One of Flin Flon’s most unique personalities has left town.
Jonathan Dougall, known most commonly by some variant of the nickname “Jonny Doogs,” has moved away from the community with his family.
Dougall and his parents, Arlene and Dwight Collins, moved to Quispamsis, NB, where his older brother Robbie lives.
The thing is, if you ask him about it, he says he’s not going anywhere.
“I’m not moving,” he keeps saying.
Nonetheless, Arlene confirms that he’s going with them.
“No, I’m not,” he insists.
If you had to use one word to describe “Doogs,” it would likely be “persistent.”
Dougall, who has Down syndrome, has become a frequent sight at community events and social gatherings. The 37-year-old man has marched with Flin Flon RCMP in parades, been a staple in various Flin Flon businesses, and made too many friends to count.
Dougall is perhaps best known for his presence at Flin Flon Bombers games. For the past two decades, he has been at almost every game, cutting a notable silhouette for himself with a loud wardrobe and louder encouragement. He has become a vital part of the team’s lore, right along with Krazy Krazz’s drum, the moose leg and the maroon and white jerseys.
His time with team goes back almost 20 years, back to when Dougall was at Hapnot Collegiate. Back then, he would often step behind the bench at his brothers’ house league hockey games. When one of his neighbours made the Bombers, he took Dougall under his wing.
That neighbour just happened to be Mike Reagan, who would not only play three seasons with the Bombers, but would come home to coach the team years later.
If you ask him, Dougall will tell you he’s a coach with the team. He certainly acts like one, pacing around different sections of the rink and shouting tips at the Bomber players on the other side of the glass.
The Bombers themselves don’t have him listed as a member of the coaching staff anywhere officially, but he joins the team at events and on road trips and provides a pre-game pep talk for the team before every home game.
In 2017, he had a chance to serve as a coach during the Montreal Canadiens alumni game at the Whitney Forum.
“I love being around the guys and coach. I love to help out with the team,” said Dougall. “I love being on the bench.”
Many hockey players have their own pre-game rituals. Dougall has some of his own – at home, he blasts the same song, AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” gets dressed in his Saturday night best and heads to the rink.
Arlene Collins said the team has embraced her son over the past 20 years.
Often when he sees Bomber players out on the street, he’ll talk with them about what he thinks of their individual games – he even conducts interviews with players and opposing coaches from time to time.
“They are so good,” she said. “When he sees them on the street, he always gives them feedback. It’s such a good thing for everybody. He’s made lifelong friends that way.”
Fans will often stop and chat with Dougall to hear his thoughts on how the team is playing.
“A lot of people drill him about how the Bombers are doing during the season and how he’s coaching them. It’s priceless, and he takes it very seriously.”
Dougall has worked at Chicken Chef for a number of years. His ties to the place run long before it even opened in Flin Flon in the late ’90s – Dougall went to school with co-owner Dawn Hlady.
“He used to follow her home from school every day,” said Collins with a chuckle.
“He came in here one day about 12 years ago and asked for a job, and she said ‘Sure.’”
Since then, if Jonny – he’s insistent there’s no H in Jonny – wasn’t at home or at the rink, there was a good chance you’d see him at Chicken Chef. He eats there whenever the opportunity presents itself and knows the entire staff by name. If you sit down for a meal with Jonny, there won’t be much sitting involved – he’ll be up and walking around the room multiple times, saying “Hello” to everyone he meets and working the room like a politician.
“He’s got way more friends than me, and he knows more people than I do,” said Collins.
It’s a tenure that’s produced some off-kilter, but memorable, incidents.
“There was one day he kicked the food inspector out. She said something he didn’t like and he said, ‘Get out,’” said Collins.
Did she understand why?
“Nope,” said a beaming Dougall.
Dougall has taken on a somewhat similar role with Flin Flon RCMP. He has a regulation police officer uniform in his closet at home, which he wears in parades and on ride-alongs.
In his younger years, Collins befriended an officer living in his neighbourhood in his own, typically mischievous way – he stole his boots.
“He decided he wanted police boots and took them home,” said Collins.
In the past, Dougall was even taken along on a couple of police pursuits.
Collins said he’d seen people arrested and even Tazed while accompanying officers.
“He’s always wanted to be a police officer. They actually, literally, made him one. How can you not love that?” said Collins.
It’s for those reasons and many others that the move out east will be tough for Dougall. From his new home in New Brunswick, Jonny will have little choice but to follow his beloved Bombers online and through personal correspondence with friends back home.
“That’s going to be really hard. We’ll have to go and keep tabs of everything,” said Collins.
Being away from the familiar landmarks and home will surely be a big adjustment. While the move will definitely mean an upheaval for Dougall, Collins said she had faith he would thrive in his new home.
“The last time we were there, we went to volunteer at an old folks’ home – they loved him. I can see him being involved in lots of things like that, and they will love him there, I’m sure.”
It’s not as if the family will be away from Flin Flon forever, either. Collins said they plan to visit Flin Flon twice in the coming months. Both visits will be during the hockey season, allowing Dougall to see his beloved team and stand in the Whitney Forum again.
Of course, that’s not the hard part – convincing him to actually go is.
“He’s a great uncle,” said Collins.
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes you are!”
“Nope.”
“You already have people there who love you,” pleaded Collins.
Dougall still shakes his head emphatically.
“I’m not moving. I’m not.”
