Vikings hockey coach Brent Blaine receives MHSAA award

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This article was published 22/06/2024 (651 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The recipient of a provincial high school coaching award will be back on the bench for the Vincent Massey Vikings this fall for his seventh season.

Bench boss Brent Blaine will be back to defend the Vikings’ Westman High School Hockey League championship after defeating the Neepawa Tigers earlier this spring.

The Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association handed out its annual high school coaching awards at its annual general meeting in Winnipeg, and the Vikings coach was recognized.

The MHSAA is based on the tremendous support of volunteers, teachers, coaches, corporate sector, media, and various other stakeholders interested in the promotion of high school sport.

Blaine was nominated for Frank L. McKinnon Award, which is presented to an outstanding contributor to high school athletics.

The award is named in honour of the long-time principal of Carman Collegiate, Frank McKinnon, who was a past board member and MHSAA president.

Blaine received the award for his outstanding volunteerism in high school sport in Brandon, specifically Vincent Massey with the Vikings high school hockey program.

Six years ago, in his first season with the program, Blaine’s record was 0-24 in league play. He never gave up and through perseverance, determination, accountability and dedication he made it to the top of the mountain this season and led his team to the WHSHL championship.

Hockey is the most involved varsity sport at the Brandon high school, with the Vikings playing in more than 50 games, including three tournaments, and pre-season and playoff games.

According to Blaine, the team is on the ice more than 100 times, and the season spans six months.

“We all know how hard it is to find volunteer coaches, but to have that level of dedication from a non-teacher and volunteer coach over six seasons is outstanding,” wrote Blaine’s nominator to the MHSAA. “Brent’s own children are grown, and he coaches because he loves to give back and help mentor the players to become young men who are responsible, mature, polite, and conduct themselves with class.

“This is evident by the way that so many players come back after graduation to pitch in and help coach, run camps, or attend fundraisers.”

With many students struggling to find an identity, and a place where they are a part of something, Blaine provides that place through the team.

“He runs such a respected program that many players are now choosing to play high school hockey instead of trying out for teams at a higher level,” wrote his nominator. “Brent is accepting of all types of players, and some of his favourites are those students who struggle academically or behaviourally.

“He connects with them, and those players want to perform and produce for him. Not out of fear, but out of respect. Brent is old, but he isn’t old school.

“He understands that it is about relationships and doing the right thing. Coaching now is so different than it was 20 years ago. Many players have off ice issues, family expectations, politics, pressures, critics are everywhere, and you need to be much more than a person who delivers drills and changes lines.”

When you play for Blaine’s team there is discipline and consequences, but they relate to effort, sportsmanship and respect, not results.

» The Brandon Sun