SPOTLIGHT: Dan Lebold
“There is a certain standard that goes with being part of the Kitchener Rangers. We’ve been going for over 60 years now and I’m really glad to have been a part and continue to be a part of such an outstanding organization,” Lebold said. “To me, there is no finer organization in the CHL and you always know you’re in a good position when your peers are envious of what you have, and I think if there’s a time when I leave, there’ll be a big long lineup for this position.”
As one of the longest-tenured staff members in the Ontario Hockey League, Kitchener Rangers’ Equipment Manager Dan Lebold has embarked on a remarkable journey stemming from the humblest of beginnings. Proudly representing the Rangers organization since 1995, in his 31st season in the OHL, Lebold’s expertise and dedication to the red, blue, and white have left an undeniable mark on his peers, #RTown, and the sport itself.
Born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, Lebold participated in numerous youth sports including baseball and hockey, sparking a passion for the sporting world from the early age of five. Pursuing his interests even further, Lebold was determined to try out for his hometown Jr. B hockey team, the Stratford Cullitons when he met the age requirement, to which he was quite enamoured with the thought of playing Junior hockey locally. Although this may have been his original plan, little did he know that this moment would set the course for his future endeavours off the ice.
“I knew I didn’t have the skill to play there [Stratford Cullitons] but I went for a walk-on tryout and the General Manager there told me that he believed there would be a career in hockey for me, it just wouldn’t be on the ice. That’s when I truly started to enjoy what was going on behind the scenes and kind of got a sniff of it there.”
From that point on, Lebold ignited a fascination with the inner workings of the hockey world. As a new pursuit had risen to the surface, Lebold forged forward to Junior College in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where he heavily focused on Athletic Therapy through experiences with Division III basketball for two seasons. Being far from home, Lebold opted to return to Ontario to complete his degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in what was a precursor to Kinesiology, while working closely alongside the varsity hockey team for a handful of seasons. Lebold recalls this period of his life as his entry into the hockey world.
Fresh out of school, Lebold was eager to make his entry into the OHL. In a unique story, he got his big break from a long-time neighbour who was a scout for the Sudbury Wolves. After mentioning to Lebold that there was an opening for an Athletic Therapist and Head Trainer job in Sudbury, he jumped at the opportunity to fulfill the position in the spring of 1992 – kickstarting the beginning of a lengthy career.
“Sudbury was a great place to go to get started. I was there for three years and it all started through a neighbour that I had in Stratford. He was a scout for the Sudbury Wolves and I knew that they were looking for an Athletic Therapist or Trainer up there,” said Lebold. “I talked to him and he said, ‘We could probably do it’. In the spring of 1992, that is when I agreed to it and I moved up to Sudbury in the summer.
Although the move presented itself as one that was five hours away and a major commitment, Lebold had three memorable seasons with the Wolves. In moments throughout the seasons filled with ups and downs as well as many learning experiences, he credits his wife, Maryanne, for sticking by his side in encouraging him to stick it through. In perhaps the biggest career-changing decision he had to make, a window of opportunity had creaked open after a phone call with former Rangers’ Head Coach Jeff Ward during the Christmas of 1994, ultimately leading him to Kitchener. In search of an Athletic Therapist and Head Equipment Manager, Lebold tried not to jump through the phone too quickly but said [he] might be available. Sudbury and Kitchener were ironically playing each other in the first round that year. With the series coming to an end, the two teams were doing the traditional handshake line, but as he recalls, the two were not only shaking hands about the series but were instead agreeing to rejoin one another in Kitchener in 1995.
Currently, in his 28th season with the club, Lebold has surpassed numerous milestones that he “couldn’t have imagined” when looking back on his story. Last season, on Friday, January 6, 2023, in Saginaw, Lebold served in his 2000th OHL Game. A week later, the Rangers and their fans honoured him for this milestone, a moment that he deemed was just humbling to see. With messages and phone calls pouring in from current and former players, staff, and the staff’s kids, Lebold was relieved to have done the preparation for game day because he was just a mess and overcome with emotion from the support he received.
“I remember the game was in Saginaw, we were on the road, and when it was announced that it was my 2000th game, my phone blew up. Current and former players, staff, and the staff’s kids, were all calling and texting me,” said Lebold. “Sharing it with my peers was great. I may get some of the recognition but it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my family. I know I missed some school events with my boys and I missed some hockey. There were also times in there that I wasn’t sure I was gonna make it through specific seasons and my family, led by my Wife Maryanne, pushed me to stick to it because she believed I could do it. Any of the successes I have, a lot of it has to do with the support that I’ve had from my family – and that’s been outstanding.”
