The Cochrane Generals have pulled a youngster from the coaching ranks to lead the team’s march into the 2013-14 Heritage Junior Hockey League season.
Evan McFeeters was named the team’s new head coach by club president Greg Keller on June 10. The 25-year-old Cochranite coached the Bow Valley Midget AA Timberwolves prior to taking the Gens job.
“We’re thrilled,” said Keller about the former Generals player and assistant coach who replaced Ken Soloski, released by the club at its May 2 annual general meeting. Keller didn’t say who else applied for the position. “All the applicants were outstanding. It wasn’t just a slam-dunk-type thing.
“Evan just really hit a home run with us.”
Keller mentioned McFeeters’s coaching dossier and development-oriented skills as key reasons for his hire. McFeeters is a hockey operations director and development coach at NXT Level Sports and head instructor/coach at Spartan Hockey development.
And, as head coach of the Midget Timberwolves for the last two seasons, he has been instrumental in the development of players currently holding down stalls in the Jr. B Generals dressing room. Timberwolves moving up this season and next will also be familiar with him.
McFeeters has signed on for a four-year tour of duty with the Gens.
“My heart’s always been with the Generals,” the team’s former goalie, who played from 2005-08, said. “With my past with them, I wanted to come back and give something back to the organization.”
McFeeters, who coached the Timberwolves to 28 wins, 35 losses, seven ties and a playoff appearance over two seasons, hasn’t named his assistants yet. But Keller suggested there may be at least one experienced assistant to help the young coach guide players as old as 21.
“He agrees with us that it is advisable that we have mature, older people alongside of him,” Keller offered. “That’ll all work its way out going forward.
“His maturity, his commitment, his knowledge, his dedication – we’re not seeing his age as an issue.”
Given the fact McFeeters coached many of the current Generals at the Midget level, Keller expects a seamless transition to the Jr. B ranks. The players already know their “new” coach.
“It’s huge. It eliminates a whole lot of having to get to know their tendencies, their personalities, etc. It should make for a much easier transition. There shouldn’t be a major adjustment period.”
For his part, McFeeters is just itching to get to the rink and pop the top off his new team, even though he knows most of the players.
“This organization has all the tools to become the model franchise in the Heritage League,” he said. “It starts with developing the local players and making it an attractive place to play.
“The sky should be the limit for this hockey team. They just need to be steered in the right direction.”
McFeeters has the wheel, so the direction in which the club heads is now in his hands.
