Nelson Leafs new executive loaded with experience
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Nelson Leafs hockey club dug into the “experience vault” to select its new executive that will guide the franchise into the 2015-16 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season.
The new executive, that includes former Nelson Mayor John Dooley and ex-Nelson Minor Hockey president Tony Maida, was selected during the team’s Annual General Meeting last week at the Nelson and District Community Complex.
Wendy Maida and MJ Swetlikoe join Maida and Dooley, who comes with a ton of experience from time in Nelson Minor Hockey and the former Nelson Senior Maple Leafs Hockey Club, as newbies on the Leaf executive.
Back for year two of their terms are Lauretta Wilson, Gordon Davis, Gioconda Maida-Gordon and Randy Horswill.
“The new board has not met as of yet since both John Dooley and Tony Maida were not at the meeting and were voted in by proxy,” said former Leaf president Larry Martel, who, himself, was not re-elected to the board.
Despite not finding a spot in the new executive, Martel is pleased at the direction the Leafs are heading.
“I really like the direction the new coach (Dave McLellan) is taking the team,” Martel told The Nelson Daily.
“He is a career professional coach and has been doing a lot more recruiting of players that I believe we have ever seen in Nelson before.”
“We had three and possible four players from last year’s team move onto college hockey for next season through McLellan’s efforts.”
Leaf treasurer Gord Davis said the Leafs are grateful for the continuous support of the community.
But said the new executive will need to look at how to get more people back in the stands.
“It was an okay year as we were close to break-even taking the (Leafs) Recycling Centre into consideration,” Davis explained.
“(However) fan base numbers has not increased over the past few years and the club will need to focus on that area.”
Davis said expenses are increasing although well controlled, adding the Leafs Recycling Centre is the glue that holds the team together, financially.
“That’s what keeps hockey operations and game day tickets at a reasonable level,” Davis said, adding Nelson Leafs are always grateful for the support from the community which maintains the club as one of the top teams in the KIJHL.
The Leafs recently completed a very successful spring camp that saw players from Burnaby Winter Club and Yale, Edge, Pursuit and Delta Academies to Edge Academy, Calgary AAA as well ass California AAA programs attend.
“I can’t recall if Nelson Leafs have ever had a GM that did this much recruiting and is this well connected to Junior A and College programs before,” Martel said.
The Nelson Leafs lost out to Beaver Valley in the first round of the KIJHL Murdoch Division playoffs.
Leafs begin training camp for the KIJHL season in September.
Before training camp, executive members will be attending the KIJHL AGM June 5-7 in Osoyoos.
