GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks Youth Hockey Association has added a new position to “recruit and retain (female) players in the game and expand development opportunities for active players.”
Grand Forks Youth Hockey announced on Monday, March 11 that Margot Miller has been hired as its first Director of Women's Growth and Development.
Miller has been an assistant coach for the Grand Forks Knight Riders women's program for the past 10 seasons. She was also a former women's hockey player at UND from 2008 to 2012.
“As far as the women's director conversation, I think this is a very unique position created by the fact that many of the North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association affiliates have hockey directors who oversee the players within each program. , you haven't seen anything gender-specific,'' said North Dakota Amateur Hockey Association President Matt Stockert.
NDAHA manages GFYHA.
“Grand Forks is taking a leap of faith in Margot…It's a good step in the right direction that once word gets out, other affiliates will follow suit,” Stockert said.
The GFYHA Board of Directors said in an email that Miller has “created new program opportunities, such as Learn to Play Hockey sessions and Try Hockey sessions, to keep players recruited and involved in the game, as well as develop them into the players they are today. We will expand opportunities for “Her purpose is to serve as an advocate, resource and mentor for players, families, coaches and associations to create a system that guides female athletes from youth hockey through high school.”
GFYHA's actions involving the women's program came as part of an ongoing dispute between suspended coach Scott Foyt and the group's governing body last month. Mr. Foyt was notified of his suspension on December 13, 2023, following a communication with GFYHA Executive Director Brad Luecke on November 30, 2023.
Stockert said discussions about creating a new female director position may have existed before the origins of the discussion were documented.
“I first heard this conversation at a meeting last fall, so last September,” Stockert said.
