AA Coaching Staff
We are excited to highlight our 2025/26 head coach selection.
U11AA - Heath Klein
Heath Klein has been coaching with Barrhead Minor Hockey for the past eight years. He has thirty years of experience with multiple Minor Hockey organizations and hockey schools throughout Western Canada. Heath grew up playing his Minor Hockey in Edmonton and played college hockey with Augustana University College. Heath is currently teaching Jr. High at Barrhead Composite where he also coaches volleyball and basketball. Heath has a strong passion for developing character, effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship in tomorrow's future leaders.
13AA - Greg Northcott
Greg has been an elite hockey coach for 11+ years. he started his coaching career for the St. Albert Raiders program at the U15AA level in 2006. He continued there for three years, before moving on to the Canadian Athletic Club (CAC) U16AAA division for one season. After taking a break, and starting a family, Greg was given the opportunity to join the Sturgeon Sting program for its first season as head coach of the U15 AA team in 2015. He had three successful seasons coaching at that level alongside some amazing assistant coaches. In 2018, Greg moved up to U18AA Sting for another four seasons, where he continued his run of building successful hockey teams and players with multiple players advancing through the ranks of junior hockey, all across Canada and into the United States. While coaching elite hockey, he was able to take part in his kid's hockey teams by taking on the role of assistant coach as they advanced through the Sturgeon Hockey Club. In speaking with Coach Greg, he stated "My passion for the game has inspired my coaching career. I continue to learn and strive to provide the best leadership, while encouraging young hockey players to utilize and develop their own skills to become the best that they can be. I am thankful to be able to coach this generation of young hockey players and I can't wait to be on the ice with the U13 AA Sting!"
U15AA - Ryan Cushing
Originally from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Ryan moved to Morinville in 2008 where he now calls home with his wife and 3 kids. He played minor hockey in his hometown of Yarmouth and played up to Bantam AAA, then 1 year of Midget AAA before finishing off his minor hockey playing Division 1 High School for his hometown school. He has been involved with Sturgeon Hockey Club since 2016 in various board roles and coaching roles and this year he is looking forward to coaching our U15AA team.
Ryan was the head coach of the U13 Contrac Sturgeon Sting this past season and led the team to one of the most successful teams the Sting have seen at U13AA. Ryan's meticulous practice planning, coupled with his hockey knowledge was critical to the success of the team, and the Sting are very excited to see what he can do with the U15 group this coming season.
U18AA - Braden Conquergood
Braden returns for his third season as Head Coach of the U18 Sting for the 2025-2026 season. Braden began his hockey career in Westlock, where he served as an assistant coach for five years, working with various age groups and contributing time to the Westlock Board of Directors.
With 10 years of coaching experience, Braden spent five years as an assistant coach for the U18 Sting before being promoted to Head Coach for the 2023-2024 season. This will mark his 8th year with the U18 Sting, where he has had the opportunity to learn and grow both as an assistant and as a head coach.
Two years ago, Braden set out to build strong connections with every player he worked with and to foster a cohesive team mentality, both on and off the ice. His focus on player development, competitive game strategies, and challenging each player to reach their full potential has been evident year after year.
The players look up to Braden and his staff, and the Sting family is fortunate to have him as the leader of the team again for the 2025-2026 season.
