June 8, 2009
WELLS NAMED HEAD COACH OF YORK MEN'S HOCKEY TEAM
TORONTO, Ont. - York University Sport & Recreation announced on Friday that Jim Wells has been hired as head coach of the York Lions men's hockey team and Peter McBride will be an associate coach.
Wells returns to York after taking over the head coaching duties mid-season in 2008-09. With Wells at the helm, York posted an 11-6-3 record and finished atop the OUA Mid-West Division, earning the Lions their first division title in four years.
"Jim brings tremendous experience to the Lions men's hockey program," said Jennifer Myers, director, Sport & Recreation. "He has a deep network of contacts throughout the hockey community and we are thrilled to have him on board. Last season, he stepped into the lead role mid-way through the hockey schedule and did an exceptional job leading the team to the division title. Jim was selected from a pool of more than 30 highly-qualified individuals and I am confident he is ready to go this season. He has done an outstanding job recruiting in a tough situation and as a result, we have a fantastic class coming in. Jim's principles and ideals are an excellent fit with the University's. He believes in a program of excellence and in academic success and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead the Lions to winning results in the OUA and CIS."
For the past 13 years Wells has been the general manager and head coach at National Training Rinks, a privately owned hockey training company operating three facilities and six ice surfaces. While there, he was responsible for the design, implementation and sales of all hockey training programs as well as managing all of the staff and on-ice instructors.
Throughout that time, he also held a number of coaching gigs. He was the head coach of Seneca College's men's varsity team for four seasons and led his players to success both on and off the ice. Under his guidance, the Sting captured two Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) bronze medals. The squad also set a Seneca record for points in a season during the 2003-04 campaign and became the first Seneca team to achieve exhibition victories over NCAA Division I and II teams.
Following his stint at Seneca, Wells took over the Newmarket Hurricanes, a team that competes in the Ontario Hockey Association provincial tier II junior 'A' league. Highlights from his seasons with the Hurricanes include reaching the North Conference finals in 2005 as one of only three teams that accumulated 30 wins and graduating nine players in two seasons to the NCAA. Wells was also an assistant with the squad from 1996 to 1999.
McBride remains with the Lions as an associate coach for the upcoming season. He has already spent three years with the program; last year he was an assistant coach and before that he spent two seasons as the head scout. He has played a major role in recruiting many of the top players now on the York team.
"Peter has been an integral part of our program for years and having him back will provide the team with continuity in the coming seasons," said Myers. "We are extremely happy to have him remain with the Lions and we look forward to watching Peter and Jim move the team forward."
McBride's previous coaching experience includes three years as an associate coach with the Newmarket Hurricanes of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL) and three seasons as an associate coach at Seneca College. He is also a course conductor for the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA).
The Lions will begin the 2009-10 OUA season in October. The complete schedule will be released in June.
Source: York Lions
Wells returns to York after taking over the head coaching duties mid-season in 2008-09. With Wells at the helm, York posted an 11-6-3 record and finished atop the OUA Mid-West Division, earning the Lions their first division title in four years.
"Jim brings tremendous experience to the Lions men's hockey program," said Jennifer Myers, director, Sport & Recreation. "He has a deep network of contacts throughout the hockey community and we are thrilled to have him on board. Last season, he stepped into the lead role mid-way through the hockey schedule and did an exceptional job leading the team to the division title. Jim was selected from a pool of more than 30 highly-qualified individuals and I am confident he is ready to go this season. He has done an outstanding job recruiting in a tough situation and as a result, we have a fantastic class coming in. Jim's principles and ideals are an excellent fit with the University's. He believes in a program of excellence and in academic success and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead the Lions to winning results in the OUA and CIS."
For the past 13 years Wells has been the general manager and head coach at National Training Rinks, a privately owned hockey training company operating three facilities and six ice surfaces. While there, he was responsible for the design, implementation and sales of all hockey training programs as well as managing all of the staff and on-ice instructors.
Throughout that time, he also held a number of coaching gigs. He was the head coach of Seneca College's men's varsity team for four seasons and led his players to success both on and off the ice. Under his guidance, the Sting captured two Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) bronze medals. The squad also set a Seneca record for points in a season during the 2003-04 campaign and became the first Seneca team to achieve exhibition victories over NCAA Division I and II teams.
Following his stint at Seneca, Wells took over the Newmarket Hurricanes, a team that competes in the Ontario Hockey Association provincial tier II junior 'A' league. Highlights from his seasons with the Hurricanes include reaching the North Conference finals in 2005 as one of only three teams that accumulated 30 wins and graduating nine players in two seasons to the NCAA. Wells was also an assistant with the squad from 1996 to 1999.
McBride remains with the Lions as an associate coach for the upcoming season. He has already spent three years with the program; last year he was an assistant coach and before that he spent two seasons as the head scout. He has played a major role in recruiting many of the top players now on the York team.
"Peter has been an integral part of our program for years and having him back will provide the team with continuity in the coming seasons," said Myers. "We are extremely happy to have him remain with the Lions and we look forward to watching Peter and Jim move the team forward."
McBride's previous coaching experience includes three years as an associate coach with the Newmarket Hurricanes of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL) and three seasons as an associate coach at Seneca College. He is also a course conductor for the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA).
The Lions will begin the 2009-10 OUA season in October. The complete schedule will be released in June.
Source: York Lions
