Doug Pelland grew up in the Southdale area of Winnipeg and started playing hockey when he was 6 years old. He has been enjoying the sport for almost 40 years and has been coaching since 1986. His two main reasons for becoming a hockey coach were to give something back to his community and for the simple love of the game. He is currently coaching the Southdale Lakers Pee Wee A2 team.

Doug is a firm believer in teaching the kids the fundamentals of hockey – as well as the strategies of the game. He stresses the importance of TEAM and positive reinforcement which goes a long way in building player self-confidence. When asked what he likes best about coaching he said “I really like to see the smiles on the kids’ faces after games and practices, but what I hope to do is instill the same love for the game that I have in them, so hopefully when they are my age they are still playing hockey."

Doug volunteers his time for hockey beyond the coaching of one team. He rents ice for all players to have the chance to skate and is the first one to help out a fellow coach. He also spends countless hours discussing and organizing the game, making it easier for other coaches while still keeping it fun for the players. It is easy to see why Doug has earned the respect of his players, parents, fellow coaches and hockey community over the years.

Hockey Manitoba congratulates Doug Pelland as the October 2009 Volunteer of the Month.