Meet Our Coaches
2025-26 Seattle Red Hawks Coaches
Coaches help instill a passion for the game of hockey. We have a great coaching staff that are exceptional role models and teachers of the game to place your daughter on the right path with her hockey development.
Seattle Red Hawks U18A1 Head Coach, Ally Barlow
Ally Barlow is a USA Hockey Level 4 coach and is now in her 6th season of coaching hockey and her 1st coaching the Red Hawks U18 A1. Barlow grew up in Ohio playing baseball, soccer, and hockey. In high school, she played on the boys Riverside hockey team before transitioning to competitive girls hockey. Barlow played for the Buffalo Regals in the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League in Ontario, CA where she played as both a defenseman and center. While playing for the Regals, she competed at USA Hockey Girls Tier I National Championships.
Barlow’s hockey career continued at Stevenson University in Maryland. In her four years playing Division III hockey, she appeared in over 100 games and was named MVP her senior year. Ally graduated Summa Cum Laude from Stevenson with a bachelor’s degree in film while serving as an assistant captain her senior year.
After Ally graduated, she went on to be an assistant coach of the Gilmour Academy girls U18 Prep team, the Gilmour Gladiators U19 girls team, and the Gilmour Gladiators U16 girls team for 2 seasons. During her time at Gilmour, her teams made multiple appearances to USA Hockey Girls Tier I National Championships. Barlow then moved south to Savannah, GA to complete her Master’s degree in Sound Design at Savannah College of Art and Design. While there, she helped set the foundations for a growing hockey program through teaching Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to-Play for ages 4-55+. She also taught private skating and skills lessons for people of various ages and assisted with the inaugural U8 and U12 team practices.
After graduation, Barlow moved back to Ohio where she was the assistant coach for the boys U10 Mentor Cardinals for 1 season. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and traveling.
Seattle Red Hawks U18A2 Head Coach, John Dunn
Coach Dunn, a USA Hockey Level 4 coach, enters with experience at U15 with a 2018 PCAHA President Series Championship title under his belt with the U15 AA Washington Wild. In 2020, his U16 AA team won the Wickfest Tournament Championship. He also experiences coaching in PCAHA at the U19 A level.
Previously he coached coed teams with Kent Valley Hockey Association in head coach and assistant coach roles from learn-to-play to the midget level. In 2015, his squirt team won the Portland Harvest Cup Championship and the Bremerton Battle of the Sound tournament. In 2014 his team won the league championship for the Western Washington High School Hockey league.
John played ACHA Club hockey for Washington State University while finishing his undergraduate and MBA degrees. He has been coaching for the last 13 years at all levels. The last 6 years have been exclusively with female teams. After coaching all 3 of his kids through their youth years, he continues to coach to help provide positive experiences & growth for the athletes and the sport.
When not at the rink, John works for the City of Tukwila as a Recreation Superintendent overseeing Foster Golf Links pro shop, the Community Center customer service and department wide facility rentals. In addition, he teaches CPR & First Aid Classes on the side. He also enjoys attending concerts and the occasional game night with friends.
The U18 A2 Seattle Red Hawks play in the girls division of the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey League (PCAHA).
Seattle Red Hawks U15 Female Elite AA Head Coach, Spencer Rodgers
For 10 years, Spencer has coached both girls’ and boys’ teams, won state championships, tournaments, and helped players achieve their goals. As a coach, he prioritizes competitiveness and continuous improvement, while ensuring the players respect hockey and have fun. In addition to hockey fundamentals, Spencer is an expert in the technical aspect of skating, shooting, passing, and puck handling—he founded a synthetic ice hockey training company and personally trained hundreds of athletes, so he can help athletes correct their skill mechanics.
Spencer’s playing experience includes the BCHL where he was his team’s leading scorer, all-star, most dedicated player, most community minded, and voted as the Fan Favorite. He went on to play at Yale University where he led his class in games played, won freshman player of the year, and earned an award for inspiring teammates through determination, grit, and courage. After college, he played professionally in Germany, where he led his team in scoring. His success on-ice is most attributed to being a good
teammate and a relentless competitor.
Personally, Spencer has two kids who play rep hockey, a 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter, and a wonderful wife, who was a collegiate soccer player at Yale, state high school champion in Florida, and is a local pediatrician—her athletic experience and medical training helps guide Spencer with coaching female athletes.
The U15 Female AA Elite Seattle Red Hawks play in the Pacific Coast Elite Hockey League, a high-performance female hockey league. For more information about the league, please visit their website: https://pcaha.ca/female-aa/
Seattle Red Hawks U15A1 Head Coach, Garret Dennis
Garret originally grew up in Detroit playing hockey, soccer and competitive sailing. He is a USA Hockey level 4 coach with over 25 years of coaching experience. He began coaching boy's hockey for 13 years at the House, A, AA, and AAA levels. With those teams, he made several tournament championships and was a state runner-up. He has developed many youth players and helped them get to the next level, including 4 players that made it to the NHL. He has been coaching girl's hockey for 13 years at the A and AA level from 10U-19U and also successfully developed many players to the collegiate level.
In addition to his coaching experience, his playing career began at the youth level and continued into adulthood. He made it to 12 state championships, winning 6 and also won a national title.
Outside of coaching, you might see Garret in stripes on the ice. He has over 40 years of refereeing experience from youth to college level hockey and has held the referee-in-chief position. He has years of leadership experience in hockey associations holding several executive level positions that helped grow hockey in the Metro Detroit area.
Personally, Garret has been a general contractor with a specialty in stonework for over 30 years. He is a dad of 3 adult children and a 12 year old here in Seattle. He and his wife have been married for 15 years. When they are not on the ice, you will find them hiking, camping, and sailing together.
Seattle Red Hawks U13 Female Elite AA Head Coach, Annie Smyth-Hammond
Annie Smyth-Hammond grew up in Massachusetts, playing hockey, soccer, and lacrosse, before she was recruited to play Division III hockey at Stevenson University. Annie was a dedicated student-athlete at Stevenson University from 2016-2020. In addition to being a business communications major, Annie captained the Stevenson University Women’s Ice Hockey Team (NCAA) during her junior and senior years. She received the Mustang Award, as well as the American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholars award, during her time there.
After graduating from Stevenson University, Annie joined Manhattanville College Women’s Hockey (NCAA) as an Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Annie earned her Masters in Education from Manhattanville College. While at Manhattanville, she also coached for ProCrease, assisting in their goalie development programs. Following Manhattanville, Annie returned to her alma mater, Holderness School, to be the Assistant Director of Admissions and the Head Coach of the girls' varsity hockey team. She also worked as a dorm parent and advisor to students on campus.
Annie is now the Girls Hockey Director at Seattle Junior. She is involved with the PNAHA State Development Camp and the USA Hockey Pacific District Development Camp. She oversees player and coach development for the girls program. She runs weekly development sessions with the rep hockey teams with Youth Hockey Director, Marty Rubin, and goalie director, Mark Sorenson. In her free time, Annie enjoys hiking, camping, mountain biking, and really anything that gets her outside!
The U13 Female AA Elite Seattle Red Hawks play in the Pacific Coast Elite Hockey League, a high-performance female hockey league. For more information about the league, please visit their website: https://pcaha.ca/female-aa/
More Coaching Announcements for the 2025-2026 Season Coming Soon!