A former Drumheller Miner Hockey player and long time coach of the Calgary Canucks has been selected to enter the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.
On February 14, the 2013 inductees were announced. Among them is Don Phelps, who was nominated in the Builder Category.
“Every year we enjoy looking back at the accomplishments and recognizing the significant contributions to hockey in Alberta, Canada and beyond,” said Scott Robinson, executive director of the Hockey Alberta Foundation. “The AHHF is a place of legacy, where we can showcase the groundwork and chronicle the game of Hockey in Alberta. All of the inductees deserve this honour for their accomplishments.”
According to a release, Phelps believes in a lot of things, but one that stands out is his belief that: “You’ve got to know when to hold and you’ve got to know when to fold.” Don has dedicated more than four decades of his life towards hockey including 24 years as coach of the Calgary Canucks Junior Hockey Team, and before that, a successful playing career including several seasons with the renowned Drumheller Miners, winning two Alberta Championships in that time.
Someone who leads by example, Don have always believed that his players give much more to him than he does to them. His accolades speak for themselves; helping to initiate a Midget AAA League and coaching a club to the Air Canada Cup in its inaugural season, Calgary Booster Club Sportsman of the year, 11 AJHL Championships and 775 wins with the Calgary Canucks, just to name a few. Though he’s not one to brag about what he’s done, the determination, hard work and modesty that Don Phelps carries with him is a life lesson that lives on in all of the players he’s coached over the years.
