the 2023 Junior National Team. 

 

Head Coach

Andrea Ferguson – Winnipeg MB

After five years as an athlete on the Canadian National Team and two seasons playing in Finland, Andrea Ferguson (Ando) focused on her coaching career. Appearing on the bench for Team Manitoba at 2 Canada Winter Games, as the current Head Coach of the Manitoba Herd in the National Ringette League and as an Assistant Coach for the National Junior Team in 2015, 2017 and 2022, Ando returns to the National Junior Team as the Head Coach. Ando brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and was recently (2022) inducted as the first Ringette Athlete into the Manitoba Sport Hall of Fame. Ando currently works for the Government of Canada.

 

Assistant Coach

Keely Brown – Edmonton AB

After 14 years as the goalie on the Ringette National Team, 8 years as Assistant Coach on the Senior National Team, and fresh off a silver medal with Team Alberta at Canada Winter Games, Keely is back for a second time as Assistant Coach with the Junior National Team. Keely brings vast experience as a Ringette goalie. She was inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame in 2014, was also the goalie for the Canadian Inline Hockey Team for 12 years, and is the Head of Legal for Oilers Entertainment Group. 

 

Assistant Coach

Colleen Hagan – Ottawa ON

Colleen Hagan is returning for the second time as an Assistant Coach to the National Team Program Bench. As an athlete, Colleen represented Canada in 4 National Team Programs. She played 1 year in the SM League in Finland (Luki-82), and enjoyed countless high performance experiences here in Canada. Colleen led the 2015 CWG Team Ontario to a Canada Games Silver Medal, and currently,  continues to coach and develop local athletes in the West Ottawa Ringette Association where she works as an elementary school teacher with the Ontario Catholic School Board.

Assistant Coach

 

Donnell Schoenhofen – Regina SK

Donnell Shoenhofen is returning to the national team program after being a part of the team staff with the 2010 National Team. Donnell was a part of the coaching leadership team that led Saskatchewan to a Bronze Medal at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.  She has also earned a variety of medals at the Western and Canadian Ringette Championships as both a coach and an athlete.  Donnell honed her craft as Master Coach Developer and Coach Evaluator for Ringette Canada and was a formative leader in the inaugural work by Ringette Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development committee.  Donnell current works as the Operations Manager for the Saskatchewan Corporate Registry.

 

Athletic Therapist

Melinda Krulicki – Red Deer AB

Ringette has been a big part of Melinda Krulicki’s life since she was 5 years old. She has played, coached, reffed and has been an Athletic Therapist with the Junior National Program since 2015. She has enjoyed being a part of an amazing group of staff and athletes throughout the years.  

 

Team Manager

Jocelyn Macleod – Winnipeg MB

Jocelyn has been a fixture in the ringette community for over 20 years. She is a proud ringette mom and has been involved as a Ringette MB board member, team manager and co-chair of the 2018 CRC. Jocelyn was Team Manager for the 2019 SNT in Burnaby and the 2022 JNT in Helsinki.

 

Mental Performance Coach

Jamie Bunka – Chestermere AB

Jamie Bunka is a Mental Performance Consultant who served as the mental skills coach for the 2022 Junior and Senior National teams. Outside of ringette she works as the mental performance manager for the Royal Canadian Air Force, delivering mental skills programs for elite performance and resiliency training.