The Swan Valley Stampeders are happy to announce the hiring of Josh Tripp as Head Coach for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Tripp is no stranger to the MJHL or the Stampeders organization. Raised in the Swan Valley, Tripp made his MJHL debut with the Stampeders during the 2015-16 season playing 55 games and accumulating 47 points. He returned to the team for part of the 2017-18 season as well as the 2018-19 season and was an integral part of the team’s run for the Turnbull Cup. He collected 84 points in 57 regular season games and another 21 points in 17 playoff games. His efforts saw him earn the Mike Ridley Trophy (Scoring Champion) and the Steve “Boomer” Hawrysh Award (League MVP) for that season.
Since graduating from junior hockey, Tripp has returned year after year to help the team with pre-season camps and practices. And, last season Tripp rejoined the Stampeders to serve as Assistant Coach under Barry Wolff. He also participated in the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships as an Assistant Coach for Team Manitoba.
“Josh knows our organization well and what it means to be a Stampeder,” said Board President Evan Morden. “He understands the culture and has the desire to help players strive for success.
“We are confident that he, along with Assistant Coach Brad Fox, will work with our players to develop their skills and put forward the best possible on-ice product.”
Tripp joins the Stampeders from the Parkland U18 Rangers where he was in his first year as the head coach for the team.
“The opportunity to coach the Stampeders was one I couldn’t pass up,” said Tripp. “Coaching the team I grew up watching and the team I played for in my junior career is something I was striving for.
“The Stampeders organization means a lot to me. I owe so much to the team from my playing career to, now, my coaching career. I’m very passionate about this team and anything I can do to have a successful team in the Valley, I will do.”
Tripp has begun his duties with the team and will be on the bench this weekend as the team travels south to Niverville and Portage.
“The goal for the rest of the season is to find our identity as a team and make a push for the playoffs,” Tripp said. “We have a lot of talented players here and the potential to have a really good team. The start to the season hasn’t been what everyone was hoping for but there is still a lot of season left to play.”