The one thing constant in junior B hockey is change.
So it should come as no surprise that, after eight years, the Cochrane Generals team executive is leaving the building. Replacements for team president Greg Keller, vice-president and former head coach Dana Boothby, treasurer Mel Boothby and secretary Karen Carr are being sought at the team’s annual general meeting May 13 at Cochrane Legion. The 7 p.m. meeting is open to the public.
“It’s time,” Keller said. “What we set out to do, we accomplished it.”
With the team on faulty financial footing and seeking support, the executive took the helm in 2006. The squad won league titles in 2008 and 2009, making the playoffs every season until last spring.
The Gens went with a youth movement on the hockey operations side, bringing 23-year-old general manager Jacqueline Hurlbert on board two seasons ago and 25-year-old head coach Evan McFeeters last season. With a raft of midget-aged players joining the charge this past season, the Generals are as young as they’ve ever been on Keller’s watch.
With those pieces in place, Keller said it was time for change at the top.
“Nothing negative, at all,” Keller offered. “It’s just time to pass the torch. We worked hard to get the team on good financial footing and put a good product on the ice.
“With that done, it’s time for some fresh blood.”
As for possible replacements, Keller was unsure.
“I have no idea,” he said. “It’s going to be very interesting to see who steps up.”
He just wants to make sure whomever takes over continues on the course the out-going executive set when it first arrived.
“What’s important to us more than anything else is that the mission statement never changes,” Keller surmised. “We got involved because we wanted a team Cochrane could be proud of. We want a place for local kids to play hockey. And we want to teach them to be good young men. That’s it. That’s what we want to accomplish. I want to win more than anyone else does. But I don’t want to win at all costs and sacrifice what is truly important.”
