Ken Atkinson Coaching Bio
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Born in Dallas and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Ken Atkinson has been around the rink for as long as he can remember. He first laced up his skates at age six while living in Dallas, where his father helped found the Dallas Junior Hockey Association with coworkers from Mobil Oil. Ken’s family later moved to Calgary, where he grew up immersed in Canadian hockey culture and competed at the AAA level for the Calgary Royals before advancing to Junior hockey in Calgary.
He eventually returned to Texas to attend the University of Texas at Arlington, bringing his passion for the game with him and beginning what has become a lifelong commitment to developing hockey players in North Texas.
COACHING PHILOSOPHY
Coach Atkinson believes hockey is a powerful teacher, shaping character as much as skill. He emphasizes dedication, hard work, and accountability, encouraging players to set goals and commit to the daily habits required to reach them. His practices focus heavily on skating and fundamentals, building a strong foundation that allows athletes to play fast, think the game, and compete with confidence. Above all, he strives to create a team environment built on trust, unselfish play, and respect where every player learns how to be a great teammate on the ice and a strong person off it.
USA HOCKEY LEVEL 4 CERTIFICATION
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2027 - Present
COACH DALLAS JUNIOR HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
Started as an Assistant coach and have been a head, and assistant, coach of all levels of the organization. I have developed and run practices, emphasizing skating development, and managing the hockey team.
I am currently a coach at DJHA and home rink is Plano. This past season I was assistant coach to the U18 team and prior 3 seasons I was the head coach of that group.
2022-2024
VARSITY HEAD COACH
Plano Senior
2018-2022
JV & VARSITY HEAD COACH
Coppell High School
2014-2016
John Paul II
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Personal Statement & Playing Experience:
Hockey has always been a part of my life. It is a teacher of many life lessons. Dedication, drive, work are all things you can influence and continuously improve on. I grew up from the age of 8 years in Calgary Alberta, Canada. I played AAA for the Calgary Royals and Juniors in Calgary until I moved to Dallas to go to school at UTA. When I was 6 we lived in Dallas and my father started the Dallas Junior hockey association with several of his coworkers from Mobil Oil.