Good friend Jeff Truitt was named the Springfield Falcons new head coach this morning. I spoke to Jeff about his first head coaching job at the pro level:
JT: "I'm really excited about it. Just moving up the ladder again..and to be named the head coach of the Springfield Falcons is a real feather in my cap. It's very much the same as when I got hired with the Kelowna Rockets. Their is a lot of excitement and big shoes to fill, but I'm really excited about this and very thankful for the opportunity"
RB:Did you expect this job to come your way so quickly?
JT:"It was a funny situation because Jeff Ward was the head coach here in Springfield and he wound up taking a job with the Boston Bruins as an assistant coach last fall and Kelly Buchberger was brought in. Knowing that Kelly came in a little bit late to coach here, you just never knew? For me it didn't matter who the head coach was, I just wanted to learn and contribute. As it's turned out Kelly has moved on with the Edmonton Oilers which opened up the door for me."
RB:You've had success as a head coach at the WHL level, can you continue that success at the pro level?
JT:"You wouldn't take these type of challenges without the confidence. I've done a lot of learning over the years and I think I've gotten better over the years as a coach with great teaching and cooperation from Bruce Hamilton, Lorne Frey ad Marc Habscheid. We had a real good group in Springfield last season that were willing to learn, and we anticipate a lot of those same guys returning this season."
RB: Your role changes, but how so? This gives you a chance to put your own stamp on this team?
JT: "Any body who's a head coach has to put the building blocks together on what you believe in, and as an assistant you are there in a supporting role and you listen and put your advice in as it's needed. I remember saying this in my first year in Kelowna, you need to lean on the guys around you, but you have to ultimately make those decisions, and sink and swim through those decisions, and live with those mistakes."
Truitt will be busy over the next few weeks looking at resumes to fill out his coaching staff. Having the luxury of attending the NHL draft in Ottawa, Truitt will likely do some interviewing of candidates at that time.
JT: "I'm really excited about it. Just moving up the ladder again..and to be named the head coach of the Springfield Falcons is a real feather in my cap. It's very much the same as when I got hired with the Kelowna Rockets. Their is a lot of excitement and big shoes to fill, but I'm really excited about this and very thankful for the opportunity"
RB:Did you expect this job to come your way so quickly?
JT:"It was a funny situation because Jeff Ward was the head coach here in Springfield and he wound up taking a job with the Boston Bruins as an assistant coach last fall and Kelly Buchberger was brought in. Knowing that Kelly came in a little bit late to coach here, you just never knew? For me it didn't matter who the head coach was, I just wanted to learn and contribute. As it's turned out Kelly has moved on with the Edmonton Oilers which opened up the door for me."
RB:You've had success as a head coach at the WHL level, can you continue that success at the pro level?
JT:"You wouldn't take these type of challenges without the confidence. I've done a lot of learning over the years and I think I've gotten better over the years as a coach with great teaching and cooperation from Bruce Hamilton, Lorne Frey ad Marc Habscheid. We had a real good group in Springfield last season that were willing to learn, and we anticipate a lot of those same guys returning this season."
RB: Your role changes, but how so? This gives you a chance to put your own stamp on this team?
JT: "Any body who's a head coach has to put the building blocks together on what you believe in, and as an assistant you are there in a supporting role and you listen and put your advice in as it's needed. I remember saying this in my first year in Kelowna, you need to lean on the guys around you, but you have to ultimately make those decisions, and sink and swim through those decisions, and live with those mistakes."
Truitt will be busy over the next few weeks looking at resumes to fill out his coaching staff. Having the luxury of attending the NHL draft in Ottawa, Truitt will likely do some interviewing of candidates at that time.
4 comments:
Congratulations goes out to Jeff Truitt. It's nice to see him moving on up as he pays his dues. Next up, Edmonton Oilers Assitant Coach :)
Also Congrats to Bruce for being elected WHL Chairman
I'm not sure Bruce wanted the job as Chairman again, as he wanted to watch his son in Saskatoon this season and focus on his own team. But Bruce likely took the job for the good of the league.
Oh really? Well the last time he was Chair, he did a very good job, which is probably why he was elected. It comes to no surprise that he continues to show his generosity by lending himself to the league:)
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