Candidate Name: Shane Trego

Desired Position: South Development Coordinator

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

I grew up in Bismarck, ND and was lucky enough to play varsity hockey for 2 seasons. I received my undergraduate degree in social studies with a coaching concentration from Minnesota State University, Moorhead and later went on to earn my master’s degree in Emotional/Behavioral Disorders from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Currently, I am a special education teacher in the Northfield School District. I have lived in Lakeville for 13 years with my wife, Shannon, and my 3 boys, Kieran (16), Easton (14), and Rylan (12).

Accomplishments: 

I began coaching youth hockey immediately after high school, and quickly developed a passion for coaching and teaching the game. Through the course of my coaching career I have coached at every level, from mite preps to varsity and junior gold. I was also the lead goalie instructor for the Fargo South Association for 5 years. I have coached in the Lakeville program for the past 12 years. Currently, I am an assistant coach of a South pewee team. I presently serve LHA as the South Player Development Coordinator, and previously served as the Mite Director and the Squirt Director.

Team Goals/Plans: 

I am very proud of the program we have here in Lakeville and am strongly committed to being part of the continual long-term player and coach development here with LHA. In addition to the work that I do during the LHA season, my wife and I run an off-season development program that provides low-cost development and training, primarily for Lakeville skaters.

Candidate Name: Mackenzie Hirschi

Desired Position: Secretary

Number of Children in LHA:  1

Background: 

Our family is finishing up our third year with LHA, our son Riley has one more year of Mites after the current season wraps and he truly loves the sport. My husband Matt has been Riley’s coach for the last two seasons, and I was previously a team manager. I enjoy being involved and helping at a micro level, organizations such as LHA are unable to function without people willing to volunteer their time. I am the Treasure of the HVE PTO which has been a great experience so far, it’s been rewarding to navigate through the first year of the school and we’ve managed to have a lot of success thanks to the great team we have in place. In 2024 the LHA Board secretary position was being vacated and I volunteered to step in to finish out the remainder of that term, I was nominated and began the position July of 2024, so I currently hold the position. I have enjoyed my time with the board over the past 8 months and would like to be considered to remain in the position for the next term. I believe in fairness and opportunity in youth sports, I think everyone should have a forum to have their voices heard whether that is positive feedback or room for opportunities. I am happy to be a sounding board for that feedback and discuss with the board in a respectful and proactive manner. Thank you for considering my application for the next term of LHA Board Secretary

Accomplishments: 

• LHA Board secretary since July 2024

• Treasure of the HVE PTO

• 15 years with Wells Fargo

• Manager of my son’s mite team

• Assistant to the Regional Manager for the Penguins this season

• Coordinated over 200 LHA members attending a Wild game fall of 2024

• Coordinated all scrimmages for the 2024/2025 Mite 4 teams

Team Goals/Plans: 

•Keep the cost of hockey reasonable for LHA families

• Help with the growth and involvement in Hockey

• Ensure that all players and families have a good experience while participating

• Building lasting memories for those participating

Candidate Name: Tyler Mallery

Desired Position: Treasurer

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

My wife and I moved to Lakeville ~11 years ago from Faribault, MN. We have 4 children: Olivia (13), Jax (11), Ryder (8) and Josephine (4), with the two boys playing hockey this past year at LHA. I graduated from Minnesota State-Mankato with a major in Accounting and worked in Corporate Accounting for 2 years before joining a big 4 public accounting firm for 10 years. I have since moved into the private sector leading the audit department of a large life safety services / construction company in the Twin Cities metro.

Accomplishments: 

I have been involved in hockey for 30+ years. I played in southern MN through high school and after realizing my playing limitations, I took interest in officiating. I officiated at many levels for 15 years, including youth, midget / tier 1 at Shattuck and high school. I have been coaching youth hockey for the past 8 years in various capacities, including at MN Made (hockey club located in Edina) and LHA. I have been very fortunate to be around some of the best programs / coaches the state has to offer and feel that I potentially bring a wide range of experiences to LHA. In addition to my hockey experience, my professional experiences in managing large teams and large budgets ($10m+) will enable me to manage the finances of LHA in the best interest of youth hockey players within the city of Lakeville. This past season, I coached the North Squirt A team. Through that experience, I was able to gather a wide range of experiences and feedback regarding the LHA program and generated / gathered ideas in how we can continue building the program to excel.

Team Goals/Plans: 

I plan to bring a fresh / outside perspective to LHA through my wide range of experiences. While having a strong foundation and history of success, I believe there are opportunities to continue to elevate LHA as a program in the metro area. I believe we have the desire in the community to leverage the resources available through LHA to grow and develop young athletes at a high level, and I intent to dedicate my time seeing that the finances of the organization are enabling the broader organization to help in accomplishing that, as well as identifying potential opportunities to continue to grow the game of hockey within the community.

