Gordon Juckes Award – Serge Bourgeois (Hockey New Brunswick)

For Serge Bourgeois, a love of the game starts right from the first strides.

He has been instrumental in organizing and promoting the Hockey Canada U7 program with Hockey Dieppe-Memramcook (where he serves as technical director), ensuring young players are introduced to the game in a fun, safe and development-focused environment. Through this initiative, Serge has created a weekly “early risers” program and developed a structured pre-season camp, both of which have significantly enhanced player engagement and skill development.

A strong advocate for age-appropriate development, Serge carefully designs and implements practice plans tailored specifically to players in each division. His approach emphasizes skill progression, enjoyment and inclusivity, helping to foster a lifelong love of the game among young participants.

Beyond player development, Serge is deeply committed to mentoring coaches. He consistently supports new and emerging coaches by providing constructive guidance, sharing best practices and maintaining open lines of communication. His willingness to step onto the ice at a moment’s notice to assist demonstrates his hands-on leadership and dedication to the success of others.

He also places a strong emphasis on fair play, respect and sportsmanship—values that are central to the game and essential in shaping positive experiences for all participants.

Provincially, Serge has contributed through involvement with Hockey New Brunswick, assisting with U9 programming, AAA committees and coach development initiatives. His ability to connect with players, coaches, and administrators alike makes him a highly respected and valued member of the hockey community.

Female Breakthrough Award – Julie Venselaar (Hockey BC)

Julie Venselaar has been the driving force behind the growth of girls’ hockey in Powell River, B.C.

A mother of two daughters who played university hockey with the University of British Columbia, Julie was approached by a group of women who had started a small program in her community to support local girls who played on boys’ teams with the Powell River MHA.

As the program grew, so did Julie’s involvement. More players began to register with the girls’ program, creating a need for a team of volunteers (coaches, team managers, keen parents) with the right mindset for working with girls in the game. Julie helped provide coach training and mentorship opportunities for team officials, and educated the Powell River MHA Board of Directors about the importance and challenges of keeping girls in sport.

This season, 79 girls played minor hockey at all levels in Powell River, along with nine women serving as coaches and two as officials. With Powell River accessible only by ferry, there are limited options for high-level hockey. Julie is currently focused on working on creative solutions to that problem, looking to create tournament teams, host development camps and weekends and combine forces with neighbouring associations to provide development opportunities for girls.

She has ensured programming is delivered with quality, respect and a focus on sustainability—not simply a one-off event but a meaningful, ongoing difference in the lives of young girls.

Beyond what she does with the hockey program, Julie is a person of integrity, empathy and initiative. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and others naturally gravitate toward her vision and energy.

Officiating Award – Marc Maisonneuve (Hockey Quebec)

Marc Maisonneuve dedicated his life to officiating. From his beginnings as a junior official in the Outaouais region to the highest provincial and national levels, his 30-year career was that of a builder deeply committed to the development of officials both on and off the ice.

Known for his leadership and ability to bring people together, Marc—whose sudden passing on Feb. 24, 2026 deeply affected the national officiating community—left his mark far beyond the roles he held. Those who worked alongside him remember an attentive mentor, always available, capable of guiding officials with fairness, high standards and kindness.

His understanding of the game, his rigour and his sense of fairness made him a leading figure in the field. But it is above all his human approach that has left a lasting impression. He took the time to listen, to train and to support.

Marc served as referee-in-chief for Hockey Quebec from 2009-15 and as officials coordinator for 2015-24 and was a national officiating coach for Hockey Canada for nearly 20 years. He helped shape generations of officials, both in Quebec and across Canada, by passing on not only technical knowledge but also essential hockey values. Even in high-level environments, whether in the QMJHL, AHL or PWHL, he remained true to his core values, sincerely committed to the development of others.

Through the diversity and duration of his commitments, Marc made a significant contribution to the development of officiating in Quebec and Canada, in terms of training, governance and excellence.

