Pilot Mound Hockey Academy Announces Coaching Staff for Male U17 Prep Program. Rick McConnell will continue as head coach and Danny Carels will transition to assistant coach after spending the last two seasons with the Male U15 Prep program. 

Rick is a native of Pilot Mound where he played his minor hockey. He went on to play four seasons with the Pembina Valley Hawks in the MB AAA Midget League, the Winkler Flyers of the MJHL and Pilot Mound Pilots of the THHL. McConnell began his coaching career in 1992.  Rick has been coaching with Pilot Mound Hockey Academy since its inception in 2015 with the Male U17 Prep Program.

Some of his coaching highlights include coaching the PV Hawks AAA Midgets for 11 seasons, being quite successful and winning the League Championship in 1996. During that time he was selected to coach the Western AAA All Stars on 6 occasions. Several years were spent coaching his boys in minor hockey as well as helping lead the Pilot Mound Senior team to a League Championship. Rick also led the PMHA Midget Varsity Buffaloes to a CSSHL Championship in 2020, and a NAPHL Championship in 2023. Rick is also employed by Prairie Spirit School Division and works at Pilot Mound Collegiate Institute. 

Danny is also a familiar face after spending the last two seasons with PMHA’s Male U15 Prep program. Previously, Danny coached the AA Pembina West U15 Program for 5 years, as well as the Pembina Tigers High School Program. Danny is part of the Carels & Carels Skill Development Camps and is a talented skills instructor. Danny is currently enrolled in High Performance Coaching Certification through Hockey Manitoba. Danny is well known in the hockey world, having coached and played his minor hockey in Holland and later through out the area; finishing off his playing with the Swan Lake Cougars.

Rick and Danny are looking forward to a successful campaign with the Male U17 Prep program next season!

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