This season marks the fifth year of the OMHA Coach of the Month presented by The Coaches Site. We asked for nominations of deserving coaches and after much deliberation, Shawn Perry of the Bradford U11 AE team was selected as the Coach of the Month for December.

Here's his story as told by his nomination:

Shawn Perry and his team of coaches deserve to be recognized as coach of the month for their dedication to our kids. Shawn strives to bring out the best in all the kids he coaches, he pushes them to their full potential. Shawn and his team will go above and beyond to make sure our kids are happy, learning and getting the most out of each practice. They come to every practice with a positive attitude for every child on the ice, and a huge smile on their face. They ensure the safety of our children at every ice time all while keeping smiles on their face. 

As a parent, I see player development and constructive coaching, and acceptance among players. Coach Shawn encourages all players on an individual basis as well as bringing his team together collectively. Our kids are each receiving an incredible minor hockey experience because of Coach Shawn, Coach Kai, Coach Louie and Coach John. Their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed.

I played A in Bradford as a kid and was part of the first team in the town to win the International Silver Stick tournament. I have lived in Bradford my whole life and been a part of Bradford Minor Hockey either coaching, reffing, or playing for 35 years.

I have noticed the kids this year were really happy and excited to be back after a long year off and just being as positive as we can and encouraging them in having fun as well as a strong work ethic. I like to ensure these kids are having a positive experience by talking to every kid 1 on 1 in every practice - asking them questions about how school is going, how they are enjoying hockey this year, making sure they are having fun.

Our coaching staff will go over a day or two in advance pulling parts from our games that we need to work on. We will than pick out drills to work on these areas and post on our team chat for parents knowing what we will be working on the night before practice.

Please note that all previous submissions are still eligible for upcoming Coach of the Month awards and do not need to be resubmitted.