Born and raised in Steinbach, Lucas Pappel’s hope was to one day get into a sports marketing job. Now, he’s the new Sales and Marketing Manager with one of the best junior ‘A’ hockey teams in Canada.
Pappel was raised in Steinbach, and has been very successful in the Steinbach region when it comes to sports. He played in five successful seasons as a member of the Providence College Pilots men’s volleyball team. He captained them for four seasons as a setter, and led the Pilots to a MCAC championship win in 2016.
Pappel recently graduated from Prov with a four-year Bachelor of Business Administration degree this past April. He says he was working in HyLife in Neepawa when he heard about the job opening with his hometown team. “I was super excited about the opportunity, it’s been something I’ve always wanted to do,” Pappel explained. “I really wanted to get into sports marketing, and I’m glad I was able to get the job.”
Pappel says being an athlete and playing in front of varying crowd sizes has helped motivate him to keep the stands in the TG Smith Centre packed every home game. “I know what it’s like to play a game with a rambunctious crowd, and see people who are really intense and want to see their team succeed,” he commented. “I want to see the Pistons do as well as they can. I have a passion for sports, and now a passion for making the (Pistons) franchise as good as it can be.”
Pappel has followed Steinbach over the years, and he says the franchise continues to grow each season. “This is an organization that is improving every year, and that was just proven again this past season by getting to the RBC Cup,” he said. “I’m really excited to see where the Pistons are going to go, and I’m glad that I can grow with them.”
Pappel takes over for Kevin Geisheimer, who has been the Pistons’ Sales/Marketing Manager for the past 4 seasons. “We are excited to have Lucas join the Pistons team,” Geisheimer said. “We feel that his roots here in our community, and his past experience in sport along with his business degree will help him quickly learn the role, and take it to new levels in the future.”
Pappel has been on the job since the last week of June, during which he has worked closely with Head Coach and GM Paul Dyck, and has gotten the chance to meet the staff and board members of the hockey club.
“I can see why the team is where it is; they’re very well educated, knowledgable, and are passionate about this team and want to see it succeed,” Pappel complimented. “I’m not surprised about this team, because it’s obvious that the Pistons have great leadership at the top.”
“We are excited to add Lucas to our staff,” Coach Dyck said of Pappel. “He’s going to bring a lot of energy, he’s familiar with our community, he’s from Steinbach, and he’s passionate about sports in Steinbach. I think it’s going to be a really good fit.”
Pappel says he is looking forward to going out in the community in which he has called home, and keep the relationship alive with Steinbach. “To see an organization that’s so involved in the community, loves the community, and that are connected with local businesses, I’m really excited to learn and grow,” he said. “I want to use the relationships that I have to benefit the team, but to also make new ones.
“The goal is to meet all the business owners that we’re partnered with and see what they are all about,” he continued. “I want to see how we can help them, and how they can help us. I want to see our team serving the community.”
The Pistons organization would like to welcome Lucas to the team!