In anticipation of this year’s University Cup Championship at Acadia University on March 31 to April 3, 2022, we plan to celebrate Acadia’s hockey program. Moderated by Executive Director, Alumni Affairs Oonagh Proudfoot (’93, ’06), this panel discussion on March 7, 7-8 p.m. AST, will highlight reflections from past championship winners; preparation for and experience with University Cup Nationals; hockey as an organized sport; and the advancement of hockey in Nova Scotia. Panelists include hockey Axemen captain Jack Flaman ('22), former hockey Axemen captains Liam Heelis ('15) and George Dupont ('92), and Amy Walsh, Executive Director, Hockey Nova Scotia.

Register HERE.

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Panelist bios:

Jack Flaman ('22)

I am from a small town called Vibank, Saskatchewan. I grew up on a dairy farm milking cows since I was a child. I played my minor hockey out of Weyburn Saskatchewan before I attended Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan! I graduated from Notre Dame in 2015, being a four-year Hound and starting to play in the WHL. I started my WHL career in Portland before going to Vancouver to spend the majority of my career. In my 20-year-old season I finished playing junior hockey out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). Following Junior hockey I took the opportunity to attend Acadia University to play for the Axemen while taking my Business Administration Degree. I am currently in my fourth year and final semester of my BBA and I am excited to see what the future holds!

Jack Flaman is currently captain of the Acadia Axemen Hockey team.

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Liam Heelis (’15)

Liam Heelis (’15), a native of Georgetown, ON, currently works as an assistant coach with the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL). Previously, Heelis spent two seasons at McGill University serving as Head Coach of the Men's Hockey Program and the two seasons before that as an Assistant Coach. He holds a master's in sports psychology from McGill, which he obtained upon graduating from Acadia University –where he played four seasons of varsity hockey with the Axemen – and earned a science degree, majoring in psychology.

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Amy Walsh (’99)

Amy Walsh (’99) joined Hockey Nova Scotia as executive director in the fall of 2018. A strong believer in sport for social change, Amy assembled a pan-provincial team in 2019 to create the Players Journey, a human-centered design process that mapped the full experience of a hockey player, including identifying the reasons players leave the game, barriers to access, as well as opportunities to increase participation and improve the overall player experience.

In December 2019, she spearheaded the Hockey Nova Scotia Diversity and Inclusion Task Force as part of a comprehensive response to past and present incidents of racism, discrimination and abuse in hockey resulting in hundreds of recommendations, mostly from first voice experiences on how to make the game safer and more welcoming for all. Amy also chaired the Legacy Development Committee in preparation for Nova Scotia to host the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championships. Although the event itself was moved, the committee’s comprehensive plan is on target to grow the female game for many years to come.

Recently, in 2020, Amy co-founded the Future of Hockey Lab, a design in social innovation to promote equity, inclusion and diversity in the sport. Initially hosted by Hockey Nova Scotia and powered by Bauer, Scotiabank, Hockey Canada and Jumpstart, it is believed to be the first of its kind in the world. She is also a member of the NHL and NHLPA Female Hockey Advisory Committee.

Prior to taking the helm at Hockey Nova Scotia, Amy was the director of sport development with Sport Nova Scotia, where she led a team of 16 staff charged with the growth and sustainability of quality sport experiences for all Nova Scotians. This required strong collaboration with over 55 provincial sport organizations, thousands of community sport groups, and a host of aligned industry partners.

Amy is a wife and mother of three boys, a decorated amateur multi-sport athlete, a former minor hockey coach, and a longtime volunteer.

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George Dupont (’92)

George Dupont (’92) was born and grew up in Ottawa, ON, and played minor hockey for the Nepean Raiders Minor Hockey Association. He played Junior Hockey for the Pembroke Lumber Kings in the CCHL, where he was part of three league championship squads and a Junior ‘A’ National finalist in 1987. He was team captain that season, set league scoring records, and was named team and league MVP.

George came to Acadia in 1989 and graduated in 1992, but returned for another year in 1993, when he captained Acadia’s first CIS hockey National Championship team in ’93 and earned the Major W. J. ‘Danny’ McLeod award as tournament MVP. That season he won the AUS scoring title with 57 points on 13 goals and 44 assists in 22 games. He was a league and CIAU first-team all-star and was awarded for the second time the honour of being named Acadia University’s male athlete of the year. That same year he was recognized as a CIS All-Canadian and awarded the Bauer/Hockey News Canadian University Player of the Year.

George continued his hockey career after Acadia, playing in Europe and the CHL. In 1996, he was captain of the league champion Oklahoma City Blazers, was named team MVP and was scoring leader for the third consecutive year.

He met his wife, Amy, in Oklahoma City and they were married in August 1997. They have three children: Danielle, Kate and Jake.

After spending years coaching in Junior and professional hockey, George returned to Oklahoma City with his wife and family. They are currently living in Fort Worth, Texas, where he works as General Manager of Red-K LLC and is the Owner and Chief Strategist of Dupont Consulting.