OLDS — As a longtime summer hand for his family at Shooting Star Ranch in his hometown of Halkirk, east of Stettler, Matt McKnight has always appreciated the value of hard work.
It’s a virtue McKnight is looking to carry forward into the coaching ranks after being named the head coach of the Olds College Broncos women’s hockey team, inheriting a program that reached the ACAC Women’s Hockey Championship final for the first time last season.
“Working on a ranch taught me that you get out what you give in,” McKnight said. “Without a good work ethic, nothing will get accomplished on a ranch, and I think this applies to hockey as well.”
McKnight replaces Chris Leeming who coached the Broncos Women’s hockey team for five years and is now the head coach of the MacEwan University Griffins.
During his time at the helm of the Broncos, Leeming was named the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women’s Hockey Coach of the Year twice – during the 2019-20 season and last season.
Assistant coaches Cody Leeming and Ally Bendfeld remain on the Broncos staff, with Bendfeld having been involved since Olds College started its women’s hockey program eight years ago.
“Matt not only brings his work ethic and leadership skills to the Broncos, he also brings a fresh perspective to Olds College and ACAC women's hockey,” said Olds College athletics manager Trina Radcliffe.
“He has always been regarded as a leader throughout his playing career, and we are so honoured that he chose Olds College to start his coaching career.”
A draft pick of the Dallas Stars in 2004, McKnight comes to the Broncos after completing a 14-year professional playing career, starting with the East Coast Hockey League’s Idaho Steelheads before playing his final 11 seasons in Germany.
He spent the last nine seasons with the Bietigheim Steelers, winning three DEL-2 championships (2014-15, 2017-18, and 2020-21) and earning Player of the Year honours in 2018-19 before the Steelers earned a promotion to the DEL’s top tier for his final season.
As he returns to Alberta with his wife and two kids, McKnight is looking forward to the challenge of making the transition from playing to being behind the bench.
“I think communication is the most important thing for a coach,” he said. “The best coaches I had during my playing career were the ones that always had open lines of communication and everyone on the team knew exactly what was expected of them.”
McKnight is also a former varsity student-athlete in his own right, having played four seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (2004-08) and serving as team captain in his final two seasons.
“I know the players have a very busy life, with lots going on, being students and hockey players,” he said. “My hope is to make their time here at Olds a time where they felt supported and that they enjoyed being a student-athlete.”
As a player who wore multiple letters throughout his career, McKnight referred to himself as a quiet leader, though he is ready for the challenge of becoming more vocal behind the bench.
“I think when being a leader, it is very important to be authentic — do not try to be someone you are not,” he said. “If your teammates and coaches view you as a leader, then there is no reason to change what you are doing.”
Looking ahead, McKnight believes the key ingredient to a winning team is to have players who are willing to work hard for themselves and each other, and he is looking to build a winning model with the Broncos.
“I want to coach a team that works hard every game and is a team the fans can be proud of,” he said. “From what I have been told, the group we have is exactly that. I am sure the fans will enjoy watching this season.”
The women’s hockey Broncos will open their 2022-23 season on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. against the SAIT Trojans at the Olds Sportsplex.
For more information on the Olds College Broncos, please visit GoBroncos.ca, or follow the Broncos across social media @OldsBroncos.
This story, edited by the Albertan, was written by Olds College Sports Information coordinator Geordie Carragher.
