Hockey season is coming again to Barrhead, bringing with it new teams, new coaches and a new league. August 31 marked the beginning of a week of try-outs for prospective players in each of the five divisions.
According to Michael Botros, president of the Barrhead Minor Hockey Association, former coach Jason Murrel stepped down after his son graduated.
“Coach interviews are underway,” Botros said, and added that typically coaches will be at the level their child is playing at and the head coach’s replacement cannot be confirmed until the organization concludes try-outs. “We have asked that all coach applicants attend try-outs and begin developing their rosters however,” he added.
“It’s kind of a process,” Dave Bondarchuk, vice president of hockey operations, said and added that the majority of coach interviews were held on Monday.
According to Bondarchuk, many of the prospective players registered beforehand although the organization did have a handful that came to the ice on the 31st, from outside the organization.
“We are hoping to have two teams at each level, however we have some players who are not participating in the try-outs,” Botros said, and added that they are waiting to confirm the number of imports that may be coming from other associations – participants at the AAA and AA levels, all of which affects the number of players in each division.
Botros said that after September 4, coaches will be confirmed and team rosters will be assembled. “Rosters will be verified by the board and then teams will be posted, but all of this has to take place before the start of practice which is the week of September 28.”
The new Barrhead Steelers will be playing in the North Central Minor Hockey Association league and more information is available on the Barrhead Minor Hockey website at www.barrheadminorhockey.com
