Our CGHL community has enjoyed great success because we have been blessed with stop-at-nothing community builders (many who have been with CGHL since we were founded over 10 years ago). These charismatic organizers raise their hands to say, “There’s work to be done. I’ll lead the way!”

Community Builders are crucial for the success of our local programs and the CGHL and it’s with great pleasure that the CGHL will recognize our outstanding volunteers.

Qualities / Criteria:

• Often, a humble volunteer who always acts upon the needs of the CGHL community without being asked.
• Have volunteered in the CGHL and/or a CGHL local program for many years.
• Go above and beyond what is expected of them.
• Humble and do not seek recognition
• Passionate about our CGHL community.

As Lao Tzu says, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”

In some years there may be more than one recipient, but this highly prestigious award shall only be bestowed when nominees are clearly deserving.

Our CGHL community has enjoyed great success because we have been blessed with great leaders empathetic, and intuitive, with a vision of how to make things better for girls hockey in their program and/or the CGHL.

It has been said, “The task of the leader is to get people from where they are to where they have not been.”

“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.” ~ John F. Kennedy Before Gary LaChance and Lou Cassella co-founded the CGHL in 2005, a hockey league devoted to girls did not exist. The primary mission was to provide girls opportunities to try hockey and develop on all-girls teams. From the beginning, the CGHL has valued development, effort, fun, and excellence, and the tremendous opportunities hockey presents for growth in and out of the rink!

 Recipients of the LaChance Leadership Award will have demonstrated over many years, great vision, persistent action, steady leadership and growth in their local programs and/or the CGHL.

Qualities / Criteria:
• Often intuitive they demonstrate an ability to perceive positive change needed or desired and take action to make it happen and thereby strengthen our CGHL community.
• Volunteered in the CGHL and/or a CGHL local program for many years.
• A good communicator who inspires others to join in their mission and take positive action.
• Seek to delegate and involve others but believe in their vision so much so that they often take action to make it happen even when others are unable to help.
• Level-headed strategists, and connectors, unselfish and empathic who go out of their way to help others and strengthen our CGHL community.
• Humble and do not seek recognition
• Passionate about our CGHL community.

In some years there may be more than one recipient, but the honor of the prestigious LaChance Leadership Award shall only be bestowed when nominees are clearly deserving.

The CGHL has been blessed with GREAT coaches who value not only winning but also the opportunities to develop positive character traits for success with hockey and beyond. 

“The greatest coaches Teach, Inspire, Encourage, and Challenge players to believe and achieve more than they think they can”

• Great Coaches view hockey as a vehicle to teach life lessons
Great coaches value teaching life skills as well as hockey skills. Win, lose, or draw, great coaches understand “Winning is important, but seizing opportunities to practice and learn life skills is even more important.” They understand children rely heavily on adult feedback and take care to offer
positive feedback. They demonstrate a great understanding of Age Group age-appropriate development paths and value effort over results. They understand success has much more to do with players’ personal bests than final scores. Best coaches demonstrate respect for players, parents, officials, and opponents.

• Great Coaches keep learning
Great coaches keep learning to improve their coaching effectiveness. They are passionate about hockey and helping athletes realize their potential. Great coaches are creative thinkers, enthusiastic, and passionate about developing and improving every player on the team. They listen
to people, are approachable, reflect on their own performance, and seek ways to improve.

• Great Coaches are great teachers
Great Coaches are excellent teachers. They take pride in being prepared, organized, and ready to go(before they enter the rink). Great coaches prepare and demonstrate logical, well-planned skills progressions and drills. They understand that “a silent coach, is no coach” and offer appropriate
feedback, but they also understand when to keep quiet and give athletes time and space to work it out. Great coaches ask players questions to promote the internalization of skills and concepts. They develop psychological as well as physical skills (e.g. coping skills when nervous, feeling performance pressure, frustrated, or disappointed. They also recognize and help players develop resilience, kindness, fairness, appreciation for teammates, a positive mindset, self-confidence, and self-discipline).

• Great Coaches cultivate a healthy team culture
Great coaches cultivate a positive team culture. They help athletes understand it is much more important to ‘try’ new skills than avoid mistakes. They inspire and drive the team forward. Great coaches love to see players grow and improve hockey and life skills. They’re competitive and try to
win, but demonstrate a great ability to keep it all in perspective and enjoy the team’s journey together. They understand how to keep athletes motivated and are constantly learning and adjusting to meet their team’s and players’ challenges and needs.

• Great Coaches value every player on the team regardless of skill
Great coaches are inclusive, and supportive and believe in every player on the team regardless of skill. They understand players’ individual differences. They get to know their players and understand how to keep players motivated. They facilitate setting goals for individual players and teams. Great coaches understand Age Groups / developmental paths. They care. Great coaches support and yet challenge players to grow accustomed to feeling uncomfortable as players push themselves toward excellence.

Past Recipients

Cassella Community-Builder

2016-1017  Lou Cassella CGHL Co-founder

2017-2018

2018-2019  Joanne Duval -CT Northern Lights Rep./CGHL Secretary

2019-2020

2020-2021

2022-2023  Joanne Duval  -CT Northern Lights Rep./CGHL Secretary

2023-2024

2024-2025

LaChance Leadership Award

2016-2017  Gary LaChance  CGHL Co-Founder

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

2022-2023

2023-2024

2024-2025

Coach of the Year Award

2016-2017

2017-2018    

Amy Howland -Southern Stars U14 (See video below)

Marc Lebrie -Central CT Capitals U12

2018-2019

2019-2020

2020-2021

2022-2023

2023-2024

2024-2025