By Kathy Johnson
Bear Point’s Mark Smith has been named Coach of the Year by the Valley High School Girls Hockey League.
Smith, who has been on the bench for the Barons’ squad for almost a decade, was presented with the award at the league’s closing banquet.
Smith and his wife Stephanie can both be credited as the driving force behind the start of organized girls’ hockey in Shelburne County.
“We got it going,” recalled Smith when contacted.
This past season with Smith on the bench, the Barons’ female hockey squad captured both the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federations’ (NSSAF) division and regional championship banners, advancing to the provincial championship tournament.
In league play, the Barons opened the season with a second place finish at the early bird tournament, and finished fourth overall for the regular season with a 9-5-1 record.
Jillian Thurber was named Team MVP for the season while Brittany Atwood was presented with the Team Coaches Award.


