2024 Ken and Beryl Knudtsen Memorial Spirit Award Winner – Connor Allen

Trails West Wolves – U13 2 Red

https://www.trailswesthockey.com/twha-awards/#Knudtsen-Spirit-Award

Connor Allen’s Head Coach submitted an outstanding nomination letter for Connor.  Here is an excerpt:

What sets Connor apart is his unwavering commitment to the game, to himself, and to his team. Connor is self-motivated and always comes ready to play. His pregame rituals involve dressing in his team apparel, listening to his favorite tunes and visualizing the player he wants to be on the ice. He is a tenacious player, leads by example (both on and off the ice) and gives you everything he has got each and every time he hits the ice. Connor goes out of his way to recognizing team members efforts, whether it’s exchanging fist bumps during line changes or offering words of encouragement on the way out of the rink. Connor’s uplifting presence has a profound impact on team morale.

Connor’s passion for hockey extends beyond just scoring goals; he finds immense joy in setting up his teammates for success, often favoring the role of playmaker with precision passes, particularly his signature cross-crease passes. I have witnessed firsthand his enthusiasm and selflessness in celebrating his teammates’ accomplishments. Connor rarely misses a game or practice and always shows up ready to work hard. One thing is for sure, you can always count on him for his dependable back-check and endless pursuit of the puck regardless of the role he has been asked to play, and he has been asked to play many for us this year. Connor thinks the game of hockey at an exceedingly high level and does not stray away from asking questions at practice or in a game, therefore possessing a strong coachable mindset and encouraging the same of his team.

Connor also puts in the extra work to evolve his game. He spends countless hours at home perfecting his shot and his parents lovingly joke about multiple garage door and drywall dents, and subsequent drywall repairs, which prompted the purchase of a new shooting tarp for their garage door. Connor can now be found outside, sometimes in the dark and in the cold, honing his craft. Furthermore, this year Connor advocated for further development outside of our team, so on Tuesdays & Thursday mornings Connor eagerly attends a breakfast skate. During this ice time he works hard on developing the technical side of his game. Although he’s not necessarily a morning person, particularly when it comes to school mornings, his parents report that he has no issues making the early morning sessions to do what he loves!

As the recipient of this award, Connor received:

 

  • $500.00 gift card to Play-It-Again Sports Westhills
  • His name on the Memorial Trophy displayed at the Flames Community Arenas
  • Personalized engraved metal water bottle “trophy”

 

A TWHA player in need of financial assistance will receive $500.00 towards their TWHA registration for the 2024-2025 season in Connor’s name.  Another part of this Award, three $250 gift cards, were donated from Play It Again Sports Westhills which will be offered to TWHA players seeking financial assistance for equipment for the 2024-2025 season.

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