Three months after the University of Lethbridge announced that it was eliminating its varsity hockey programs, the most recent coach of the women’s team has landed a new head coaching job. Doug Paisley will lead the Coaldale Copperheads of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJBL).
“We’re working through the process of trying to get the Pronghorns reinstated — that unexpected news came back in April there — and that’s still a work in progress, but that’s going to take some time,” Paisley said. “And so for me personally I figured I’d put my name in the ring there and see what was going on.”
Paisley’s Pronghorns women missed the Canada West playoffs in the 2019-2020 season, but a young roster and some top recruits had the team optimistic for the future.
A committee of University of Lethbridge representatives and community members will explore the reinstatement of Pronghorns hockey in the future under a new funding model, but Paisley says for now his focus is firmly on the Copperheads.
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“It worked out really well that there was a position opening that I was familiar with, you know it fits the bill from the level — elite status of hockey level — and worked out really well for the age, because I’m very familiar with the age category, and obviously just coming out of the same age category with the university,” he said.
“All of the synergies seemed to be a real good fit for both parties.”
Paisley says he’s excited to be coaching the Junior B level, one that he’s familiar in many ways.
The head coach has deep roots in hockey in southern Alberta, also serving as the president of the Lethbridge Hurricanes board of directors.
Paisley says he hopes training camp will begin on schedule right after Labour Day long weekend, but he realizes a lot is still up in the air with COVID-19 restrictions.
“I’m excited about joining the program, and I’m looking forward to getting going — whatever that looks like once Hockey Canada and the province of Alberta figure out what everything looks like with regards to transportation and people in buildings and scheduling.”
The Copperheads are coming off a 24-13-1 season in which they finished fourth in the HJHL Southern Division, before a first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the High River Flyers.
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