New Cougars Head Coach Takes Over
Prince George, BC – Prince George Cougars announced today that Mark Holick has been named the 10th head coach of the Prince George Cougars Hockey Club. Holick most recently served as head coach of the Syracuse Crunch (American Hockey League, 2010-2012) and the Kootenay Ice (Western Hockey League, 2007-2010).
“I’m really excited to get going,” said Holick who hopes to arrive in Prince George in time to watch tonight’s game. “I’m happy to be back in the Western Hockey League, and my family and I are looking forward to being a part of the community in Prince George.”
Under Holick, the Kootenay Ice made the playoffs in each of his three seasons behind the bench. He coached Kootenay to an overall record of 120-75-0-21 and a winning percentage of .604. Holick won WHL Coach of the Year honours in 2009-2010.
“We’re extremely excited to name Mark our head coach,” said Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson. “He brings with him an excellent winning record, pro experience and will bring an exciting new approach to our players and fans.”
“We’re going to command a work ethic, commitment and pride in being part of an organization in the Western Hockey League,” adds Holick. “We want to be the hardest working team on the ice, and when you do that, you win more than you lose.”
He also had great success at the Jr. A level, leading the South Surrey Eagles to a Royal Bank Cup victory in 1997-98. Holick spent 13 years as either a head or assistant coach in both the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). His teams included: Vernon (BCHL, 2006-07), St. Albert/Spruce Grove (AJHL, 2003-06), South Surrey (BCHL, 1996-2002), Langley (BCHL, 1995-96) and Penticton (BCHL, 1994-95).
Comments
Good luck, Mark.
Better rent a house:(
Question Rick should ask himself…could Dallas or senior scouting staff get a similar position elsewhere in the WHL if they were not employed by the Cougars? I think the empty seats answer the question loud and clear.
Welcome aboard the Titanic Mark !
Word of advice, 1 year morgage on your home. With Dallas Thompson still the GM you will be the fall guy shortly.
I wish you luck.. I hope you are given the chance to turn this team around.. The boys have the talent..just need some guidance.. there is none from the AGM OR GM as they cant spell hockey let alone be involved in it..
Our hopes as well as the team are now on your shoulders.. good luck sir :)
Decent resume, but Clark did too! can this or will this draw Forsburg and Siwak back? Don’t like the way things went down, but dint really like the way Clark changed linemates every period either. Average 5 goals a game out of the gate, and then screw up any chemistry they had! Bring 15 year olds up and stick them on the first line. This change cant hurt, that is for sure. Thompson next and quickly please!
I’d be surprised if Forsberg and Siwak were invited back. That kind of BS that they pulled is poison in the dressing room.
You are correct, but a new coach may take adifferent tact1
Sorry Mark…you’re probably a helluva guy but even if you were Scotty Bowman and Pat Burns rolled into one…you still have to contend with the Brodsky love nest of incompetence that drives this bus.
I predict another many years of empty building, disgruntled and mismanaged assets, last place finishes and/or first round playoff exits until the man in charge finally replaces his family and Saskatchatoon drinking buddies with proven winners. And as we know THAT is never gonna happen…as others have said, definitely choose renting over owning!!
ExPat… Couldn’t of said it better if I tried. Haha
If a ship is sinking due to massive holes in the hull, you don’t stop the disaster by changing one of the deckhands.
You stop the leak.
This business (’cause that’s what it is) will never get my business under these circumstances.
Asking people to “support the team” and then it will turn around, is like asking them to continue to go to a bad restaurant with sub-par food and terrible service in the hopes they will improve. It will never happen.
If you support a sub-standard business, it will think it is doing okay and continue to provide a sub-standard product.
Very true jetstream! They will not get my business either until there is a change in management!
What I dont understand is that they are not getting support, and attendance is still falling, yet they keep the same management in place and keep providing the same sub-standard product. Do they really think they are still doing an ok job??
At some point they have to realize it might be worth trying out a new GM… dont they??
He will be used to small crowds at least! Kootanee draws poorly too!
Anyone that can get these kids winning should get free rent!
I hope that if the team continues to suck, Brodsky gets a clue and figures out that the problem is his son in law and not his coach.
Hopefully he can turn the team around, and get some wins.
The problem is bigger that winning in my opinion. I dont belevie that there are enough **boni fide** hockey fans in Prince George to support this franchise whether it is winning or not.
People have moved on to other things. The hard core fans will stay and some will return, however the wannabee fans that showed up at the beginning when the team came to town, will never return.
Asking people to go to 36 home games a year and watch hockey is hard enough for hard core fans, its not likely to happen with **soft fans**
In any event anything is possible, so lets sit back (have a beer) and watch the show.
Palopu
I think there are enough fans! Don’t forget people used to come in from Quesnel, Vanderhoof and Mackenzie for these games! Have a dinner, shop and make a weekend or over evening of it! Those folks don’t show any more! 7:00 start and $1.20 gas doesn’t help either! Of course a good product would help significantly
Gotta feel sorry for the guy having to put up with the likes of Thompson.
Good points cougs78
Comments for this article are closed.