Amy de Bree
The challenge for me is to describe myself as anything other than a hockey player. I started playing hockey at the age of 7, at 17 I was privileged enough to become a member of the UBC Women’s Ice Hockey team where I played 5 seasons. I then continued on to play one season in the WWHL for the BC Breakers, but unfortunately our season ended abruptly due to bankruptcy. This sent me into a spiral of depression as I grieved not only the end of our season, but the loss of my identity was a hockey player.
The end on my playing career became the beginning of my coaching career. I had worked a number of skills camps throughout my playing career, but with the end of that career, coaching became my primary focus and outlet for my desire to keep the sport in my life. It also marked my return to education, as I want back to school to get my teaching degree from UBC. I entered the teaching field when there was very limited work, which ended up being a blessing in disguise as it gave me extra time to hone my coaching skills, and to continue to my education.
I am now privileged to work part-time as a High School Teacher and as a hockey coach. I am an Assistant Coach with the Greater Vancouver Canadians U18 team, I am a volunteer coach and coach evaluator for BC Hockey, and I do skill development for a number of hockey associations in the Lower Mainland. I have earned a masters of education in coaching studies with a focus in athlete transition and I am currently working on a doctorate of social sciences with a focus on coaching and organizational practices and the development of athletes as whole beings.