I鈥檓 pretty happy with what I鈥檝e accomplished over the years.
鈥� Don Chesney
Former Terrier Director of PR and Marketing
Don Chesney has stepped down as the team鈥檚 Director of Public Relations and Marketing, a position he has held for the last two seasons.
The team made the announcement via a press release last week.
Chesney said in his mind it was just the right time to step away from not just the Terriers, but hockey.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty happy with what I鈥檝e accomplished over the years,鈥� he said over a coffee Monday.
Chesney said he has enjoyed every facet of hockey, from his days as a Junior player with Melville, through to championship seasons with the Terriers, and even the lower spots of a team that has struggled the last two seasons.
鈥淏ut it all takes a lot of energy,鈥� he said.
Chesney leaves the team and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League fold with a long and successful resume.
His coaching career in the SJHL spanned twelve years where he coached the Melville Millionaires, Lebret Eagles and Yorkton Terriers. During this time he was twice named the SJHL Coach of the Year, once with Lebret and once with the Terriers where he was head coach for two seasons from 2002-2004 before retiring from the coaching ranks.
In the fall of 2010 Don returned to the Yorkton Terriers to serve as the team鈥檚 General Manager & Director of Marketing. Under Don鈥檚 guidance from 2010-2014, the Terriers enjoyed a great amount of success on and off the ice. The team captured three division pennants (2011,2013,2014), an SJHL regular season pennant (2014), appeared in three SJHL League finals winning two league championships (2013,2014), a Western Canada Cup Championship (2014) and culminating with the crown jewel of Junior 鈥楢鈥� Hockey, an RBC Cup National Championship in 2014. Don was also inducted into the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
鈥淔or me winning that first (SJHL) championship was great,鈥� he said, adding he鈥檇 played in a game seven in a league championship and lost, and had coached in a game seven and lost, so finally hoisting the Cup was 鈥減retty special.鈥�
And the 鈥淩BC was huge,鈥� said Chesney.
Lots of players and coaches, and managers never even get to a national final game at the Junior level, so to be part of the win in Vernon, especially with the late comeback to tie the game, and dramatic overtime win, was a milestone moment.
Yet as Chesney looks back it is the players he seems to remember more than the personal moments of success.
鈥淚鈥檝e liked all my players,鈥� he said.
Chesney related a time when Trent Cassan, the current Terrier GM and head coach, was asked what sort of coach Chesney had been when he played under him in Yorkton. Cassan鈥檚 reply was that all the players liked playing for Chesney.
鈥淭hat made me feel good,鈥� said Chesney who self-analyzed he was not necessarily a coach who taught players as much on the technical aspects of the game, but he did try to get all the players on the same page playing as a team for one another.
And there are the players, so many, who are remembered for so many reasons. Chesney said three that came to mind were what turned out to be rather savvy managerial moves.
He recalled visiting with Brett McRuvie鈥檚 family, and the young defenceman鈥檚 mother who was fighting cancer which would take her life in a few months, saying she would trust Chesney and sent her son to the Terriers.
There was the deal that brought Barry Sparvier to the Terriers to patrol the wing for talented linemates Chris Korchinsky and Jason Wagar. 鈥淚 got him for $400,鈥� said Chesney with a wiley grin.
A third deal brought Springside native Dustin Nehring home to play the Terrier blue line.
Chesney said Sparvier, McRuvie and Nehring were all integral parts of the team.
鈥淥n behalf of the board, staff and all Yorkton Terrier supporters, we want to thank Don for his hard work and dedication to the team and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,鈥� detailed the Terrier release. 鈥� 鈥� Don has been an integral part of our team and a great ambassador for the Yorkton Terriers for the past six hockey seasons. We want to acknowledge Don鈥檚 contributions to the SJHL and, in particular, to the Yorkton Terrier organization.鈥�
As for what lies ahead for Chesney, in terms of hockey he said he has no plans, at least past being a Terrier season ticket holder in the fall.
鈥淚鈥檓 just going to see what transpires,鈥� he said with a grin.
