PART 2 Pearson wants to finish Jr. career in Owen Sound
Date: May 15, 2020
This week the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is announcing the recipients of the 2017-18 OHA Awards and today we are proud to announce that the 2017-18 OHA Coach of the Year is John Nelson, Head Coach of the GOJHL LaSalle Vipers.
OHA COACH OF THE YEAR – John Nelson, LaSalle Vipers
John Nelson (Windsor, Ontario) re-joined the GOJHL’s LaSalle Vipers as Head Coach in July 2017, after previously coaching the Vipers from 2008 to 2011. With Nelson at the helm, LaSalle won the OHA Sutherland Cup in 2010, his second year with the organization.
This past season, Nelson coached the Vipers to a third place finish in the GOJHL Western Conference with a record of 32 wins, 16 losses, 1 tie and 1 overtime loss. To have this kind of season despite only seven returnees from 2016-17 and losing their top three scorers, and five of their top seven, speaks volumes on the impact Nelson had with the Vipers in 2017-18. LaSalle was one of the youngest teams in the GOJHL last year and after some growing pains early they finished the regular season strong before bowing out to the Chatham Maroons in the playoffs.
With a player-first mentality and open door policy dealing with both players and staff, Nelson and his staff emphasize team priorities of: Family first; school second; hockey third. Their goal as a coaching staff is to make the players’ time at the rink positive, safe and fun. When that happens, they believe each player will be motivated to give their “all in” effort to make their team successful.
Nelson was an Assistant Coach with the U SPORTS Windsor Lancers from 2012 to 2017 where the Lancers were Queen’s Cup Champions (OUA) in 2014 and finished first in the OUA Regular Season in 2015. The Lancers made back-to-back appearances in the National Championship in 2014 & 2015. Nelson was an assistant to Lancers’ Head Coach Kevin Hamlin, who also coached in the OHA with the Leamington Flyers from 1997 to 2001. Hamlin speaks highly of Nelson and his positive influence on his players, saying “He has a strong technical skill set but also has the ability to create a fun environment for the players he works with.” Hamlin added, “As a former player he speaks in a language that is easy for players to understand and relate to.”
As a player, John Nelson was drafted in 1989 in the 10th round of the NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres while playing for the Toronto Marlboros in the OHL. In 1991 he won an Allan Cup with the Charlottetown Islanders and played for the University of Prince Edward Island from 1991 to 1996 while obtaining a B.A. in Sociology. From 1996 to 2000 Nelson played professional hockey with stops in the American Hockey League, United Hockey League and Colonial Hockey League.
Along with his coaching duties with the Vipers, Nelson is Owner/Operator of Proven Performance Hockey Academy and is licensed by Hockey Canada as the Hockey Skills Director at the FJ Brennan Hockey Academy in Windsor. When it comes to coaching hockey, Nelson is definitely “all in”.
The remaining 2017-18 OHA Awards winners will be announced this week and recipients will formally receive their Awards at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Friday, June 1, 2018.
For more information visit: OHA Website
Monday: Officials Awards
Tuesday: Top Prospects
Wednesday: Trainer & Coach of the Year Awards
Thursday: Players of the Year Awards (Sr. AAA, Jr. A, Jr. B, Jr. C)
Friday: BJ Monro and Donald Sanderson Awards