Dan Dumouchelle (Meritorious Service)

It’s an Honor to stand here today on behalf of someone who meant so much to so many – Dan Dumouchelle. As we celebrate his induction into the Hall of Fame we’re not just recognizing a great bowling coach and program director – we’re honoring a man whose life was defined by leadership, unwavering support and commitment. Dan never sought the spotlight, he just showed up day after day, year after year with the same love for the sport and the youth bowlers.

If Dan were standing here today, the very first thing he would do is turn the spotlight away from himself and toward the devoted team that stood beside him. Dan knew that nothing great was achieved alone, and he would want to thank his dedicated, hardworking team – those he relied on, the ones who shared in every success. He often said he couldn’t do it without them. People like Melissa Beaton, Brent Rankin, Dana Hitchcock, Jon and Dawn McQuin, and many others – you were invaluable to him. Together, you made his vision a reality.

Two names that must be recognized tonight are Ken Brown and Bruno Lamarzi—his partners since the very beginning. Your 30-plus years of unwavering dedication to the Unifor 444 organization are nothing short of remarkable. On behalf of all of us, thank you for your loyalty, your perseverance, and your commitment to the sport and its youth. You deserve this community’s deepest appreciation and heartfelt thanks.

It was 33 years ago that Ken Brown approached Dan and suggested he’d make a good coach for the junior bowling program. It didn’t take long before Ken saw something even more: a future Program Director. And that’s exactly what Dan became—a passionate, forward-thinking leader who shaped junior bowling in ways we still benefit from today.

Dan wasn’t just involved—he was immersed in every level of the sport. He served as President of WECKBA, 2nd Vice President of the Ontario Tenpin Association, Chairperson of the WECKBA Youth Committee, and Tournament Director. He created the Thursday Night Junior Practice sessions to help eager bowlers improve and introduced the Junior Summer League to keep the spark alive in the off-season. For Dan, Junior Bowling wasn’t a task – it was a calling. It lived in his heart.

There has never been anyone more dedicated to the youth, to growing the program, or to lifting up every single bowler who needed support. Dan’s focus was always on doing more – more members, more scholarships, more awareness. He did things that had never been done before.  He arranged advertising at the school board level, secured corporate sponsors for scholarship funds, and increased community visibility through banners, posters, and calendars.

If you needed a ball, he found you one. A bag? He had one. You needed teammate? He’d make arrangements. And if all you needed was a pen – well, Dan had a few of those.

When we suddenly lost this great leader, we did our best to carry on—to maintain the high standard our parents and youth had come to expect. This first season without him, we quickly realized just how much time, attention, and pure effort Dan had given. It now takes more than four people to do what Dan once did on his own. And even with all of us, we struggled. Again and again, we found ourselves asking, “How did Dan do all of this?” And just as often, we told each other, “We’ll do better next year.”

Dan wasn’t just a coach, or a director, – he was the heart and soul of this program. Tonight, we honor that heart. We recognize not just the decades of service, but the legacy of kindness, leadership, and tireless dedication that Dan Dumouchelle leaves behind. His spirit will live on through every young bowler who finds joy in this game, every teammate who finds support, and every volunteer who follows in his footsteps.

If you truly want to honor his memory, then honor his vision for improving  the program. Keep making changes, because with change comes growth and improvement. Provide opportunities to award more Scholarship funds. Encourage your junior bowlers to always do their best but above all else, have fun.

This Hall of Fame recognition is richly deserved. It serves as a reminder to acknowledge those who dedicate their time and passion to this sport—and to thank them, every single day.

On behalf of Dan, our family, and all who had the honor of knowing him, thank you for this induction. He would have been humbled. He would have been proud. But most of all, he would have been deeply and sincerely grateful.

Thank you, Dan. You’ve made this organization, and all that benefit from it, better.

As we heard him every Saturday morning, Good Luck and Good Bowling.