Candidate Name: Michelle Roberts

Desired Position: IceCats Player Development Coordinator

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

With a lifelong passion for hockey, I bring both playing and leadership experience to the board. I grew up playing the sport and competed at the Tier 1 level throughout high school at Shattuck St. Mary’s before continuing my collegiate career at Gustavus Adolphus College. As part of top-ranked HS and D3 programs, I played in multiple National Tournament appearances, gaining firsthand experience in high-level competition and team development. For the past three years, I’ve served as the IceCats Head Coach Board Member, helping to shape and support the program’s success. Now, I’m eager to continue contributing in a new capacity, bringing my knowledge, leadership, and commitment to growing the game. Outside of the rink, I lead global event security and operations within Amazon’s Protective Services Organization. My husband, Adam, and I are proud to be part of the IceCats community, with our daughters, Mari (U10) and Leni (U8), growing and thriving in the program.

Accomplishments: 

During my three years with the IceCats board, I have focused on expanding opportunities and ensuring equitable development for all players. I played a key role in increasing our U8 program participation by over 50%, securing additional training opportunities such as PEP for all travel teams to build a strong foundational skill set, and improving overall program efficiency. I’ve also worked to ensure equity across the program in ice time and development opportunities while fostering community engagement through events like the Hockey Hall of Fame at Hasse. My commitment has been to create an environment where every player and coach has access to the resources and support needed to thrive.

Team Goals/Plans: 

My goal is to strengthen and expand the IceCats foundation we’ve built over the past three years, ensuring our players have every opportunity to develop and succeed. This year, we introduced dedicated puck control development, and I am committed to building on that by integrating off-ice training, hockey IQ education, and skill development tailored to each age group. For U12 and U15 players, I aim to implement structured off-ice training, introduce classroom sessions to sharpen hockey IQ, and advance puck skills such as stickhandling and shooting. At the U8 and U10 levels, I will further incorporate age-appropriate off-ice activities, early hockey IQ education, and foundational puck control work. By creating a well-rounded, progressive development model, we can ensure our players are equipped for success both in Lakeville and at higher levels of competition.

Candidate Name: 

Desired Position: 

Number of Children in LHA:  

Background: 

Accomplishments: 

Team Goals/Plans: 

Candidate Name: Steve Frey

Desired Position: Equipment Director

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

I have served on the LHA Board the last 2 years as Equipment Director and would like to continue to serve in this capacity. I have a son who is a first year Peewee player and a daughter in her final year of U8s.

Accomplishments: 

I have run a successful equipment operation the past 2 years for LHA and would like to maintain our organization’s success both on and off the ice. I am a well organized and detail oriented individual who accomplishes my responsibilities on time. I also look to find new ways to continuously improve and make our existing programs better while also identify gaps or shortfalls to make additions when needed. I started a goalie gear rental program last summer for LHA families and received positive feedback from several families on this program. I also helped add a custom line of hockey sticks from Hockey IQ to offer hockey sticks to LHA families at a significant savings compared to name brand sticks sold at retail locations.

Team Goals/Plans: 

 - continue to ensure our jersey and apparel vendor is the best fit for LHA

- Design new jerseys and apparel for upcoming hockey season - continue to add new clothing options for families and players thru apparel vendor

- ensure all coaches and HDC members have the needed training equipment to continue to develop and improve our LHA players in a budget conscience manner

- continue to work hard to keep the cost of hockey down as much as possible for LHA families.

- work on the facilities committee to ensure our arenas experience meets/exceeds our LHA players and families’ expectations and also help with strategic long term planning on arena/facility improvements.

Candidate Name:  Katie Neu

Desired Position:  D8 Representative

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

I have lived in Lakeville for the past 16 years with my husband, Jake, and our two sons, Charlie (11) and Will (8). I graduated with a degree in biology at The Ohio State University before pursuing a career in nursing. I received a bachelor’s in nursing from Minnesota State Mankato and a master’s in nursing from Frontier Nursing University. In my current practice as a nurse practitioner, I work with patients with substance use disorders and chronic pain. I have a passion for fighting the opioid crisis in our communities and helping underserved populations. I am on the Board of Directors of our non-profit clinic located in Eagan.

Accomplishments: 

Though I did not play hockey growing up, I have experience in competing at an elite level in swimming throughout my youth and college years. I treasure memories of winning state titles in both Indiana and Minnesota. I was able to continue my swimming career at The Ohio State University, serving as team captain my senior year. I am grateful for all of the opportunities I had as an athlete and learned many life lessons through swimming. In recent years, I have been a team manager for LHA for four seasons, from mites to peewees. I am active in Lakeville Lacrosse Association, serving as board secretary, as well as chairing Youth Lacrosse Night and picture coordination.

Team Goals/Plans: 

I look forward to being able to provide a fresh perspective to LHA. With a robust, growing community, LHA is ripe for an opportunity to develop into a top program in Minnesota. I would like to continue to improve communication across the LHA community as a whole and provide the best experience possible for players and their families. My goal is to provide a season that is commensurate with the cost of participation.

