WHL’S KEVIN MUENCH HONOURED BY HOCKEY CANADA

For more than 30 years, Kevin Muench has dedicated himself to the game of hockey – not as a player or coach, but as one of the most respected officials in the game. As an official on the ice and supervisor and administrator off of it, Kevin has seen and done it all in the game, earning himself this year’s Hockey Canada Officiating Award.

Although his on-ice career at the high levels of Canadian hockey ended in the mid 1990s, Kevin has stayed very involved in the game, working with Hockey Canada, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and the Western Hockey League to bring new ideas to the game and ensure the quality of the officiating keeps up with the quality of the on-ice product.

Kevin spent 13 seasons on the ice as a WHL referee, earning assignments to the National Junior A Championship, Canadian university championship and Memorial Cup as a Level VI official, and in 1992 reached the pinnacle of the officiating world when he worked the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France, the lone Canadian to receive the assignment.

Following his retirement as an active official, Kevin stayed involved with the WHL, supervising games for the league and helping develop its officiating program. He was rewarded for his hard work in 2001 when he was named the WHL’s director of officiating, a position he still holds today. Outside of his work for the WHL, Kevin has been heavily involved in Hockey Canada’s Officiating Program of Excellence and its officiating committee, bringing about changes to procedures, supervision and instruction at the national level.

—————————–

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada honoured ten community leaders from across the country during the awards banquet Friday night, held as part of the governing body’s 92^nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Westin Calgary.

The ten award winners are as follows:

Female Hockey Breakthrough Award (outstanding contribution to advancing female hockey)
Laurie Taylor-Bolton (Barrie, Ont.)

Liz MacKinnon Award (special contributions of a Hockey Canada volunteer’s spouse)
Jill Donovan (Quispamsis, N.B.)

Hal Lewis Award (Hockey Canada staff person who best exemplifies the spirit of the organization)
Dean McIntosh (Calgary, Alta.)

Gordon Juckes Award (outstanding contribution to the development of amateur hockey at the national level)
Jean-François Mouton (Boucherville, Que.)

Officiating Award (outstanding contribution to officiating at the branch and national level)
Kevin Muench (Moose Jaw, Sask.)

Hockey Canada Order of Merit – Atlantic (an individual who has served amateur hockey faithfully)
Glenn Hurley (Rothesay, N.B.)

Hockey Canada Order of Merit – Central (an individual who has served amateur hockey faithfully)
Réal Cyr (Montreal-Nord, Que.)

Hockey Canada Order of Merit – West (an individual who has served amateur hockey faithfully)
Lorne Wilm (Central Butte, Sask.)

Chair’s Award (an individual who has influenced the chairman of the board in a positive way)
Al Lymer (Edmonton, Alta.)

Outstanding Volunteer Award (outstanding volunteer work in amateur hockey and Hockey Canada)
Terry Engen (Eckville, Alta.)

Nominations for all awards were submitted by Hockey Canada’s 13 member branches and the winners were chosen by Hockey Canada’s selection committee. The success of minor hockey associations in Canada depends heavily on volunteers and Hockey Canada is pleased to recognize the individuals who contribute greatly to the game of hockey across the country.

More than 250 representatives from regional and provincial hockey associations are in Calgary for Hockey Canada’s 92^nd Annual General Meeting, which started Thursday, May 26 and wraps up Sunday, May 29.