Daniel Bremner, 36 / Head Coach, Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
Aaron Spicer
Daniel Bremner
Coach Daniel Bremner got his start as a professional ice hockey player in 2011, playing first for the Knoxville Ice Bears, then Columbus Cottonmouths and finally the Peoria Rivermen, of which he was captain. He became an assistant coach at Ohio University in 2017 and soon after, took on the job as the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs head coach in 2017, making him the youngest head coach in the Southern Professional Hockey League at that time. Under his leadership, the team has made the playoffs every year, was a semifinalist in the 2018-19 season and a finalist in the 2021-22 season. His restructuring led the team on a winning streak that was the longest in the SPHL that year, and thanks to these efforts, Rail Yard Dawgs have had the best attendance in history in the 2021-22 season. Bremner is the owner and founder of the Virginia Hockey Lab and was awarded the 2020-21 Richard Sher Volunteer of the Year Award by the Valley Youth Hockey Association. “I hope my passion is always visible in the way I coach and the Dawgs play. … It is important to me to have people here that are proud to play for Roanoke as we strive to bring a championship home,” he says. “I think team sports, and hockey in particular, is the best place for youths to develop social skills and learn to become a contributor to a larger team goal. Above anything else, I hope my passion for being a good teammate is what I can pass along to the athletes I work with.”
- Earned B.S. in Biology, Mercyhurst University
- NCAA D1 player, Mercyhurst University; NCAA D3 player, SUNY Oswego)
- Professional Ice Hockey Player (2011-2017): Knoxville Ice Bears, 2011-2013; Columbus Cottonmouths, 2013-2014; Peoria Rivermen, 2014-2017 (Assistant captain 2014-2015, Captain 2015-2017)
- Assistant coach for the U14 and U16 VYHA Youth Travel teams since 2020
Aaron Spicer
Daniel Bremner on our Jan/Feb 2023 cover!
From the Nomination: “... Daniel Bremner … coaches in a way that highlights his players' strengths while also improving their weaknesses. He ensures that everyone who plays under him will leave his team with a thorough knowledge of the sport. While coaching hockey specifics, he also coaches life skills. Knowing that his players will not play in the SPHL forever, he is heavily focused on making sure they are prepared for professional and personal success after hockey. In addition to his coaching achievements, Bremner has gotten very involved in youth hockey. Bremner saw the potential for hockey growth in Roanoke Valley and therefore opened Virginia Hockey Lab in 2022. It's a synthetic ice rink and performance training center located in the Lancerlot. Bremner locked in a 3 year contract with the VYHA to train their travel teams with focus on on/off ice conditioning, stick handling, skating and hockey IQ. Unfortunately, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rail Yard Dawgs were unable to have a season during 2020-2021. Since Bremner is not one to sit around with nothing to do, he got to work! Bremner started volunteering with the youth hockey teams in the region. He became the assistant coach for the 14U and 16U teams and traveled with them to multiple tournaments throughout the fall, spring and summer. … He didn't only share his knowledge and expertise with kids. His private lessons also included middle aged adults and the Virginia Tech men's and women's hockey teams! Working with players from various teams, ages, and skill levels, enhanced Bremner’s passion to grow hockey in the Roanoke Valley. He knew he wanted to do more for the players and their families. He had a desire to improve Roanoke youth hockey's ability to compete on a more even playing ground with teams across the nation. He wants to put Roanoke hockey on the map! Therefore in 2022 Bremner worked tirelessly and founded and literally built Virginia Hockey Lab (VHL) from the ground up. VHL opened in September 2022 and is explained in the previous section. In addition to his volunteer work in the community, Bremner has his RYD players participate in various volunteer, charity and promotional events throughout the season in a way to give back to the community that supports them. Bremner’s mother passed away from cancer, so he has a deep passion to give back to organizations that support cancer research. Bremner is not a native to Roanoke, or the US for that matter! He is an immigrant from Canada and has fully accepted Roanoke as his home for the last five years. Bremner has two brothers, but he is the only one in his family to obtain a college degree and then go on to play professional sports. DBremneran actually quit college to turn pro with only one year left in school. Sadly, his mother, who was a teacher, passed away during his first professional year. He made the hard decision to put his pro career on hold the next year to finish his college degree before returning to hockey, knowing it was what his mom would have wanted. The thing that sets Bremner apart the most is his love and passion for ice hockey. He brings this passion along with his knowledge and skills from years of experience to the Roanoke Valley. He has an unmatched desire to grow the game in a region of the country where hockey isn't historically prevalent. He works tirelessly to ensure he puts a good product on the ice for the fans of the Rail Yard Dawgs but also makes sure he is always giving back by encouraging his players to participate in community service events. Bremner will be the first one to tell you that he was never the most skilled player on the ice, but he was always the smartest player on the ice. His selfless approach always puts whatever team he is involved with in positions to be successful. The hockey community has thrived because of Bremner and we are better with him in Roanoke.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Bremner: “My wife, Deanna, and I love being outdoors and Roanoke provides endless outdoor opportunities. Between the beautiful and challenging hikes, getting out on the water, local breweries and restaurants and endless weekend events, it feels like there is always something to do here. There’s a very welcoming feeling here in Roanoke. From day one, Deanna and I have been welcomed here and it quickly started feeling like home. It’s a beautiful place to live.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Bremner: “I hope my passion is always visible in the way I coach and the Dawgs play. I want to have players here that put all of themselves into the game and the team. It is important to me to have people here that are proud to play for Roanoke as we strive to bring a championship home. Away from the Dawgs, I was very fortunate that the McGinn’s were able to keep me employed and in Roanoke through the missed Covid season. During that year I spent time with youth hockey teams at every age. I really enjoyed getting involved and discovering the passion within the hockey community here. In October, with a ton of support from the youth hockey community, I opened a hockey training facility, the Virginia Hockey Lab. We are partnered with the VYHA and hope to grow the game while helping youth athletes pursue their goals. I think team sports, and hockey in particular, is the best place for youths to develop social skills and learn to become a contributor to a larger team goal. Above anything else, I hope my passion for being a good teammate is what I can pass along to the athletes I work with.”