Pete Friesen – Builder
Pete Friesen grew up in Prince Albert attending Prince Albert Collegiate Institute (PACI) and graduated from Carlton Comprehensive High School in 1976. He took part in many school sports including football, basketball, wrestling, cross country skiing, track, and swimming. He was also the first graduate of Carlton Comprehensive School to come back and teach. When teaching he also coached track and field, football, and basketball.
Dr. Peter Friesen is currently an adjunct professor at Duke, Elon, and Arcadia Universities in the Schools of Physical Therapy. He continues to present nationally and international on the topics of Sports Medicine. He also teaches post professional Physical Therapy and Athletic Training courses in Dry Needling and Exercise Progression.
In 2018-19, Friesen was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the United States Women’s National Hockey program, which won the World Championships. In 2017-18, Peter worked with the North Carolina State University’s track and field and cross-country teams. Prior to that, Peter spent 21 years with the Carolina Hurricanes as the Head Athletic Trainer/Strength and Conditioning Coach/Massage Therapist. Friesen was responsible for training and dietary standards, preparation of rehabilitation programs, and acute injury treatment for players. While in the NHL he served on the Education Committee for the Athletic Trainers and assisted with protocols for the NHL Combine testing. During his tenure with the Hurricanes, the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals twice and won the Stanley Cup in 2006.
With over 43 years as a professional trainer, Friesen is a dual board-certified Physical Therapist in Sports and Orthopedics and certified in the United States and Canada as an Athletic Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Massage Therapist, and Dry Needler. Friesen is a graduate from Bemidji State (Minnesota) with Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, from the University of Saskatchewan with a Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine, and from Arcadia University in Pennsylvania with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He has done research with Nike in sports vision.
Friesen has been associated with the Canadian Olympic and International programs for 30 seasons. This includes serving for Team Canada at 5 Senior Hockey World Championships, winning the gold medal during the 2004 World Championship. Friesen has also been to 10 IIHF Junior Hockey World Championships with 5 gold medals. He has advised 9 different Canadian programs including men’s and women’s ice hockey, field hockey, soccer, figure skating, softball, wrestling, gymnastics, and volleyball. Currently, Friesen is a member of the Canadian Athletic Therapist, High Performance Providers Committee.
Before joining the Carolina Hurricanes, Friesen was the head trainer for the Prince Albert Raiders, University of Saskatchewan, University of Alberta, and Assistant Director of the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic in Edmonton. During his time in Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Edmonton, he was on several teams that won National titles, especially the University of Alberta Pandas Volleyball team which captured 5 consecutive National titles.
Currently Friesen resided in Raleigh North Carolina with his wife Shelley. They have three children Jack, Chad, and Daughter Taylor.
