Heather Morning was born in 1964 in Scarborough, and grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario, where her passion for sports began at a young age. Her first official steps into hockey came while playing for the inaugural team of the Richmond Hill Girls Hockey League. Heather was a natural athlete and excelled in multiple sports, including softball, where in 1977 she earned the title of Tier 1 Provincial Champion. While Heather ultimately chose to focus on hockey, her passion for sport continued to drive her involvement in other athletic pursuits.

In 1997, Heather moved to Aurora where she has lived for over two decades with her husband, son and two daughters.

During the 1994/95 season, Heather became an assistant coach with the Aurora Panthers House League – the official start to her coaching career. Just two years later, during the 1996/1997 season, she continued in the role of Assistant Coach for the Novice A team and helped guide them to a Provincial Championship! From 1997 to 1999, she served on the Aurora Girls Hockey Board of Directors as Hockey Development Director, shaping youth development programs and contributing to the growth of girls’ hockey in Aurora and the region.

Heather continued in the role of assistant coach and during the 1999/2000 season helped guide the team to winning the league championship and participating in the Ontario Winter Games. In 2001, Heather organized and ran the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) Team Ontario selection camp. That season she was also the Assistant Coach for the Aurora Panthers Midget AA team, and they went on to win the International Silver Stick Championships! 

From 2001 to 2004, Heather ran the Aurora Panthers Initiation Program (now known as Panther Cubs) introducing countless young players to the sport. In 2002, she co-founded the Never Too Late (NTL) Adult Hockey Development program with Karen MacLeod, creating a welcoming space for women who had never had the chance to play. What started as a small initiative has grown into a thriving community of over 40 women, with another 180 participating in the Central York Girls Hockey Association (CYGHA) Panthers recreational league —many of whom have been coached or mentored by Heather. 

Heather’s commitment to sport extended beyond hockey. In 2003 and 2004, she coached house league soccer and went on to manage the Aurora Soccer Club U9 and U10 teams for the 2005/2006 season. During this time, she continued to contribute to the hockey clubs by developing and running the “Try it before you buy it” initiative for CYGHA, as well as taking on the roles of Head Coach for the Aurora Panthers Novice C team and assistant coach for the Atom AA team. 

In 2005, she founded the Rookies Hockey Camp, which grew to become the largest all-girls hockey camp in York Region. Staffed by Aurora Panthers players and alumni, the camp not only developed young athletes but also supported their educational and career aspirations.

Heather’s reputation as a skating and skills expert grew rapidly. Since 2005, she has worked as a power skating instructor or on ice coach for several hockey clubs, including the CYGHA, York Simcoe Express, Richmond Hill Stars, Georgina Golden Hawks, East Gwillimbury Eagles and the Aurora Tigers. 

In 2010, she took on the role of power skating and skills coach for Roger Nielson Hockey Camps and started their first Little Types program for children ages 4 to 7. During that season she was the assistant coach for the Aurora Panthers Bantam A/AA team who became the International Silverstick Champions! In 2012, Heather was selected by the OWHA to serve as Assistant Coach for Team Hefford at the Ontario Winter Games. 

In 2014, she founded the Rookies Hockey Shooting Clinics, specializing in teaching competitive and house league hockey players of all ages proper shooting mechanics. Most recently, in 2023, the NTL program began offering an annual invitational women’s hockey tournament. It has inspired a forthcoming book that will share heartwarming stories from the community of adult women who found confidence, camaraderie, and joy through hockey. 

Heather’s impact is deeply personal for many. She has coached and mentored elite athletes who have gone on to play at the NCAA Division I level, USport, and represent Team Ontario and Team Canada. Names like Abby Lunney, Mikayla Cranney, Kat Dajia, Hailey Noronha, and Natalie Vibert are just a few among the many who credit Heather with helping them reach the next level.

Heather’s legacy is not only defined by championships and coaching milestones, but by the inclusive, empowering culture she has built around the sport. Her dedication to athlete development, community engagement, and inclusive programming has made her a pillar of hockey in York Region and beyond.

In recognition of her extraordinary contributions to hockey, we are honored to welcome Heather as part of the 2025 class of inductees into the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.