Klepper’s Korner w/ John Glen Part 2

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Klepper’s Korner w/ John Glen Part 2

January 10, 2020 

John Glen – Passionate Hockey Fan and Owner – PART 2

John Glen is a lot less nervous about the beginning of this season than he was as a new BCHL owner in September 2018. “First of all, I’ve learned from my trips to other BCHL rinks and my meetings with league governors that we have a strong, stable league with good leadership in the front office. I support the league’s emphasis on skill, speed, and safety,” he says.

John strongly supports the BCHL’s emphasis on education. “My son David played four years for Spruce Grove and then four years of college [Penn State], so I’ve seen the benefits that the Junior A education route can provide. The Vipers will continue to strongly support our players’ studies.”

The Glens are aware that most Junior A hockey teams struggle to break even, so they are working to put the team on a secure financial footing. “The team has had very good sponsorship arrangements with local businesses thanks to the tireless work of Todd Miller,” says John, “and we intend to further strengthen those relationships.”

He adds that “I think there’s often a disconnect between a team’s hockey operations and its business operations. They need to be under one umbrella and that’s what we’re trying to maximize now. For example, we’re going to increase the number of hockey skills camps operated by the team.”

“Also, sponsorship can be integrated better. We’re working with the City of Vernon to maximize the benefits of sponsorship. The City has been quite supportive of the team and I look forward to working with the City in a win-win relationship for them and for the Vipers.”

He adds that “our increased involvement in the community last year paid off in a closer relationship with our fans and increased attendance. We plan to continue going to the community, led by our community relations coordinator, Brenda Stewart. Those initiatives complement the work done by Cheryl Trachuk, our marketing manager.”

John lauds the work done by the Viper volunteers, most of whom have supported the Vipers for many years. “These people really care about the team and I’m well aware how much we depend on their commitment. As a parent of a former player, I especially appreciate how the billet families make our players feel at home. Tom feels the same way.”

With regard to this year’s team, John is both realistic and optimistic. He says, “We have a really good nucleus, a really good starting point. We’ve played only a few games, but it’s clear that we have some holes to fill and we’re looking at how to carry out that process. Still, it’s early and we don’t want to jump the gun. We want to give the current 23 players a chance to show what they have. We want to give the younger players a chance to adjust to Junior A.”

He adds that “sometimes the best cuts and trades are the ones you don’t make. It’s a Catch-22. Should young players go back to Midget or Junior B where they can play in all situations or are they better served by staying with the Junior A club in a more limited role until they adjust to the BCHL’s speed, intensity, and skill level?”

There’s one aspect in which John Glen is totally confident – “I believe in the ability of Jason McKee and his assistant coaches to get the most out of their players. I’ve known Jason during Spruce Grove’s long run of success. There’s no substitute for hard work and Jason does not take short cuts. His teams will play an up-tempo game and he will hold his players accountable. He provides clear expectations and directions for everyone.”

Short term, John Glen expects the Vipers to play exciting hockey and improve as the season progresses. In the long term, he wants the team to challenge each year for the league title. He knows, though, that much depends on whom the team can attract to Vernon. “We’re competing with nine other Canadian leagues and two U.S. leagues for impact players.”

He wouldn’t mind restricting CJHL teams to a smaller limit of imported players. “I have a big Canadian flag on my chest,” he says. “But as things stand, we have to recruit throughout North America. Junior A players have a lot of choice, so we’re geared toward maintaining Vernon as their chosen destination. Hopefully, the top end players will come here.”

“There’s so much turnover that the team’s composition is a year-to-year thing. Having a player like Jagger Williamson, who played five years of Viper hockey, is rare. We will try to have a balance of ages on the team, so a team culture can be carried forward from year to year and fans can identify with returning favourites.”