WAYNE DESCHOUWER
Date of Death: 2018-10-01Date of Birth: 1954-10-17
Date of Induction: 2024
Born in Holland, MB and raised in Mariapolis, , Wayne Deschouwer's involvement in hockey and many other sports covered nearly 6 decades as a player, coach, manager and administrator.
After playing senior hockey at the age of 16 with the Somerset Flyers and eventually the Holland Rockets, he moved to Gladstone, MB where he was instrumental in establishing the Gladstone Senior Lakers.
Putting in many hours as a player/manager, he'd eventually hang his skates up at the age of 38. In addition to his duties with the senior hockey club, he served as President of the Gladstone Arena, while finding time to coach the local midget AA club to a Provincial Championship.
After moving to Winnipeg in 1994, Wayne became involved with the Charleswood Hawks of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL). As their General Manager and eventual President, Deschouwer built the Hawks into a strong volunteer-driven organization with an emphasis on developing and supporting the young athletes who made up the team.
Under his guidance, the Hawks enjoyed a phenomenal run of success winning 12 league titles, becoming the blueprint for MMJHL teams to follow.
In addition to his involvement with the MMJHL Hawks, Wayne was the President of the Tiger Hills Senior Hockey League, holding the post for 23 years. Under Deschouwer's guidance, the league has grown to cover the entire Southwest of the province. Deschouwer was also the President of the South East Hockey League.
Wayne Deschouwer was a dedicated community volunteer his entire life. His many accomplishments and unselfish commitment made him a recipient of many community service awards including the 2011/12 Hockey Manitoba Volunteer of the Year award for special individuals that have made extraordinary contributions to the game.