STOCK, Kelly

KELLY STOCK WAS BORN on 10 July 1979 in Beausejoir, Manitoba, to parents Fred and Linda Stock. She grew up in Winkler and Morden with her siblings—Tim, his twin Kim, and older brother Richard, a provincial champion curler. At four, she watched a ringette game in Morris, Manitoba. Although too young to play, her mother, Linda, organised a team and quietly let her join in. Coached by Fred throughout, the Mordenite played ringette until she turned 16, at which point the organisers in her hometown formed their inaugural women’s ice hockey team. The entire team transitioned overnight. Kelly's younger brother Tim, who played for the high school hockey team, taught her a lot about puck control, shooting, and passing. He spent hours on the outdoor rink with her and was one of the most influential people in her hockey career.

Stock's hockey team ventured to the far north to compete in the B Division at Provincials and astonished everyone by emerging as champions in their debut season. It was a highlight of her youth, and she also won first place in the puck control competition, which was essentially a shootout contest. Fred and Linda were her biggest fans and supporters. At 17, in her second year of hockey, Stock made Team Manitoba and played in the Midget Nationals at Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Then came four seasons at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.

In 2002-03, following her graduation, Stock relocated to Brisbane, Australia, where she began a Master's program at Griffith University. Unaware of the existence of a women’s competition, she played in the Division 1 recreation league at Acacia Ridge until she was recruited by Lisa McMahon and served as the state captain for the 2004 Joan McKowen national.

The 170cm tall Centre, who played Wing and some defence, then moved south to Victoria, where she was a lecturer in Outdoor Education at the University of Ballarat. Now a citizen, she travelled to the Bendigo rink to train for the national team and ran women's development programs there.

Stock served as the state women’s vice president and represented Victoria at the 2005 and 2006 Joan McKowen nationals. The women’s committee did not want a Melbourne team in the inaugural year of the Women’s Showcase Series in 2006. Stock personally assembled it, recruited a coach, and organised it for competition.

In February 2006, the Melbourne Flames ice hockey team became a founding member of the women’s Showcase Series, alongside the Sydney Sirens, Brisbane Goannas, and Canberra Ice Caps. Stock was the team contact and manager, as well as a player. Melbourne ended up in last place, but aside from the annual McKowen national, Victorian women had returned to the national stage for the first time since the Interstate Series lapsed after the Great Depression.

Stock represented Australia in the 2006-07 IIHF Division 3 Women’s Worlds in Sheffield, England, winning a gold medal. When she returned for the higher division in Finland in 2007-08, she was the alternate captain of Australia. According to the roster, she played for the Bendigo Raiders.

The inaugural Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) began that season. Victoria entered the Bendigo Ice Caps, again represented by Stock. [4] The Victorian team was known as the Melbourne Dragons the next season, and Stock was a co-founder with players Lucy Parrington, Shona Green, Georgia Carsom and Jodie Walker, as well as Kylie Taylor (Manager) and Travis Alabaster (Assistant Coach). Stock and Green were among a small group of returning 2005-06 players. [5]

In October 2009, Stock played a few games with the Brisbane Goannas and then unexpectedly returned to Canada to spend her final year with her mother Linda, who passed away from cancer in 2010. "We dedicated a seat at the Morden rink to her with a beautiful plaque that reads, World's Best Hockey Mom." [3]

During the 2010-11 season, Stock played in several games with the Manitoba Maple Leafs in the Western Women’s Hockey League. Additionally, she volunteered in athlete services at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, assisting with the women’s hockey events at the UBC arena. "Hayley Wickenheiser was my hockey idol while growing up,” she said, “and I cherished the opportunity to be so close to the action at the Olympics.” [3] The Centre then moved to Calgary and played for the Canadians for five years in the Southern Alberta Women’s Hockey Association (SAWHA).

In 2016, Stock made her return to Australia, competing with the Penrith Flyers in the New South Wales (IHNSW) league. Subsequently, she moved to Newcastle, where she played for the Northstars in the same competition and became a member of the Galaxy club in the Newcastle house league. Since her return, Stock has been involved in organising development camps, coaching, and participating on committees for women's hockey.

The climate change professional works as a senior project officer for the New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. “I am passionate about supporting people on their sustainability journeys, and creating transformational systems change to ensure a thriving future for our young people.” [3]

In 2025, Stock was an alternate captain for the Northstars and the leading goals, assists and points scorer. She also coached at the Learn-to-Play program, where her 10-year-old daughter honed her skills. “I am also becoming quite the figure skating mum,” the Novacastrian remarked, “with a 12-year-old who is completely captivated by it. Between my children and myself, we dedicate a significant portion of our lives to the rink!” [3]

Kelly Stock founded the first Victorian AWIHL teams, from the Melbourne Flames in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Showcase Series, to the Bendigo Ice Caps in the inaugural AWIHL season in 2007-08. She was also a player among the group of organisers of the Victorian AWIHL team in 2008-09. Known as the Melbourne Dragons, the team was rebranded in 2010 as the Melbourne Ice Women.