Faces of the Ranch: Gord Pritchard
The story of Ranch Ehrlo, and the legacy it continues to build, wouldn’t be possible without the people in our community who step forward to be part of the work. Employees, board members, volunteers, and community partners each play a vital role in the services we provide, contributing their skills and giving their hearts to the youth and families who are growing, healing, and being supported by Ranch Ehrlo.
In this Faces of the Ranch series, we meet one volunteer who felt a calling to give back and be part of something bigger than himself. Gord Pritchard, CEO of the Queen City Sports & Entertainment Group, has been a dedicated volunteer coach with Ehrlo Sport Venture’s (ESV) Outdoor Hockey League (OHL) since 2020.
“I was at a point in my life where I wanted to give back and volunteer. I really wasn’t sure where to turn or how to do that, but I knew it was important for me,” shared Gord.
That uncertainty didn’t last long. A conversation with his close friend, and former Ranch Ehrlo board member, Carmen Lein, pointed him toward Sport Venture’s OHL as a natural fit. With some prior exposure to the program, the decision was an easy yes.
“I just really fell in love with it,” said Gord. “I enjoy being on the ice, getting to know the kids and their families, and seeing players return year after year.”
For the past five seasons, Gord has worked with the group at the Core Ritchie rink on Monday nights. Gord leads with heart, whether he’s offering guidance on skills, coaching from the bench, or lending his expertise to strengthen the program. His commitment reflects Sport Venture’s focus on community and its belief that every young person deserves the chance to experience the joy and benefits of sport.
“Sport can be an escape, it can be a safe place for a couple hours a week, and it can be somewhere the skills we rely on all through life – teamwork, effort, sacrifice – can be traced back to,” he said.
Gord continues to be in awe of the opportunities ESV creates for children and their families and is inspired by the joy kids experience both on and off the ice. For him, it’s never been about goals scored or shutouts made, but about removing barriers and providing access.
“The biggest thing is to understand that you’re providing kids with an opportunity to play and not take it too seriously. The most important thing is that they’re having fun.”
“If there’s one moment that really stands out to me, it was in my second year of coaching,” Gord smiled. “We went to the Co-operators Centre, and this little guy got on the ice and took a stride or two and then just laid down. I was curious. He started doing snow angels, and I said, ‘Hey bud, what are you up to?’ He said, ‘This is so amazing! I’ve never skated inside before.’ “
It’s moments like these, said Gord, that underline the importance and impact of ESV. Through the growth and gratitude he’s witnessed in players, the connections he’s made with families, and the friendships he’s built with fellow coaches, Gord describes the experience as nothing short of incredible.
“I felt comfortable right off the hop because of the way it’s organized – it was easy to come and become a volunteer coach. The program is structured so you don’t have to figure it out all on your own,” he explained. “There’s also really good people on the team that are fun to work with; you can tell their heart is in the right spot and they’re doing this for the right reasons.”
That spirit of community involvement traces back decades to Ranch Ehrlo’s founder, Dr. Geoff Pawson, whose vision for community services focused on providing preventative supports to underserved communities – helping keep families together and reducing the need for children to enter care.
The OHL was born in 1992, conceptualized by staff member and sports enthusiast Russ Matthews. What began as a small project in Grassick Park with 100 players has grown into a program spanning eight outdoor rinks, supported by dedicated volunteers and embraced by hundreds of families. In the 2025/26 season alone, the OHL supported more than 460 players across Regina.
“As part of its commitment to community development, and following the four cornerstones of the Ranch’s philosophy, a series of projects were initiated designed to provide sporting opportunities for inner-city youth. These eventually became part of the Sport Venture program,” Dr. Pawson detailed in his book Go Forward. “From a community perspective, perhaps the most important benefit of the OHL was the opportunities available for families to participate with their children.”