Vees name Sexton Assistant Coach, announce Hockey Operations for 2024-25
PENTICTON, B.C. – The Penticton Vees Hockey Club announced today the hiring of Patrick Sexton as Assistant Coach & Director of Recruiting. Sexton’s hiring is part of several changes to the team’s Hockey Operations department.
Sexton returns to Penticton after spending parts of the last two seasons as the Head Coach of the Coquitlam Express. Prior to joining the Express, Sexton spent three seasons as the Vees’ Assistant Coach from 2019-2022. The Ottawa, ON, product was behind the Vees’ bench when they won their 13th Fred Page Cup in 2022. Sexton played two seasons in Penticton (2013-15), winning a Fred Cup and Western Canada Cup in 2015 as the team’s Co-Captain. He went on to play three seasons at the University of Wisconsin.
“We’re happy to welcome Patrick back to our coaching staff,” began Vees’ President, General Manager, and Head Coach Fred Harbinson. “The addition of Patrick allows us to restructure our staff to have every aspect of player development covered both on and off the ice.”
In addition to Sexton’s hire, the Vees are pleased to announce new roles within their Hockey Operations department for the 2024-25 season:
- Matt Miller- Director of Hockey Operations & Assistant General Manager
- Mark MacMillan- Director of Skating & Skills Development
- Steve Cawley- Senior Advisor to the President
The Vees announced the following are returning to the Hockey Operations department for the upcoming season:
- Matthew Vanden Berg- Assistant Coach
- Jesse Plewis- Director of Goaltending Development
- Matt Fraser- Director of Strength & Conditioning
- David Boynton- Director of Sports Performance & Chiropractic
- Kobi Boynton- Sports Performance Coach
- Luciano Somerville- Mental Performance Specialist
- Josh Armstrong- Head Athletic Trainer & Equipment Manager
- Mitch Ast- Registered Physiotherapist
- Danielle Cournoyer- Functional Movement Therapist
- Josh L’Heureux- Registered Massage Therapist
“With the ever-changing landscape of our game, from the NHL down, our organization feels it’s critical to have experienced staff at every turn. This will ensure our players continue to grow their game from the moment they arrive in Penticton,” commented Harbinson.
“We’re aware that the new structuring of our league and more importantly, our conference, will provide an even higher level of competition. We want to make sure that the infrastructure we provide for our players is at an elite level to compete against the Canadian Hockey League and United States Hockey League, for the best talent in junior hockey for years to come. I’m very fortunate, as are our players, to have such an experienced , passionate staff that will continue to the legacy of Vees hockey,” said Harbinson.
About the Penticton Vees
The Penticton Vees Junior Hockey team is based in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, and play out of the South Okanagan Events Centre. Founded in 1961, the Vees have won a B.C. Hockey League-record 14 Fred Page Cup championships, including back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023. The organization is committed to developing young players both on and off the ice and providing an exceptional hockey experience for fans.