Dells Ducks Hockey

Ryan Frew: Coach, Leader, Father, Son, Role Model For All

 "There is no greater reward than knowing that you have had a positive impact on someone's life journey" - Ryan Frew

 The United States Premier Hockey League lost an amazing person in Ryan Frew, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs’ NCDC head coach, on Monday, Oct. 5. Ryan died of complications arising from peritonitis at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. 

 The USPHL and all of its Member Organizations express its deepest sympathies to Ryan’s wife Nanna and his sons Seamus and Quentin, his daughter Layla, as well as his extended family, the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs organization, and all others whose lives he touched.

 It was a fitting reward when, in 2017, Frew received the New Hampshire Union-Leader Forty Under Forty Award, recognizing his great service to youth in New Hampshire. In the accompanying article, when asked why he chose his profession, his answer was straightforward:

 “I love working with people. My chosen profession offers me the opportunity to support and influence young men’s lives during a critical stage of their development and help guide them to become the best version of themselves,” Frew told the Union-Leader. “There is no greater reward than knowing that you have had a positive impact on someone's life journey.”

 Frew had a positive impact on everyone he met, no matter where he went, extending beyond the leagues, to the greater hockey community.  Coaches from across the hockey realm spoke about their concern for Frew’s health during his illness.

 Frew’s history with the Monarchs (and with many of the Monarchs’ opponents both then and currently with the USPHL) goes well back to the first decade of the 2000s, coaching the Monarchs’ former Empire Junior Hockey League.  Ryan was hired by the Monarchs in 2004.

He brought the Monarchs to the Tier-3 Jr. B National Championship games in 2007 and 2011, and he was also on the bench for three straight Monarchs’ Tier-3 Jr. A National Championship wins from 2007 through 2009 and again in 2012.

 He coached the Monarchs to Empire Jr. Hockey League titles in 2010 and 2012, as well. He also saw his Monarchs receive a USA Hockey Team Sportsmanship Award and he was an All-Star Coach in six of his eight Empire seasons. 

 Frew led the Monarchs to the first Eastern Hockey League regular season championship in 2014, and in 2016, the Monarchs added Playoff Champions to that resume.

Within the USPHL, he helped shepherd the Monarchs into the NCDC to start the 2018-19 season, his team’s start in the league was so impressive, he was named NCDC Coach Of The Year after that first season.

 Rest In Peace, Ryan. Everyone in the USPHL will miss you and that big smile and laugh.