Doug Krochak

Doug started playing minor lacrosse in 1966 for Northwood Centre, marking the beginning of his continued involvement and contributions to the game of lacrosse in Manitoba over the next fifty years.

In 1969 he founded Nor`Westers Lacrosse, comprised initially of just two box teams, one midget and one juvenile. In search of a suitable home facility, Doug subsequently negotiated an agreement with the Boyd Park Recreation Association to merge the two entities, and the Boyd Park Nor`Westers Lacrosse organization was formed. The following year Doug performed as player-coach of a Junior B team under the Nor`Westers banner, leading them to the 1970 league championship.

With the support of the Boyd Park community, the Nor`Westers box lacrosse program eventually was represented in every age division. Doug coached at various levels during the following decade, including taking the junior club to the Provincial Junior B Championship in 1976, which then advanced to complete for the national title at the Founders Cup Tournament in Windsor, Ontario.

While coaching, Doug continued to compete as a player as well with the St. Boniface Clubs. His hard-nosed style helped the Clubs capture consecutive Provincial Senior B Box Lacrosse Championships in 1975 and 1976. In 1977 Doug assumed the head coaching duties of the provincial Senior B squad that represented Manitoba at the President`s Cup Tournament, emblematic of the Canadian Senior B Box Lacrosse Championship, in Vernon, B.C. He continued in this role the following year as the competition for the 1978 President`s Cup was renewed in Kitchener, Ontario.

Meanwhile, Doug had left the Clubs to refocus his coaching talents on his beloved Nor`Westers, taking the reins as head coach of the Senior B squad over the next three years, 1978 – 1980. Doug implemented a hard checking, relentless, team first style for which they were rewarded with back-to-back Senior League titles in 1979 and 1980. When he wasn`t occupied with either playing or coaching the game, Doug found time to referee over a period of more than seven years.

In 1983 Doug once again turned his attention back to the North End, in particular the newly formed Falcons Lacrosse organization. His bantam squad captured the Manitoba Bantam B Box Lacrosse Championship in 2003 and 2005. Then, in 2010 Doug navigated the Manitoba Midget B Team to the National Midget B Championship, a crowning event in the province`s lacrosse history. More recently. Doug coached the junior Manitoba Selects club at the Founders Cup Tournament.

In total, Doug served as coach of six provincial teams: two midget, two junior and two senior. Notwithstanding all his accomplishments as a coach, Doug is especially praiseworthy for his contributions at the administrative level. Besides founding Nor`Westers Lacrosse in 1969, he helped to organize the Winnipeg Minor Lacrosse Association in 1972, serving as its president for the term, 1972-1974. From there Doug moved up to serve simultaneously as President of the Manitoba Lacrosse Association, 1973-1974.

Doug`s incredible love for lacrosse, so evident over his lifetime of selfless dedication to the game, continues unabated to this day. Besides still coaching with the Falcons, he performs the dual role as the province`s Master Learning Facilitator and Coach Evaluator for the Canadian Lacrosse Association, positions he has held since 2004. In addition, Doug has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Lacrosse Hall of Fame since its inception in 2011, currently serving as First Vice-President.

Doug has been the recipient of a number of well deserved awards for his contributions to the sport, including: Manitoba Lacrosse Alumni Sam Thompson Award, 2013; Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal, 2014; Ukrainian Sportsman of the Year, 2015.