Candidate Name: Mark Wilcox

Desired Position: North Association Head Coach

Number of Children in LHA:  3

Background: 

My name is Mark Wilcox, and I have lived in the wonderful community of Lakeville with my wife Sarah, and our 3 children Bo (PW), Greta (U8), and Brock (Mite), for the last 10 years. During this time, we have been able to establish our roots here in Lakeville and proudly call this community our home! I currently work for a MedTech based company in Minneapolis/St. Paul within their Sales and Marketing leadership division. Before living in Lakeville, I received my Master of Science in Organizational Business Development and a previous undergraduate degree in Wisconsin. Being born and raised in the Badger Land, I grew up participating on multiple sports teams throughout the changing seasons in South central Wisconsin.

Accomplishments: 

It was at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where I was able to pursue my passion for athletics by being a member on the La Crosse football team and having the opportunity to serve as its captain during my final year. Over the course of my extracurricular experiences, I have learned athletics provides a broad platform for all ages to develop leadership characteristics, resiliency, the ability to create life-long friendships with teammates, respect, and many other helpful life lessons. In following my passion to share these life lessons through means of youth sports in Lakeville, I have most recently been involved with coaching in the LHA program for the past 7 years. I have had the opportunity to share my passion of coaching development by helping coach 9 LHA teams and 4 AAA team over this time.

Team Goals/Plans: 

From a holistic perspective, the hockey culture in Lakeville is alive and well! A special thank you to those who have gone before us in bringing the LHA program to where it is today. With this being stated, it is the vison there is a shared responsibility for us as a hockey community to continue to build upon our North program and ensure its future continues to remain bright. As a potential candidate for the role of North Association Head Coach, I aim to serve and act as a liaison for North coaches, fostering collaboration, and providing coaches with the necessary resources for them to implement within their teams. I will work closely with the coaches to ensure alignment, consistency, and communication is effectively shared across the North Program. It is the goal to build a best-in-class organization and to be uncommon among uncommon programs. Our focus on culture built upon the principles of, Respect, Trust, Value, and Family, are foundational pillars to achieving this stated goal. I will ensure our youth program is aligned with the high school program’s direction, in both on ice and off ice activity. Focusing building a deeper culture where we are ONE NORTH is a primary scope and vision. I look forward to working with our student athletes, coaches, and families to create an environment where it allows our players to excel in school, sport, and life.

Candidate Name: Kent Detlefsen

Desired Position: North Association Head Coach

Number of Children in LHA:  2

Background: 

I grew up in Lakeville, with majority of my youth hockey career spent with Lakeville Hockey Association. Now, both of my kids—Keegan, who’s 10 and plays Squirt A, and Kollins, who’s 8 and in Beginner U8—are playing for LHA. After playing hockey at Holy Angels, I spent two years traveling across the country playing junior hockey, before wrapping up my playing career with four years of college hockey. I then served as an outside evaluator for the Wayzata Hockey Association. Over the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching youth hockey in a variety of capacities including selecting and developing players at all levels. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate to coach alongside some of Minnesota’s top hockey minds, including Curt Giles and Zach Parise, learning a great deal from their knowledge and experience. I hope to have the opportunity to bring my vast knowledge and love for the game to Lakeville Hockey Association.

Accomplishments: 

I currently serve as the Vice President of The Miracle League of Minnesota Foundation, where I’ve played a key role in raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure that all children, regardless of physical ability, have the opportunity to play baseball. I’m especially proud of our contribution toward the development of the field at King Park. Additionally, I’m a committee member of the Burnsville Police and Fire Foundation, supporting the incredible work our first responders do for the community. As the Golf Committee Chair for The Hanson Scholarship Foundation, I helped raise funds for students pursuing education degrees, making a positive impact on future educators. Beyond my foundation work, I’ve dedicated time to developing youth hockey at a variety of skill levels, including Minnesota Made, Minnesota Blades, Team Minnesota, Minnesota Selects, Stars of Tomorrow, Super Series, and LHA, striving to provide the best opportunities for young players to grow both on and off the ice.

Team Goals/Plans: 

To help the program thrive, we need a consistent evaluation process for all age groups, using a 1-10 scale to ensure clear and accurate assessments. Every year, we should gather coach feedback as part of a player analysis to track development and pinpoint areas for growth. Both on-ice and off-ice coaching should be a focus, ensuring coaches have the right tools and support to help players improve. It's essential to keep communication open among coaches, so they can collaborate and share insights easily. Removing any obstacles that distract coaches from focusing on player development will make sure everyone stays focused on success. We also need to create a strong, unified identity for the association, so everyone knows what we stand for. Making ice camps accessible and affordable for all players will give everyone the opportunity to level up their skills. Lastly, fostering a winning culture and building strong, supportive relationships with every coach will create a positive and motivating environment for both players and coaches to succeed.