Hello everyone, I am pleased to join the SLMHA Board of Directors for my inaugural year. I have been a youth hockey coach for five years, and I have been proud to call Sylvan Lake home for the past 8 years with my wife and two sons.

I am also an alumnus of the association. I grew up in Spruce View, and when there wasn’t enough kids to make a team anymore, Sylvan Lake became my home association, and it was one of the best things to ever happen to me. After graduating the program, I played two years of Junior B and one year of Junior A, before receiving an offer to continue playing hockey and pursue my education in the NCAA. I played two years at New England College before taking over behind the bench for their Junior Varsity program for my final year. After graduating, I got a job with the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL as their Business Manager, where I spent four of the best years of my life.

The game of hockey has been great to me. It has given me the opportunity to see the world, enjoy some unique experience, and it also introduced me to my wife. This is the whole reason I wanted to join the Board of Directors this year, to afford other kids the opportunity to experience what I did, thanks to volunteers in the association when I was a player.

My goals for year for the program are the same for my kids, who play U9 and U11 – for all of the members to learn the value of teamwork, fair play, hard work, and most of all – FUN! The hockey is just a bonus for me.

I look forward to meeting everyone this year, and if you have any questions, or just want to chat hockey, feel free to reach out or flag me down at the rink!

Go Lakers!

Dallas Hand