When the Bismarck High School Hockey team conference record resulted in missing the WDA tournament for the first time in program history, it was evident that a change needed to be made. Head Coach Steve Dora is taking the wheel and hoping to steer the Demons back on the road to success.
Steve Dora moved to Bismarck, North Dakota his senior year in high school. In his first year playing with the Demons, he earned a captain position and helped guide the Demons to their only state championship win in 2014. After this he crossed the border into Canada to play junior hockey, and then he traveled south to play a season for the Colorado University Buffaloes.
“I moved to Bismarck my senior year and was able to be a part of and lead a very special team that won a state championship. After high school, I went on and played for the Waywayseecappo Wolverines in the MJHL and then the Superior Rough Riders in the WSHL. After playing junior hockey, I played a year at the University of Colorado Boulder for their club team,” Dora said.
Dora started coaching with his father, Mike Dora, for the Bismarck Hockey Boosters. Then Steve joined the demon coaching staff as an assistant coach. He has held this position for the past five years. Dora is also an elementary school teacher at Pioneer Elementary School. He is coupling his passion for hockey and teaching, connecting with students and players to help them grow.
“I got into coaching seven years ago in the youth program here and fell in love with the idea of being able to inspire athletes,” Dora said.
Two years ago, Demon Hockey took a deep decline in the standings and lost the reputation it had. Dora looks to help the boys abandon the past and focus on the future of Demon Hockey. Dora believes mentality is a huge factor that plays into a team’s success.
“Last year had many ups and downs and it is in the past. I am focused on the future of this program and how to make it successful again,” explains Dora. Diving deeper, he states “A big thing for us will be goal setting. We will have three season goals and then intermediate goals to help us accomplish them. I believe finding the positives in everything and celebrating them when they are accomplished is essential for any successful team.”
Demon Hockey is slowly shifting away from what it used to be in terms of culture and success. Dora is looking to turn the boat around and bring back the culture Demon Hockey once had.
“I played for the Demons at a time when the program was most successful and I often reflect on why we were. One of the things I think back to the most is that nothing was given and you had to show up each day and earn your spot on the team. It is important to keep this accountability within the program to help build Demon pride,” Dora continues to add, “We will also focus more on the things we can control like work ethic, competition, and accountability, every time we show up to the rink and put on the maroon and white.”
Dora is going to change the culture in the locker room. By encouraging strong friendships and bonds, Dora looks to strengthen the camaraderie and unity in his players.
Dora says, “One big thing that needs to change is building community within the team. As coaches, we want to provide our athletes with a fun and positive experience. We want to create an environment where our athletes want to stay at the rink after practice and hang out with one another. Once trust has been built, you do not step on the ice to play for yourself, but for all of the boys on the team.”
Dora sees something special in Demon Hockey. Dora is excited and ready to grow demon hockey into what it once was. Dora looks forward to the season and building relationships with his players.
“I am looking forward to developing relationships and getting Demon Hockey back to what it used to be,” Dora continues, “I have played for many hockey teams in my life, but when I moved to Bismarck my senior year I realized how special this program truly is. There truly is no other place I would rather be.”
