The Coaching Recognition Awards are established to honor both the Augustana Coach of the Year and the "Community" Coach of the Year. A key factor in each selection is that Augustana must have benefited from this coaching, either through coaching our own varsity athletes or by producing athletes that play on Augustana's teams. The winner shall have demonstrated coaching excellence in the following areas: teaching ability, knowledge of the sport, and the ability to motivate the athletes he/she coaches. The person's teams must have demonstrated high levels of sportsmanship, ability and fitness.

David Ritz has been an integral part of Vikings Hockey for the past ten years. He was a "Team-First" goaltender for five seasons and has been a loyal Assistant Coach for the last five years. He is also currently the Vice President for our Vikings Hockey Alumni Association. David is a very passionate recruiter and promoter of our Vikings Hockey Program and has always filled whatever role is required for the team to be successful. He can often be found sharpening skates before games and between periods in dress clothes. He has also been a valuable volunteer for Camrose Minor Hockey as a goalie coach and mentor for each of the past ten hockey seasons. Even with his personal, family, and business commitments, David has always balanced and maintained an active role in his Vikings coaching duties as well as with our Alumni endeavors each season. At this time, we'd like to thank and acknowledge Ritzy for his unselfish commitment to Vikings Hockey, as Community Coach of the Year.