ODHA director Sennott earns Mayor’s Cup for outstanding contribution to sport in Ottawa

By Dan Plouffe

Many people know Rick Sennott in many different ways in Ottawa. That’s bound to happen when you’re involved in hockey as a volunteer and through your career work for 52 years.

Some know Sennott as the kid from Ottawa West who played for St. Francis D’Assise School and then went on to found the Golden Knights Jr. ‘B’ Hockey Club. Many recognize him as the face of the Ottawa District Hockey Association, where he’s been the executive director for 20 years.

And many more know him for the piece the 68-year-old is most proud of himself – volunteering as a presenter of Coaching Association of Canada courses to over 10,000 participants.

“That way they are better equipped to educate the kids,” Sennott notes. “We need to get people away from thinking that the only way to learn is to play games. That’s always been a challenge – to get guys that run good practices to teach the kids some good skills and make sure they’re taught well.”

Sennott enjoys working with initiation program kids the most himself, explaining that if skills are learned properly at a young age, then future coaches won’t have to work harder to break bad habits that have formed.

“If we don’t teach the kids right the first time, the coaches have a tough time coming after them,” Sennott explains, highlighting that concussion awareness has become a key topic in recent years that was never before present. “They’re the future. They’re the grassroots of the hockey programs in the community.”

Sennott recently got a note from someone who took a course that said, “Had a great time, learned a lot, day was too short, wish we could have gone longer,” he recounts.

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“Usually when you go to a workshop, the first thing you want to do is get the hell out,” Sennott laughs. “It’s nice when you get a note like that. That makes you feel pretty good.”

But being involved with hockey at an administrative level is “definitely not roses,” as Sennott puts it.

“The mind is a great thing, but it’s like a parachute – it only works if it’s open,” Sennott says, relaying a favourite expression of his. “When you’re faced with a challenge, it’s very easy to become negative. But the whole idea is to listen to the challenge, find out what the problems are, and try to see if there are any solutions you can suggest.

“One thing I’ve learned over the years is for every problem, there is a solution. Sometimes it takes a little more digging, but if you want to solve the problem, it can be solved.”

One problem Sennott does not expect to face when he retires from the ODHA this coming June is how to fill his time. He plans on spending more time in Florida, maybe even run some coaching clinic for USA Hockey, and continue to play three times a week for his Florida Snowbirds team out of Fort Myers.

“Hockey’s a fun game. Although some of the oldtimers still think they’re going to the National Hockey League,” smiles Sennott, who identifies the life skills that the game teaches such as teamwork, patience, and goal setting as reasons that have kept him involved for so long. “It’s the passion. You love the game, and you want to see it grow.”

Sennott has received many honours for volunteerism, and most recently was awarded the Mayor’s Cup for outstanding contribution to sport in Ottawa by Jim Watson at the Ottawa Sports Awards banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Algonquin College.

During his remarks, Sennott sent his biggest thank you to his wife – who he’s sure only allowed him to get into hockey because she is British and didn’t know what the game was in Canada – for her support throughout his hockey adventure.

He was also pleased to share it with other family, as well as ODHA board members, including a couple who were also recognized by the Ottawa Sports Awards in recent years, Dwayne Barclay and Don Brown.

“It’s a great honour,” Sennott says. “It’s a long time, but you meet a lot of great people, and it’s all worth it.”