AHCA Honors Bourbeau
Princeton assistant coach Amy Bourbeau is the inaugural recipient of the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Ice Hockey Assistant Coach Award, it was announced Thursday by the Officers and Governors of the AHCA.
The award recognizes the career body of work of an assistant coach in women’s ice hockey. Bourbeau will be presented the award at the 2011 AHCA Convention in Naples, FL, April 28-May 1.
Complete list of honorees can be accessed as a PDF by clicking here
Passionate, professional, and efficient are three words that immediately come to mind when describing Amy Bourbeau. She has served along side Princeton head coach Jeff Kampersal for 12 years in a partnership that is believed to be the longest of its kind in NCAA Division I women’s ice hockey. Said Kampersal in nominating Bourbeau for this award, “When Amy first came to Princeton, I was a young coach trying to define the culture of our program. Amy’s forthright, honest approach created an environment that was disciplined and conducive to learning. An excellent communicator, Amy outlined roles and expectations, which increased our team’s competitiveness and ultimately our team’s wins.
“Amy has a brilliant hockey mind. Perhaps, her greatest strength is her ability to make in-game adjustments. She excels at attacking other team’s weaknesses as well as solidifying areas of improvement that would help our team. Furthermore, she works tirelessly watching game tape, so she can best prepare our players during a typical week’s practice. In her practices, she mixes repetition and creativity. She understands that basic skills are required to win and must be practiced repetitively. Using small games, she makes players think by simulating game-like situations.”
A 1996 graduate of Providence College, where she led the Friars to three ECAC titles, Bourbeau began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Middlebury College in 1996. She served as the head coach at Williams College for one season before joining the Princeton staff for the 1999-00 season.
