Longtime manager helped guide Western Valley to numerous championships
Bonnie Cheney is stepping away as manager of the Western Valley Panthers after 14 seasons with the Hartland-based Junior C hockey team. Cheney announced her decision on Facebook as the Panthers prepare to enter their 15th season in the New Brunswick Junior Hockey League. She said she is leaving the position to focus on her health.
“Anyone who has cancer or knows a loved one battling understands the everyday fight,” Cheney wrote. “I have loved being a part of the Panther family and will continue to watch the games and support the team in any way that I can. It’s great hockey played by local players.”
Players, former players, families, volunteers and community members responded with messages of support, and Chris Havens summed up his response in five words.
“Bonnie, you are the Panthers.”
Paula Zegray, who worked alongside Cheney as co-manager for eight years, said the Panthers will miss her.
“Bonnie has been an amazing mentor and the backbone of our success,” Zegray said. “The Western Valley Panthers family will miss her deeply.”
‘She’s just good people’
For Reid Culberson, Cheney was part of family life long before she became the Panthers’ manager.
“We grew up together,” Culberson said. “She had both my boys in her daycare from diapers to dirt bikes, then she had my granddaughter till last year. She’s just ‘good people.’”
Paula Zegray saw Cheney’s work up close in Panthers management.
“After eight wonderful years as your co-manager,” she said to Bonnie, “we can’t thank you enough for the leadership and friendship,” Zegray said. “Together, we’ve handled sponsorships, apparel, team fees, and so much more, building something truly special.”
“She was always involved with try-outs,” Culberson said. “She wanted to know the kids and their story. If a kid had problems at home or was struggling, that wasn’t a reason to cut them from the team, it was a reason to take them.”
Fourteen seasons with the Panthers
Cheney’s 14 seasons include:
- 2013: New Brunswick Junior C runner-up and Maritime-Hockey North runner-up during the Panthers’ inaugural season.
- 2014: New Brunswick Junior C runner-up.
- 2015: New Brunswick Junior C champion. The Panthers finished first in the Maritime-Hockey North round-robin standings with a 3-0-1 record before losing in the semifinal.
- 2016: New Brunswick Junior C champion and Maritime-Hockey North champion. The Panthers defeated the Spryfield Attack 7-2 in the Maritime final.
- 2017: New Brunswick Junior C runner-up.
- 2019: New Brunswick Junior C runner-up and Maritime-Hockey North runner-up. The Panthers hosted the Maritime tournament in Woodstock and lost the championship game 2-1 in overtime to the Tri-County Rivercats.
- 2022: New Brunswick Junior C champion and Maritime-Hockey North champion. The Panthers defeated the South West Storm 6-2 in the Maritime final.
- 2023 and 2024: New Brunswick Junior C runner-up in consecutive seasons.
Starting the Panthers
The Western Valley Panthers entered the NBJHL for the 2012-13 season.
“Me and my two boys sat at the table there years ago, and I had an older son that wanted to coach and a younger son that wanted to play,” Cheney said. “So we decided we’d give it a go and see if we couldn’t make it work.”
Cheney recalled their initial season. “We actually finished at the bottom,” she said. “But we also ended up defeating the first-place team in the league that season. It was to give me confidence, give the team confidence. Like, this is our first year. We just started, and look what we’re doing already, right?”
She said the relationships formed through the organization made the work worthwhile through both successful and difficult seasons.
“There were certainly many ups and downs along the way, but watching the bonds that have been formed certainly has made this journey worth it all.”
Stepping away
Zegray said Cheney’s work will continue to influence the Panthers after she leaves the manager’s position.
“We’re so happy for you as you embark on this new chapter with your family and grandchildren—you’ve earned it. This 15th season is for you, Bonnie. We love you. Let’s go Panthers!”
Cheney said she intends to attend games and support the Panthers when she can, although she may initially need some time away.
“It is hurtful,” she said. “It’s not something I wanted to step away from. It’s going to be hard. I may have to take a little bit of time to stay away and get used to it some more—that kind of thing.”
And she also offered some parting words to the players.
“They seem to want the perfect goal, which I understand, but a lot of times it doesn’t have to be pretty,” Cheney explained.
“That’s always what I go in and tell them. If you guys can’t get 30 shots on net, you’re probably not going to win a hockey game. You’ve got to blister the puck, wear that other goalie out and just keep firing.”
“I guess that’s probably the speech that I would give out the most,” Cheney said. “Keep firing.”
