Hello from the lake! Sorry this news is posted late, and sorry I missed you all at the Press Conference yesterday. I was somewhere between Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Flin Flon, Manitoba on the first official day of my holidays. Huge congrats to Rick, a great hire by the Dogs. I have to run, internet connection is spotty and the lake is calling my name!
Hammer
Bulldogs finalize local management structure
Rick Schievink hired as Director of Hockey Operations
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are proud to announce that local resident Rick Schievink has been hired as Director of Hockey Operations. This hiring represents the final piece of the club‟s new local management structure. Rick Schievink was born and raised in Alberni Valley. He started playing hockey
early in AVMHA and continued playing through the Rep program as one of the original Timbermen. He moved up to Junior A playing in Kelowna and Junior B in Victoria then played in Europe for Nijmegan (Holland 1st Division). Rick's hockey administration career began 20 years ago at the minor hockey level and has progressed through BC Hockey as well as Hockey Canada‟s High Performance programs and Junior „A‟. He has been a Canpower Skating Instructor for Mt. Arrowsmith Skating Club (3 yrs), evaluator for U16 BC Hockey High Performance (since 2001), ADSS Hockey Canada Skills Academy Head Instructor (since 2004) as well as BC U17 High Performance evaluator, manager and coach. His involvement with the Bulldogs organization has included working as Assistant Coach for three seasons, and providing colour commentary for PEAK radio and online broadcasts.
The new local management structure has been put in place to ensure that the team is managed by local Alberni Valley citizens. As a result, the Bulldogs organization will be able to monitor the business and hockey operations on a day-to-day basis on-site, within the Alberni Valley community.
“This is a move by ownership to strengthen the management of the operation to ensure the sustainability of the Bulldogs in Alberni Valley,” said Andy Oakes, President and Governor. “The Bulldogs are a big part of Alberni Valley and the ownership group, which includes local owners Dave Ness and Dennis See, wants to ensure that corporate partners, season ticket holders and fans realize that the team is operated locally. In the time that Okanagan Hockey School has been involved in the ownership of the Bulldogs, every dollar that has been generated by the team has stayed with the Bulldogs organization for their operations.”
Alberni Valley Bulldogs Hockey Club
3737 Roger Street
Port Alberni, B.C., Canada, V9Y 8E3
Phone: 250-723-4412 Fax: 250-723-4452
www.albernivalleybulldogs.ca
Rick will round out the rest of the existing localized management structure, which already includes three key figures:
Ron Paulson
Director of Business Operations
Ron first came to Port Alberni in 1974 to play for the local senior hockey team and has spent over 35 years doing business in the community. In the spring of 2011, he was added to the Bulldogs organization as the Director of Business Operations to build and sustain the team‟s relationship with the local community while overseeing the organization‟s daily business operations.
Ron was Chairman of the World U17 Hockey Challenge in 2009, and worked for the BC Summer and Winter Games when they were hosted in the area. He also sits on the Alberni Valley Tourism board as a sport tourism representative, and acts as Director on the Community Futures board.
Paul Esdale
Head Coach / Assistant Director of Hockey Operations
Paul spent six seasons playing professional hockey in North America and in Europe. Before that, he played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and earned a scholarship for Brown University where he was the University‟s top scoring team defenseman, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Business Economics.
Paul joined the Bulldogs as Assistant Coach and Assistant General Manager for the 2009-2010 season, and was named Head Coach and General Manager in May 2010. During his two seasons with the Bulldogs, the team has made the playoffs both years. By entering his third year with the Bulldogs, Paul becomes one of the longest serving coaches in the organization‟s history. He and his wife Laura are proud to call Alberni Valley home and are committed to this community.
Tom McEvay
Education Advisor
Tom has been an educator in Alberni Valley for 33 years, and for the past 24 years has been a school principal. In 2004, Tom joined the Bulldogs organization in a volunteer capacity as their Educational Advisor. Tom played minor and Junior hockey in Victoria before heading to the University of British Columbia on a National Molson‟s Hockey Scholarship in 1973.
Since coming to the Valley in 1978, Tom has devoted many years of involvement to coaching and sport administration both in the schools and the community. Most notably Tom is the driving force behind the successful Alberni Valley Wrestling program that has produced dozens of provincial and national stars including 2008 Olympian Travis Cross. He has worked on and/or chaired numerous major events including provincial, national and international wrestling tournaments, minor hockey events, Hockeyville and the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge. Over the past 8 years he has worked with every Bulldog player on their educational, hockey and life goals. Over 70 Bulldog players have moved on to college or university hockey with Tom‟s guidance and support.
For further information please contact:
Andy Oakes
President and Governor
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