Order of Merit (Atlantic) – Arnie Farrell (Hockey Nova Scotia)

Arnie Farrell has dedicated over two decades of volunteer leadership to hockey in Nova Scotia, guided by the principles of welcoming everyone and putting the player first. His contributions have helped shape the game at the local, provincial and national levels, making hockey more accessible, inclusive and player focused.

His influence extended far beyond the rink, shaping the future of hockey in Nova Scotia through decades of leadership. As president of the Antigonish MHA, Arnie played a crucial role in growing the game locally before stepping onto the provincial stage with Hockey Nova Scotia.

Over his 23-year tenure with Hockey Nova Scotia, he held multiple leadership positions, including Minor Council chair, vice-president of operations, president and past president.

During his time as president, Arnie led Hockey Nova Scotia through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety and engagement of players, coaches and officials. He was also a driving force behind the creation of the Hockey Nova Scotia Diversity and Inclusion Task Force in 2019, becoming a key advocate for making the game more welcoming and accessible to all.

A retired teacher and school administrator with the Strait Regional School Board, Arnie devoted 35 years to shaping young minds, serving as a principal in various communities, including Mulgrave, Guysborough, Sherbrooke and Antigonish. His leadership in education mirrored his commitment to hockey, both driven by a passion for fostering growth, inclusion and opportunity.

A lifelong advocate for education, community and the game of hockey, Arnie’s contributions have impacted countless individuals. His legacy is one of leadership, integrity and a belief that hockey should be a game for everyone.

Order of Merit (Central) – Hugh Riddle (Ontario Hockey Federation)

A respected leader whose career spans more than 50 years across both the metallurgy and mining industry and amateur hockey administration in Ontario, Hugh Riddle has left his mark on the game.

Hugh has dedicated decades to hockey. A longtime coach and manager at the minor hockey level, he also served in leadership roles as a trainer, association president and administrator.

His governance contributions included time on the board of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, where he also served as vice-president, and three years as a director with the Ontario Hockey Federation. During his tenure, he chaired several key committees, including the minor committee, junior council, scholarship committee and audit Committee.
 
Professionally, Hugh built an extensive career rooted in Sudbury, specializing in project management and smelter operations. He spent 30 years at a major Ontario smelter, rising to roles such as general foreman and superintendent.
 
Throughout his career, Hugh played a key role in numerous large-scale industrial projects with organizations such as Glencore and Vale. His work included major initiatives like the Onaping Depth Project, Copper Cliff Smelter upgrades and rebuilds, Falconbridge Smelter enhancements and international contributions such as the Onça Puma Line 1 rebuild in Brazil. His leadership and technical knowledge made him a trusted figure in delivering complex, high-impact projects across the mining sector.
 
Now retired, Hugh leaves behind a legacy defined by leadership, commitment and a lasting impact on both industry and the hockey community across Ontario.

Order of Merit (West) – June McKenzie (BC Hockey)

June McKenzie has been an important part of hockey in British Columbia since 1987, when she first got involved as a parent. Almost four decades later, her impact is still being felt.

In 1990, June joined the executive committee of the Trail MHA, where she held many positions—special events coordinator, division supervisor, secretary, treasurer and vice-president. In her time with Trail, she chaired several tournaments, including a number of BC Hockey provincial championships. 

In 1993 she became involved with the West Kootenay MHA and volunteered in various roles, such as statistician, division governor, secretary and secretary-treasurer. During this time she was also the BC Hockey representative for a female U13 provincial championship in Trail. 

In 2010, more than 20 years after she first started giving her time to the game, June was elected as the West Kootenay district director for BC Hockey, earning a well-deserved place on the board of directors. When a new board structure was implemented in 2015, she chose not to run for re-election, instead taking on a new challenge as the branch coordinator for minor hockey operations, a role she continues to hold today.

In 2023, June received the ultimate recognition from BC Hockey when she was given Life Membership, one of only 24 individuals—and just two women—to be given the honour.

June has played a major role in the growth of minor hockey not just in the Kootenays, but across the province.