The ALLIANCE Hockey Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes outstanding contributions, involvement and service to ALLIANCE Hockey. ALLIANCE Hockey Volunteer of the Year Award recipients have displayed commitment to the ideals of ALLIANCE Hockey, have worked tirelessly for the improvement of the game at their local Association level and have made a notable impact on both the game an the players involved.
The 2016 recipient was Jack McNaughton, nominated by Stratford Minor Hockey (SMHA). SMHA nominated Jack based on his long history of service in the community and felt that Jack was very deserving of the prestigious award.
Jack started out in 1992 in a Trainer and Manager role with an SMHA team. He joined the SMHA Board of Directors in 1994. From 1995 to 1997 Jack served on the board as the Ice Scheduler. 1997 was a busy year for Jack; he was elected as SMHA President. He also won the Executive of the Year award for SMHA in addition to winning the City of Sports Person of the Year award.
In 1998 Jack served as the SMHA Liaison for Alliance Hockey.
From 2001 to 2012 Jack has served as our Silver Stick Tournament Director. In this time Jack pioneered several changes to the tournament. He had proposed and succeeded in increasing the size of the divisions from 5 teams to 8 teams. He has changed the format of the tournament from a 4 day tournament to splitting it up into two 3 days tournaments to maximize the best use of our ice time. This year Jack has negotiated with the City of Stratford for a lower ice cost for the tournament for the next three years. This will be a significant saving for the SMHA/Rotary tournament. Currently Jack is the tournaments Registrar.
In 2004 Jack was voted in as a Lifetime Member of SMHA. Again in 2007 Jack won our Executive of the Year award.
From 2009 to 2012 Jack was our Chairperson for the Alliance Hockey MD Championships tournament. This tournament was a key fundraiser for SMHA and even through power outages at the arena the tournament was very well run.
In 2012 Jack established the Tom Fairbairn scholarship award for kids who have played for SMHA.
In 2013 Jack was the recipient of the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award given by the Stratford Rotary Club, in recognition for funds raised for the Rotary Club through the Silver Stick tournament.
SMHA hosted the 2015 Peewee A and Bantam AA, OHF Championships and Jack was the Chairperson for this committee as well.
Today, Jack is still an active Lifetime Member of our Board of Directors.
Not only does Jack donate his time to hockey, he is an avid golfer at the Stratford Municipal Golf Course. In 2010 Jack started serving as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the golf course, and still holds this position. He volunteers with the Junior Golf Program.
Jack started with the Stratford Lakeside Seniors Association in 2014 as Vice President of the Woodwork Shop.
For 10 years Jack worked with the Stratford Perth United Way, organizing a mixed slow pitch tournament to raise money.
For over 23 years Jack has donated his time to the youth of our community and exemplifies a positive role model for all. SMHA would like to congratulate Jack on receiving this well-deserved award.