A New Brunswicker has been named the NHL’s Community Hero of the Year.
Fredericton’s Doug Grandy received the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award in recognition of the positive effect he’s had on his community through hockey.
Grandy is the founder and coach of the Rink Rebels Female Hockey Organization.
Through the organization, Grandy has helped expand access to hockey for girls while creating a culture based in inclusion, encouragement and belonging.
“It really started just with a movement or an idea that we can do a little bit better for these girls,” Grandy said.
He said there are many inequalities in ice time, time-sharing and funding.
“It is just not there, yet,” he said. “It almost seems like sometimes the girls are an afterthought and for me, I’m not OK with that.”
Grandy said he heard stories of girls leaving the sport due to lack of proper coaching and having bad experiences.
“They were like ‘I don’t want to be a part of this, this doesn’t make me feel good, doesn’t make me happy’” right?” Grandy said.
“When I started hearing that, I was like OK, that is the number one thing.”
Rink Rebels followed, and Grandy built a program where there’s more focus on using hockey as a tool for life.
“We’re going to teach you how to grow, we’re going to teach you how to be a good person, how to be respectful, how to leave these places with confidence,” Grandy said.
“It’s more than hockey for us. It’s never about the hockey. It’s about everything else.”
Grandy is the first winner of the award to come from Willie O’Ree’s home province.
“Doug Grandy’s passion for the game of hockey and his community personifies the spirit of this award,” O’Ree said in a release.
“He has created a space where young athletes feel empowered to succeed. It’s an honour to celebrate his contributions and the lasting impact he’s making in Fredericton and beyond.”
The Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award celebrates the legacy of the former NHL forward who made history on Jan. 18, 1958, as the NHL’s first Black player.
