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(Graphic courtesy/Tisdale Trojans, Facebook)
New Bench Boss

Experienced head coach taking over in Tisdale

Apr 21, 2023 | 3:26 PM

The Tisdale Trojans have gone through some major changes so far this off-season, after mutually agreeing to part ways with their former head coach and general manager Dennis Kubat.

Now, they know who will take over the reins and hopefully, lead them to success.

The club announced earlier this month that Wes Rudy will be the team’s new bench boss for the 2023-24 season.

According to the organization’s president Dallas Thiessen, it was time for a change after finishing 11th and 12th in their 12-team league in the past two seasons.

“We’ve developed a culture as being a really difficult team to play against, game in and game out, which has led to our success in the past, and we’re hopeful with this new direction that we’re able to get this team back on the ice and having the success we once had.”

Rudy is coming back to Tisdale as a Trojans alumnus, along with a wealth of experience behind the bench.

Prior to accepting this position, he had served as head coach, assistant coach, and goalie coach with the Weyburn Redwings, as well as winning the Royal Bank Cup as the goalie coach for the Surrey Eagles of the BC Hockey League (BCHL).

“The more experience you have the better it is in any situation. I’ve been involved in really good programs and I’ve been involved in programs that have struggled. So I think just from experience, I know what it takes to build a program and I recognize the signs right away when things are starting to fail,” Rudy told northeastNOW.

“First and foremost we need to be a hard-working team, if you want to play against skilled teams, you better outwork them. I’m also an older coach, so there’s a lot of accountability involved in my programs, you have to trust and believe in each other but you also have to be accountable to each other,” he added.

Rudy will now be responsible for recruiting this offseason, as he looks to put his stamp on this group before they even step foot on the ice.

Spring Camp will begin for them on May 6th and 7th in Humboldt.

The Trojans have yet to name a new general manager, however, Thiessen explained he’s been impressed with how people have stepped up in the interim.

“It’s been a challenge over the past month and a bit, but we’ve had people step up to the plate and they’ve helped immensely. And now that we have a head coach in place, I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8

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