This is posted on the Warriors website:
RYLAN FERSTER INTRODUCED AS NEW HEAD COACH/GM
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
The Westside Warriors are proud to announce Rylan Ferster as the new Head Coach/GM of the organization.
Ferster signed a three year deal with the Warriors earlier this week.
Rylan comes to the Warriors with experience coaching the Salmon Arm Silverbacks and Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL.
He has also coached Team Canada West at the World Junior “A” Challenge over the past two years and will serve as GM this year.
Ferster recently was working with Pursuit of Excellence, but couldn’t turn down the chance to be in the BCHL again.
“I moved to Kelowna recently so taking this position was a great match for me,” says Ferster. “The Warriors franchise is one of the flagships of the BCHL and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of the organization. I’ve had the chance to coach in the Okanagan before and to get the chance again makes it even more special.”
“It’s never easy starting something new, but when Mark (Cheyne) offered me the chance to do what I love and be close to my twin girls (Alyssa & Brooke) it wasn’t a hard decision.”
Team President Mark Cheyne says Ferster was an easy choice to target.
“We hired Rylan because he has a high winning percentage in the BCHL,” says Team President Mark Cheyne. “He’s also averaged nine NCAA scholarships in each of his years with the BCHL which is of the utmost importance to our organization.”
Cheyne has also got to know Ferster personally over the past few years and says he enjoys how he coaches.
“I really like his style of hockey and think our fans will enjoy it too. When we’ve played his teams in the past it was never easy and I imagine opposing teams will feel the same way this year.”
Cheyne joked that it helps Ferster is from Saskatchewan like himself.
Ferster said in the coming days he will release the Pre-Season schedule and Training Camp schedule to the public.
Rylan Ferster Biography:
The new General Manager/Head Coach of the Westside Warriors is Rylan Ferster.
After a successful junior career that culminated with a Centennial Cup (Royal Bank Cup) as a member of the Vernon Lakers, Fester went on to play collegiate ACAC hockey in Calgary.
Upon graduation from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Ferster played and coached professional hockey in Europe for six seasons.
For the past decade the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan native has worked in the British Columbia Hockey League either as a coach or manager. Ferster has coached and developed such players as Trazis Zajac (New Jersey Devils), Tyler Bozak (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Andrew Ebbett (Vancouver Canucks) to name a few.
Ferster re-joined the SilverBacks organization in October of 2007 after spending three seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies where he led the team to Island Division Championship in 2005-2006. The next season, Rylan coached the Grizzlies to a franchise high 39 wins.
Rylan spent two seasons as Head Coach and three as General Manager with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks. The club finished with a record of 92-56-7-7 over that span. Ferster was also a member of the coaching staff for the club’s first three seasons where he led the 2003-2004 team to the League Final.
That same year, Salmon Arm finished 1st overall in the BCHL with 42 wins. 2008-2009 was another very successful year as Ferster coached the roster to 40 wins and onto the Interior Finals versus the rival Vernon Vipers.
In addition, Rylan has represented his country on an international level the past two years with Team Canada West at the World Junior “A” Challenge. During his first appearance at the tournament, Ferster was an Assistant Coach. Last year, Team Canada appointed Ferster as Head Coach. Each roster skated to silver medals. This past year he has been appointed the GM.
No comments:
Post a Comment