| Al Pedersen Wins John Beadle Adult Member of the Year Award |
| The award recognizes outstanding contributions to adult hockey community |
| COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Al Pedersen (Colorado Springs, Colo.) has been named the John Beadle Adult Member of the Year for 2019-20 it was announced by USA Hockey.The award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions during many years of service to the ice hockey community as an adult player and/or volunteer. It is named after John Beadle, who for 27 seasons (1991-2018) served as vice president of USA Hockey and chair of the Adult Council. A Level 4 USA Hockey certified coach, Pedersen currently serves as the facilities manager and adult league coordinator and coach at Monument (Colo.) Ice Rinks, where he has been instrumental in the success of programs since 2007. A native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Pedersen has played an integral role in growing adult league play in Monument and nearby Colorado Springs tenfold — from less than a half-dozen teams to its current 66-team roster – thanks to a focus on making the game safe, fun and accessible to area residents. The Monument Ice Rinks’ adult program provides skaters of all levels the opportunity to take to the ice for instructional, pickup, league, and tournament play each week. During Pedersen’s tenure, the adult program introduced its subscription model, which features flexible payment plans to make hockey accessible and affordable for the transient military population of Colorado Springs. Drafted in 1983 by the Boston Bruins, Pedersen enjoyed eight seasons in the NHL with the Bruins, the Minnesota North Stars and the Hartford Whalers. The defenseman appeared in 428 regular-season games and registered 41 career points. Following his playing career, Pedersen moved to Colorado Springs to coach the now-defunct Colorado Gold Kings and later joined the Colorado Rampage organization to manage the 8U program. |
