Kayla Friesen

U19 Assistant Coach / Skill Development Coach

Kayla Friesen is a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and brings elite-level experience and a passion for development to everything she does in the game of hockey. Throughout her accomplished playing career, she competed at the highest levels of women’s hockey. She proudly representing Team Canada at the World Junior Championships during the 2015–16 season.

She continued her career in the United States at NCAA Division I St. Cloud State University from 2016 to 2019, where she demonstrated strong leadership both on and off the ice. As team captain during her junior year, she left a lasting impact on the program. She later transferred to Clarkson University for the 2019–20 season, continuing to compete at the Division I level being on the 4th top team in the country.

In 2020, Kayla was selected second overall in the first round of the NWHL Draft by Connecticut. She went on to play professionally with the CT Whale during the 2020–21 season before joining the Boston Pride from 2021 to 2023, where she helped lead the team to an Isobel Cup championship.

Following her playing career, Kayla transitioned into coaching, beginning as an Assistant Coach with the UMass Boston women’s program during the 2021–22 season. She then spent two seasons coaching 18U Tier 1 Boys hockey in Western Massachusetts, continuing to expand her impact in player development.

Kayla began her work in skills development during her final professional seasons, working with organizations such as Elev802 and the Lady Whalers as a player development coach. She later founded the female program at 101% Always, where she has coached athletes of all ages and skill levels. With six years of coaching and development experience, she is deeply committed to helping players reach their full potential.

Currently, Kayla is entering her third season with the NAHA U19 team while also serving as a skills coach across all Academy teams and Junior Hawks programs.

Known for her strong attention to detail, Kayla emphasizes both on-ice performance and off-ice growth. She is dedicated to developing well-rounded athletes, always keeping each player’s best interests in mind while challenging them to become the best version of themselves.