(Ottawa, ON) Softball Canada announces that Tom Doucette (Middle Musquodoboit, NS) has decided to retire from his position as Head Coach of the Junior Men’s National Team Program. Following the 2012 ISF Junior Men’s World Championship last November, Tom has decided to retire from the program. He led the Canadian Junior Men’s National Team to a fourth place finish at the event.
Doucette has left a lasting impression on the Junior Men’s National Team program, winning a bronze medal as an assistant coach at the 2005 ISF Junior Men’s World Championship followed by a silver medal as a head coach at the following event held in 2009. Canada lost the Gold medal game by a score of 2-1 in extra innings against Australia that year. Prior to joining the program, he coached in four Canada Summer Games (Boy’s in 1989, 1993 and 1997; Girl’s in 2001).
‘When you think of people who are truly a class act, then Tom Doucette will always come to mind’ stated Softball Canada President Kevin Quinn. ‘Tom has left a lasting impression on hundreds of players and coaches across our country for many, many years. The consummate gentleman, Tom was always willing to share his knowledge without any fear that those he shared it with might know more than he did at some point. As a coach myself I learned more from Tom Doucette than any other coach I have met. We were competitors for many years, but more importantly, we were also good friends. I wish Tom the very best in a well deserved retirement.’
In addition to his exceptional work with the Junior Men’s National Team, Doucette has also been instrumental in the development of coaching in Canada as a member of Softball Canada’s Coaching Development Committee since 1997. He is a Master Learning Facilitator and Master Evaluator, and has organized numerous clinics to train coaches and Learning Facilitators in his home province of Nova Scotia and across Canada. He was recently recognized for his contributions as a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
“I have greatly enjoyed my tenure with the Junior Men’s National Team’ stated Doucette. ‘I have had the chance to mentor some tremendous coaches, and am very confident that the future of the program will be in very good hands. I feel like this was a good time for me to step back and open the path for other coaches to represent our Junior Men’s National Team.”
Softball Canada would like to thank Tom for his many contributions to the Junior Men’s National Team Program over the past several years.
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For more information, please contact:
Gilles LeBlanc
Manager – Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
gleblanc [@] softball.ca
Editor’s note: While broadcasting the 2008 ISF Jr. Men’s World Championships at Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, Kyle Smith and I had the pleasure of dealing with Tom and seeing firsthand the positive effects of his leadership on his young charges. Canada’s Jr. Men had a great run in the tournament, winning the silver medal, losing gold in the final inning of the championship game, but gracious, whether winning or losing, in the mold that he cast. The program will miss him, but will be better, as will the game for the mark he left.