McKinney Ice Hockey Club Welcomes Veteran Coach Ken Atkinson

McKinney Ice Hockey Club is proud to announce the addition of Coach Ken Atkinson to our coaching staff, bringing decades of playing and coaching experience to our program for the upcoming season. Coach Atkinson’s philosophy centers on hard work, commitment, and using the game of hockey to build character and life skills in young athletes.

Coaching background

Coach Atkinson has been a fixture in the North Texas hockey community for many years, with extensive experience at both the high school and club levels. He began his high school coaching career as Head Coach of the John Paul II JV hockey team from 2014–2016, leading the program to a JV Silver Championship. He went on to serve as Head Coach for both JV and Varsity at Coppell High School from 2018–2022, followed by two seasons as Head Coach of the Plano Senior High School Varsity team from 2022–2024.

Since 2007, Coach Atkinson has coached within the Dallas Junior Hockey Association (DJHA), serving as both a head and assistant coach across multiple age groups and competitive levels. In DJHA, he has developed and run practices with a strong emphasis on skating, player development, and team structure, while managing teams throughout long, competitive seasons. Most recently, he has been on the bench at DJHA’s home rink in Plano, serving as assistant coach for the U18 team this past season after three seasons as that group’s head coach.

Playing and personal background

Hockey has been part of Coach Atkinson’s life since childhood and remains central to his outlook as a mentor and educator. He believes the game teaches dedication, drive, work ethic, and accountability qualities that players can influence and continuously improve through commitment to team and personal goals.

Coach Atkinson grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from the age of eight, competing at the AAA level for the Calgary Royals and playing Junior hockey in Calgary before relocating to Texas to attend the University of Texas at Arlington. His connection to Dallas hockey runs deep: when he was six years old and his family lived in Dallas, his father helped found the Dallas Junior Hockey Association along with several coworkers from Mobil Oil. That legacy of building and growing the game in North Texas continues in Coach Atkinson’s work behind the bench today.

McKinney Ice Hockey Club is excited to welcome Coach Atkinson and looks forward to the positive impact he will have on our athletes, families, and program culture in the seasons ahead.javascript:void(0);