Coaches
2024 / 2025 Head Coaches
The Ottawa Jr 67s Executive Board, along with the HEO D14 Executive, and HEO AAA Technical Director, have approved the following coaches for the 2024-25 AAA season. We would like to thank all the independent coach selection committee members who assisted the club in working through all our applicants and interviews.
U12 – Ryan Steeves
We are pleased to announce Ryan Steeves as the head coach of the U12 Ottawa Jr67s team. Ryan’s approach to coaching is influenced by decades of playing competitive, collegiate and professional hockey and, since 2007, coaching CIS hockey (U of O Gee-Gees men’s team) and competitive minor hockey within the Ottawa Sting MHA. Ryan has a passion for coaching young, competitive athletes, and is known for building a team culture that helps both the player and team elevate. His approach is based on personal connections with the athletes; creating individual and team development plans that get the most out of both, while placing big value on learning, team discipline, effort – and fun. As a new coach within the Ottawa Jr 67s organization, Ryan is excited to help the U12 team find its identity, and transition successfully to AAA hockey.
U13 - Tawnya Guindon
We are proud to introduce Tawnya Guindon as the new head coach of the U13 Ottawa Jr 67s. She has spent the last two years as head coach at the Ottawa 67’s AA teams and three years prior as assistant coach and head scout of the Carleton University Women’s Hockey Team. She played professional hockey in Sweden in the SDHL for two years and 5 years for the Carleton University Women’s Hockey Team where she served as team captain in her final two seasons, was named Offensive Player of the Year twice and a Finalist for the Most Outstanding University athlete.
U14 - Matt Shahen
We are pleased to announce the return of Matt Shahen as our U14 Head Coach. He’s a young, energetic coach who has held various minor hockey coaching positions over the last nine years with various clubs including the Renfrew Wolves U18 AAA, Myers Automotive AAA, Upper Canada Cyclones AAA and Nepean Raiders AA. Coach Matt is an avid believer that there is no sense of entitlement to neither a player/parent. Hockey is a team game, and no person/player is larger than the team and/or the game. Over the years, Matt has had the vast responsibility to teach and create a positive, structured, and disciplined environment for young athletes to develop both their on and off the ice skills. He looks forward to returning to the Ottawa Jr. 67's organization after a very successful season.
U15 - Jamie Smith
We are pleased to have Jamie Smith return for a 7th season as a Head Coach with the Ottawa Jr 67s Hockey Club. He’s a Hockey Canada High Performance coach with a wealth of coaching knowledge and experience and over 12 years coaching minor hockey in the Ottawa area and was recently recognized by the OHL's 67s organization as the inaugural recipient of their Community All-Stars Coaches Award. Along with coaching, he’s currently the Director of Development and coach mentor for the Gloucester Rangers and a scout for the CCHL Ottawa Jr. Senators A Club.
U16 - Jim Cooke
Jim Cooke returns to our U16 program for the upcoming season. He’s a Hockey Canada High Performance certified coach that has been coaching minor hockey for 29 years . He has coached various age groups and levels from initiation to Junior A, he spent the past 9 years with the Ottawa Jr. 67s AAA Hockey Club and an additional 5 years with the Gloucester Rangers U16 AA team. Jim, also worked for Hockey Eastern Ontario as a course facilitator teaching Hockey Canada coach certification courses to new coaches and as well held the position of Community Grassroots Coordinator. Jim also spent 8 years as a member of the Orleans Minor Hockey Association Board of Directors where he held the position of Director of Competitive overseeing the Rep B program. In 2009, Jim initiated a highly successful coach mentorship program in Orleans that still runs today.
U18 - Dave Byrne
The Ottawa Jr 67s are pleased to welcome Dave Byrne as our U18 Head coach. He is a High Performance Coach with over 20 years of coaching experience, including the last 7 years with the Eastern Ontario Wild AAA Association and most recently as an Assistant Coach with the Rockland Nationals JR.A. team. Dave values his role as a teacher and always prioritizes a personal connection with players, while at the same time holding them accountable to be better athletes, teammates, and leaders. His coaching philosophy revolves around creating a team culture that is rooted in pride and creativity and a learning environment that is player-centered, teaching winning habits that will translate to the next level.
