Tsuut'ina Nation community builder Brent Dodginghorse wins NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award
Former Calgary Hitmen player Brent Dodginghorse won the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award earlier this week.
The award is given to an individual who uses hockey to positively impact their community, culture or society.
Dodginghorse is the founder of the Tsuut'ina 7 Chiefs Hockey Program, which was created to promote greater respect, understanding and appreciation for fellow hockey players regardless of race, ethnicity or ability.
The program has been taken by close to 4,000 people since its founding in 2019.
The 47-year-old, who's a consultant with the Calgary Flames and a former rodeo champion, works with his cousin Kyle Dodginghorse at Tsuut'ina, where they talk about diversity with and mentor young players at the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex and Chief Jim Starlight Centre.
He also runs the DH Ranch on Tsuut'ina, which uses horses to run kids' camps and design team-building programs for organizations looking to become more inclusive.
Dodginghorse had 81 points (27 goals and 54 assists) in 103 games for the Calgary Hitmen between 1997 and 1999, helping the club win the WHL's President's Cup in 1999.
Dodginghorse was nominated for the award by Calgary Flames Foundation executive director Candice Goudie.
'He has been such a tremendous advocate and friend and peer and mentor to our entire organization at the Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen,' Goudie said in a story about Dodginghorse by William Douglas posted on the NHL website.
Willie O'Ree
The award is named after O'Ree, who became the first Black NHL player in 1958. O'Ree went on to spend more than two decades advocating for inclusion and using hockey as a platform to promote values of perseverance, dedication and teamwork. O'Ree has been recognized over the years with a Congressional Gold Medal, the Order of Canada and a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Willie O'Ree
National Hockey League Diversity Ambassador Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the NHL, was honored during a ceremony in Boston on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via AP)
'Dodginghorse draws from his own experiences to teach others about compassion and understanding. It takes a strong spirit to share personal stories with strangers, but he does it to help make his community stronger,' said O'Ree. 'The domino effect of his work is commendable. Congratulations Brent Dodginghorse.'
Dodginghorse receives $25,000 to be donated to the charity of his choice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
30 minutes ago
- CTV News
Ontario 55+ Summer Games coming to Sudbury next month
Ontario 55+ Summer Games organizing committee chair and volunteer service co-chair Barb Nott joins Ian Campbell in studio to discuss the upcoming three-day event, coming to Greater Sudbury on August 5.
Globe and Mail
30 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
From Vernon, B.C. to Wimbledon, Vasek Pospisil's tennis career proves ‘Anything is Pospisil'
As Canadian tennis player Vasek Pospisil is set to retire at the National Bank Open at age 35, his father Milos can't pick one favourite memory from his son's career. Maybe it was trekking to tournaments together in a small Winnebago, seeing him win a Wimbledon doubles title, or watching him upset then World No.1 Andy Murray at Indian Wells. But it's hard to top the feeling of seeing his son represent Canada in Davis Cup and help the country win its first title in 2022. Especially since Vasek was the first of his three sons to be born in Canada after the family escaped from the former Czechoslovakia and made a life in Vernon, B.C. 'That was such a big deal for as immigrants from former Czechoslovakia, to give something back,' said Milos Pospisil, who had coached his son until age 20. 'You could tell by watching Vasek playing Davis Cup what it meant to him to represent Canada.' Milos and his wife Mila are in Toronto this weekend to watch their son play his final tournament, along with other family and friends. It's fitting, as the player himself recognizes he could never have made it without the family's sacrifices. The father once quit his job at the local brewery to coach him full time and help him reach a pro tennis career, even sold their home to finance the way. 'It's very important that my family is here, because I was a long shot, and it was like a family project for me to make it,' said Pospisil. 'It was just as much my dad's success, as mine, and for the whole family.' Pospisil sifts through a lifetime of tennis memories. He started out young, playing on concrete courts in Vernon, with his dad as his coach. He tested himself against his older brothers. There weren't many others playing tennis in the area at the time. They found clever ways to save money in an expensive sport over the years. In Europe, the father bought a used Honda Civic so they could travel by car as much as possible. When in North America, they got a small diesel Winnebago to travel everywhere from California to Florida, stopping at rest areas along the U.S. freeways. They drove through cold places too, and the heat would sometimes conk out. The youngster would make them both coffee. 'I have incredible memories with my dad,' said Pospisil. 