I PAGE B2THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, APRIL 23,2003 www.durhamrcgion.com Eagles coach flys the coop Assistant coach John Winder takes . over dual coach/GM roles for Pickering Panthers BY AL RIVETT Staff Writer PICKERING -- Michael Boyer look a page out of the Mounties' handbook: handbook: He's got his man to head his junior junior 'A' hockey club this season. The Pickering Boyer Pontiac Panthers Panthers owner and president named Ajax resident John Winder to carry the dual role of general manager/head coach for the coming Ontario Provincial Junior Junior 'A' Hockey League season. The jobs were vacated by Jim Wilson who stepped dow'n after one season because of issues associated with his Scarborough Scarborough teaching position. ■ Winder, a teacher at Courtice Secondary Secondary School, comes over to assume the Panthers' roles after four seasons as an assistant coach with the Bow- manville Eagles of the league's East Conference. McGregor IDA closes the deal CLARINGTON - The McGregor IDA major tykes closed out an excellent season with a 3-0 victory over Home Building Centre to capture the C championship championship in the Clarington Recreation Hockey League. Goals in the final game were scored by Marco Azzano (2) and Myles Richards. Assists went to Calvin Lep- izzera, David Moore and Luke Mitchell. Adam Mangnail got the shutout with a strong performance in goal. The win closed out the best-of-three series with McGregor winning Game 1 by a 3-2 margin and losing the next game by a score of 3-0. In Game 1, Richards led the offensive offensive attack with two and Azzano chipped in one. Assists went to Calvin Ruddy, Moore and Cameron Bignell. The team improved drastically over the course of the season. Halfway through the regular season (lie team's record stood at 4-4-2, before closing out the final 10 games with a 6-2-2 record to finish fifth overall. A 1-4 record in _round-robin playoffs found McGregor tin! the C championship in - a battle for ? fifth overall in the 12-team league. The team also participated in three tournaments, tournaments, winning the B championship in Trenton, silver medal in Omemee and C championship in Manvers. John Winder: Assumes head coach and general manager duties with Pickering Panthers. He was one of three candidates on the short list for the jobs, said Boyer, who has known Winder since childhood. childhood. Winder's son, Garret, played for four years with the Panthers and was the team's captain in his last year. Curtis Hodgins: Eagles will put together a list of prospective coaches to fill the vacancy. Winder has since moved on to play with the Vermont-based Norwich University University Cadets, which won the men's NCAA Division III hockey championship championship this season. • "John has kept in touch since 1 took ownership of the team eight years ago. He has always been very positive with the team. With the experience he has had in hockey, he has earned the position," position," says Boyer whose mandate was to get someone local at the Panthers' helm. "I have a lot of confidence in John to do the job. It's a lot of work, that's for sure. John's a high school teacher and this is the age of kids he works with every day. He knows what buttons buttons to push and that's a big plus in John's favour," notes Boyer. Winder's departure leaves a vacancy vacancy behind the Eagles' bench that head coach Curtis Hodgins says will be filled, just not now. . "We don't have anybody in mind right now. We'll put a list together in the next couple of weeks. There's no real urgency, at least not right now." Hodgins says that Winder discussed the possibility of leaving the Eagles with team management prior to accepting accepting the position in Pickering. While the team has built a reputation of encouraging players to move on to a higher level, the same holds true for coaches seeking opportunities. "We are really happy for John. He certainly deserves it," praises Hodgins. "He has done everything we asked of him and he is very deserving and is sure to do a great job." Boyer says it was important to get someone on board as the GM/hcad coach as soon as possible as Pickering's Pickering's annual rookie camp looms in the first week of May. "I wanted the turnover to be done smoothly so the kids coming to camp know who the people in charge are," he says. "1 interviewed two or three people locally. I wanted to make a der cision fairly quickly." Winder enters a situation that should be a markedly belter one than a year ago. Last season, the Panthers (13-31 -3-2 for 31 points, seventh place in South Conference) struggled under the weight of a rookie-laden lineup, not to mention a rash of injuries that stuck with the club through most of the 2002-03 campaign. Although it may be too early to tell, as many as 11 players are expected back with the club this year, said Boyer. Winder couldn't be reached for comment as he's taking part in a Courtice Courtice Secondary School graduation trip to Italy. HOCKEY PLAYERS NEEDED A, B, C, D, REC. and Ladies^ Starting May 5th, 2003 TEAM ENTRIES WELCOME! Call Greg 905-725-6951 ext. 229 ADULT SAFE HOCKEY LEAGUE SPRING AND SUMMER LEAGUES YHL WILL BE HUGE! dill The McGregor IDA major tykes won the C championship in the Clarington Recreation Hockey League. Team members include, front row, from left: Luke Mitchell, Dreuanah Davidson, Adam Mangnail, Lucas Townend; second row: Mitchell Piggott, Jacob Stone, Marco Azzano, Matthew Pascoe, Shane Guitard, Davis Moore, Cameron Bignell, Calvin Lepizzera, Calvin Ruddy; third row: Myles Richards; back row: coaches Darren Sloane and Pat Lenehan. Absent are Scott Larkin and coach Josh Kewell. CANLAN ICE SPORTS SPOTS ARE FILLING QUICKLY CALL NOW TO RESERVE rr.T-4 !| M3 L h 1401 PHILLIP MURRAY AVE. OSHAWA 905-725-6951 bPOBTS e-mail: oshawa@icesports.com www.Icesports.com Please recycle R O N O V j m GRAND OPENING THIS FRIDAY!! 17 Antique Dealers offering antiques & Collectables FREE Draws • Gift Certificates 'Open Daily •New "Olde" things daily 5331 Main Street, Ôrono ! yfl i\ /? Ü " - J,1 \\ Yemen & Couture Trustees In Bankruptcy • Proposal Administrators Advice on Proposals, Bankruptcy & Alternatives "Lets find solutions together!" Diimu K. Coulure , lûmes It. 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