When putting things into perspective, he notes that specific moments throughout his career still haven’t sunk in yet. Across this milestone, Lebold has amounted to many accomplishments, including representing the Rangers and Hockey Canada four times at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship medalling on three occasions (one Gold medal and two Silver medals). With appearances in 1997 (Gold), 2010 (Silver), 2011 (Silver), and 2019 being selected to be a part of these experiences is something that he’ll never forget and an aspect of his career that stands out prominently. Although bringing home the hardware is always the goal, Lebold viewed it as an additional bonus when considering the life-long relationships he had built over the years and the chance he was presented with to represent both his country and club across various areas of the world. Reflecting on the camaraderie built with teammates and staff dating back to as far as 1997, the morals of connections and relationship-building surpassed far beyond any medal to Lebold.
“Anytime you get selected to be a part of those programs, it is such an awesome experience. The biggest takeaway from those experiences is the relationships you’ve established. Even thinking back to 1997, a lot of those guys on the team you still run into occasionally and you have that in common. To speak to a couple of guys, ‘Jumbo’ Joe Thornton was a rookie on the team and he never stopped smiling the whole time he was there. Mike Babcock was the Head Coach and I remember when we were playing in Plymouth one year and Mike was coaching the Red Wings and he came to scout. I was sharpening skates and all of a sudden I was in a bear hug because somebody had grabbed me from behind and here was Mike 10-12 years later. The hardware I guess is what hangs in your trophy case, but the relationships are the ones that will last forever.”
Kitchener Rangers pose for a team picture after winning the OHL championship over the Belleville Bulls in game 7 in Kitchener Monday night.
In perhaps his fondest moments as a Ranger, Lebold was a part of the 2003 Memorial Cup winning team and the J. Ross Robertson Cup win in the club’s 2008 season. The Rangers’ only Memorial Cup at that time had come 21 years before in the city of Hull. Now fast forwarding to 2003, the Rangers took down the Hull Olympiques en route to their second Memorial Cup victory in Quebec City – a season destined for greatness after the Rangers ran the table going 3-0 in the round-robin. Led by coaches Peter DeBoer and Steve Spott and players like Derek Roy, Gregory Campbell, David Clarkson, and Scott Dickie, the team had a haul of sensational hockey minds that made it all possible. Recounting the triumphs, Lebold vividly remembers the atmosphere during the J. Ross Robertson Cup win celebrated at home in front of a sea of Rangers fans and most dearly to him – with his young boys alongside him in the celebration.
“It’s only been done twice here in Kitchener [Memorial Cup] and to be a part of one of them means so much to me. We won the J. Ross Robertson Cup at home and I still remember hoisting that cup and having my young boys there sitting on the boards and being able to share it with them was outstanding,” Lebold highlighted. “We ran the table because we went 3-0 in the round-robin, and there haven’t been many teams that have gone 3-0 and haven’t won the cup. That record put us right into the finals on Sunday and we won 6-3. Just the elation that was going on, winning it there, calling back to family, and celebrating was paramount.”
Although Lebold carried both roles as an Athletic Therapist and Head Equipment Manager up until about six years ago, he works primarily now as the Head Equipment Manager. On a day-to-day basis, this has many different facets to the job, whether that is setting the bench or making sure skates are sharpened on a game day, ordering clothing and sticks, fostering equipment needs, and working on jerseys on an off-day, Lebold ensures the team is ready to go. There are a ton of moving parts with not too many days off, but when there is downtime, Lebold and his support staff use this time for any paperwork, preparation, fixing equipment, and getting ready for the next two, three, four days. As a respected, reputable, and admirable individual, Lebold resembles what it means to be a Kitchener Ranger. Going 28 seasons strong with the club, Lebold has no intentions of slowing down with plenty left in the tank, but one thing is for certain; his peers and colleagues view him by the highest of standards as a team-oriented and dedicated craftsman who would do anything for members of this organization.
“I’ll be honest with you. I’m not sure any of these accomplishments really sink in until I finally sharpen my last pair of skates or sit down and take a moment to realize that this was awesome, but for me, being able to just be here is incredible. I have rings and I have medals with experiences behind them, but the relationships that you make along the way will last forever. Any of the milestones that I’ve achieved have been because people believed in me and I believed in this organization.”
Written by: Evan Doerfler