'Just an incredible childhood, and I'm very fortunate to have the family that I do.' Later on, Tennis Canada helped support them. During his 18-year career on the ATP Tour, Pospisil reached a career-high No. 25 singles ranking in 2014. He won seven ATP Tour doubles titles and reached three singles finals, in Washington (2014), Sofia and Montpellier (both 2020). He was named the ATP's Comeback Player of the Year in 2020. Pospisil helped provide one of the most memorable moments in recent Canadian Open history when he reached the semi-finals as a qualifier in Montreal in 2013 and lost an all-Canadian showdown to Milos Raonic. Along the way, the slogan 'Anything is Pospisil' came to characterize the player. After breakout tennis season, anything is Pospisil In doubles, he won Wimbledon alongside American teammate Jack Sock in 2014 – a duo known as 'The Pop-Socks.' He was the doubles No. 4 player in the world in 2015. Representing Canada, he was a two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016) and played in 35 Davis Cup ties from 2008 to 2025. He'd begun as a 17-year-old who idolized Canadian doubles star Daniel Nestor and got to team up with him several times. His last tie for Canada was earlier this year in Montreal, where he partnered with Davis Cup rookie Liam Draxl. Felix Auger-Aliassime, who played a key role in Canada's Davis Cup title, says it was fun to see Pospisil celebrating it. 'I was so happy to play my part, because he deserved it for how much he's given to Team Canada,' said Auger-Aliassime. 'I mean, playing ties all over the world. . .me watching that as a kid inspired me to one day play for the team.' Pospisil also made his mark as an advocate for players' rights, joining Novak Djokovic in founding the first-ever Professional Tennis Players Association in 2019. Earlier this year, along with the PTPA, he filed an antitrust lawsuit against the main governing bodies of professional tennis. While he doesn't regret for a minute spending his energy on the PTPA work, he admits it distracted from his work on the court in recent years. 'Going from someone that was very popular amongst the establishment at all these tournaments to suddenly being extremely unpopular was tough,' he said. 'You're going to work and half the people that you see can't stand you, and half the people love you.' Injuries also disrupted Pospisil's career several times. He hasn't played many matches in the past few years, especially at the ATP Tour level. He estimates he's spent 80 per cent of the last three years rehabbing injuries. Each attempted comeback seemed to hit a roadblock. Burnout set it. Finally, he knew it was time to call it a career officially in one final tournament in Toronto. As for what's next, Pospisil says he'll pursue his interests in business. He's enjoyed helping raise money for a VC fund in the U.S. during recent years. Pospisil doesn't see himself becoming a player coach, but he does plan to stay close to tennis. He's keen to help with any Davis Cup duties, should Tennis Canada ask him. He's also interested in aiding in-need tennis youngers in a philanthropic way. 'Nothing would make me happier than to help young juniors in less privileged positions,' he said. 'I learned through years of trial and error, so if I can help expedite the learning curve for somebody who is a good person, or two or three or more players, then I would find that fulfilling.' Pospisil's dad welcomes the post-retirement era. 'We're gonna miss seeing him competing in the big tournaments,' said his father. 'But I'm also quite excited about seeing him go through his next chapter of life.'
CTV News
30 minutes ago
- CTV News
Quebec's Eugenie Bouchard to face Emiliana Arango in Montreal in farewell tour
Eugenie Bouchard, from Canada, waves to the crowd following her qualifying match loss to Danielle Collins, from the United States, at the National Bank Open women's tennis tournament in Montreal, Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press) Eugenie Bouchard's final tennis tournament will begin against Colombia's Emiliana Arango at the National Bank Open. Bouchard, who reached No. 5 in the WTA rankings in a breakout 2014 season, announced she will retire at the end of her hometown event. The 31-year-old from Westmount, Que., made it to the Wimbledon women's final in 2014, losing to Petra Kvitova in straight sets. She became the first Canadian woman in the open era to reach a Grand Slam singles final. Bouchard received a main-draw wild card to the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal, which began play with qualifying Saturday. This year's edition features a revamped 12-day, 96-player format. The top 32 seeds, led by world No. 2 Coco Gauff, received byes to the second round. A record eight Canadians are in the main draw. That number could increase with five others playing in qualifying. Rising star Victoria Mboko of Toronto takes on Australia's Kimberly Birrell in first-round action. Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont., who won the tournament in Toronto in 2019, faces a tough opening matchup against Czechia's Barbora Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion. Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que. -- the top-ranked Canadian at 36th in the world -- meets American Maya Joint. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 26, 2025.
