Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 82

Heggie knows all about
work. But she was also a
player herself and that helps.
She started playing the game
at age seven at home in
Stonewall and played mixed,
small-town boys and girls
hockey growing up. At 12,
she moved over to the all-
female Stonewall Blues and
then, when she started high
school, she played for the
Stonewall Collegiate Rams.
After graduating high school,
she moved on to Polar Ice
in the MWJHL and after
four years with Polar Ice, she
joined the coaching staff as
an assistant.
“Then the Owls asked me
to take over as head coach
and that’s where we are
today,” Heggie said. “We have
a very interesting team this
year. Of the 18 players on the
roster, all but only three are
brand new. There is a lot of
potential this season.
“But because we are so
new, we need more practices.
We have lots of growing
8 2 | G AM E ON | N OVEM BER 2017
up to do as a team. But I
think we’ll get that done by
Christmas and be fighting for
the championship.”
It’s rather odd, but Heggie
is the only female head coach
in a women’s hockey league.
There are, indeed, a number
of female coaches: Co-coach
Chantal Hebert with Polar
Ice, assistant coaches Ashley
Sabescay and Sam Frost (who
finds the time even though
she’s a U of M Medical
student) with Manitoba
Blizzard, Co-coach Haley
Vandepoele and assistant
coach Nicole Gregoire with
the Silvertips, Christina
(Tina) Keeper with Prairie
Blaze and Jayne’s assistant,
Lauren Osborne, with
the Manitoba Gray Owls.
However, Heggie is the only
female coach who is referred
to as “head coach.” All the
others are either “co-coach”
or “assistant coach.”
So does Heggie, now
in her fourth season with
the Owls, believe there
should be more female
coaches in the MWJHL?
“Yes,” she said bluntly.
“Absolutely. Without a doubt.”
Kirk Kuppers, the president
of the MWJHL, is thrilled
that more former players and
other young women have
decided to take up coaching.
He calls it, “a feather in
the cap of the league.”
“Jayne is a former player
who loves the league
and loves coaching,” said
Kuppers. “She is working
to get all of her coaching
certification levels. You have
to admire her dedication.
She’s attending clinics and
working on all of her skills
to become a better coach.”
Kuppers says the league
encourages its former players
to become involved as coaches.
“We have so many ex-
players who love the league
and want to coach and we
encourage them to join our
teams,” Kuppers said. “We are
very proud of these young
women who have come back
and give back to the league.
They may not see it as giving
back, but we certainly do.”
Heggie has her training
from Smart Academy to
be a First Responder, but
right now she’ s working as a
purchaser for Winnipeg-based
Eecol Electric. The fact that
she works a 9-5 job gives her
“plenty of time,” to coach her
hockey team. And she loves
coaching. Perhaps because
she got into it for one simple
reason: Her deep love for the
game of hockey. Now, she is
completely committed to it
and, like her players, looks to
improve with every practice
and every game.
“When I was a player, I
was always interested in
coaching,” she said. “I’ve
always enjoyed teaching
people the game I love
so much. I also enjoy the
friendships and relationships
I’ve built through hockey. I
really enjoy the atmosphere
and I just love being at the
rink.” ❍