Returning Coach Rick Traugott Heads up U22 SquadWe are delighted to confirm our U18 and U22 Coaching Staffs on Toronto Aeros benches in 2023-24, providing ongoing continuity and working collaboratively. Our team staffs will again be led by the following Head Coaches and Associate Head Coaches this season:
U22 Toronto Aeros led by Rick Traugott
Contact:
Rick: [email protected] or 905-376-0201
Head Coach Rick Traugott joined the Aeros U22 bench in the fall of 2022 and takes over the reins this season. He is a lifelong coach with nearly 40 years of experience working with young athletes. Since 2010-11, Coach Traugott has been working with Canada's National Women's Team serving as Camp coach with the U18 and Development teams, and Video Coach with the U18, Development and National Women's Teams. Rick was a Staff Member of teams winning the U18 Gold Medal at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Budapest, Hungary, a 2015 World Silver Medal with the NWT in Malmo, Sweden and U18 Bronze in 2018 in Dmitrov, Russia. Coach Traugott's resumé also includes coaching the Varsity boys’ and girls’ programs at Trinity College School, Ryerson University men's team, Wexford Raiders Tier 2 Junior A, Wexford Raiders Minor Bantam and Midget AAA, as well as the Brampton Thunder of the CWHL. He also served as Video Coach and Team Leader for the USports Women's Team that won a Silver Medal at the 2017 Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Coach Traugott has written several hockey books, as well as a hockey blog, and is an accomplished presenter and speaker. Having spent eight years in a high school classroom, his relatable style and ability to illustrate content with entertaining and understandable anecdotes and stories resonates with his audiences. He has spoken at many coaching conferences including the OFSAA Coaching Symposium, Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence Coaching Seminar and the International Coaching Symposium on many topics including “Sport Psychology - Creating a Culture of Confidence”, “Speed, Pressure and Simplifying the Game”, “The Torpedo Offence” and “Building a Stronger Team Community”. Rick and his wife have also served as Housemasters living in the girls’ dorm at Trinity College School, providing him with extremely valuable insight and experience in dealing with the full range of issues female student-athletes face as individuals outside of the field of play, which affects their ability to achieve their all-round potential on ice and in the classroom.
Whitney Kennedy Associate Coach
Whitney is in her 9th year with the Aeros, initially coaching with our former Bantam AA affiliate, before joining our Junior staff 4 years ago. Prior to that, she was a hockey instructor at Canlan Oakville hockey camps for many years. She is a two-year alumna of the Junior Aeros, where she was AssistantCaptain and Centre, winning a PWHL Championship. Following that, she won an ECAC regular season title and Ivy League Championship playing at then nationally-ranked Harvard, while earning All-Academic honours. She graduated from Harvard with an Honours degree in both History and Science (Mind Brain Behaviour certificate), and Global Health & Health Policy, and is currently a Director of Commercial Advisory & Strategy for Infrastructure Ontario.
Claire Dalton Associate Coach
We are excited to have Claire, a 3 year Aero alum of our U18 and U22 programs, rejoin the Aeros in her coaching debut. Claire first won Provincial Silver with our U18s, then PWHL Silver in 2017 and PWHL Gold in 2018 as an Assistant Captain. With Team Ontario Red, she won the National Championship in 2017, and was a member of Team Canada U18 in 2017-18. Claire graduated from Yale in Economics in 2023, achieving 4 year All-Academic honours.
Claire was elected Team Captain as a Senior, and received Yale’s prestigious Molly Meyer Humanitarian Award. She shattered Yale’s career assists record (89) set 35 years ago, earned 2nd team All-Ivy honours, 3rd team All-ECAC honours twice, All-ECAC Tournament honours and 2 Team MVP awards. As a Senior, she led the team in GWG including an OT winner to secure Yale’s first ever Ivy League title. Claire is #2 in career points for Yale with 133 points in 130 games.
Originally signed to a contract with the now defunct Toronto Six, Claire has been drafted #67 overall by Montreal in the recent inaugural PWHL draft.
Miriam Pass Associate Coach
Miriam Paas attended Bethel University where she played four years of varsity hockey and was named a captain of the team in her senior year. After graduating in 2009, she worked at Trinity College School for two years where she served as an assistant coach for their girls’ varsity hockey team. Following her time at TCS, Miriam worked as an Assistant Coach to the Queen’s women’s hockey team for 7 seasons. Assisting primarily with the defense throughout her time, she was able to support all players through practice planning and implementation as well as player evaluation, instruction, and mentorship. During her time with the Gaels, the team clinched a playoff berth each season and captured an OUA championship in the 2012-13 season.