From the late 1940’s to the 1980’s Herman Guimond was synonymous with hockey in Fort Frances and Couchiching First Nation.
He played senior men’s hockey and volunteered to coach on Couchiching. He would also help flood the North End rink late at night after the kids went home. He started coaching in 1956 when his son Gerry started playing Bantam C. His son Dennis started playing the following season. Herman coached both sons through the Midget level. After his sons were finished playing minor hockey Herman kept working for the betterment of hockey players in Midget championships and many Northwestern Ontario Championships. He skated with NHL stars in various coaching clinics across the country to better his coaching abilities.
Guimond was a positive influence on many young hockey players. Years later he received letters of thanks and appreciation from former players for the time he invested in their early years. He always encouraged a “team effort”, sportsmanship, fair play and that each player play to the best of their ability. After retiring from coaching he took up skate sharpening. For many years there was an incessant stream of repeat customers that were happy to chat the game with whom many thought of as a Grandfather of Fort Frances hockey.
