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Drayton Valley Thunder announce new head coach

Jun 20, 2017 | 12:27 PM

The search for a new head coach to lead the Drayton Valley Thunder is over, with team President Monte Waronek making the announcement today.

The Thunder have hired Kyle Adams, who has 12 years of coaching experience leading Junior A teams in multiple provinces, including British Columbia and Ontario. 

His resume is impressive, coaching his teams to division championships in five of the past six seasons. Adams is joining the Thunder after leading the Chilliwack Chiefs under the role of Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager all the way to the Western Canada Cup final against the Brooks Bandits. He had been filling that role sine 2013. 

Before his time with the Chiefs he led the Woodstock Slammers to a silver medal in the Royal Bank Cup National Championship during the 2011-12 season.  

The Omniplex won’t be a new rink for Adams, he was also an assistant to the Thunder during the 2008-09 season. 

A new head coach isn’t the only changes occuring with the Thunder heading into their 20th season. Last month the AJHL announced the team transferred ownership of the club to a group, after previously being a community owned team. 

Adams is the fourth head coach in six seasons. The team had been without a head coach since May, after former head coach Jesse Dorrans resigned due to personal reasons.