Red Bull Coaching Staff
I also have attached a picture and short bio of the staff I was lucky enough to coach with in Salzburg, Austria. We shared the same large coaching room where we had our own computers with the Steva program to break down the games for seven months. It also had a Red Bull fridge full of the product and Carpe Diem which is another drink they make that is incredibly refreshing but only available in Europe. We had lots of great discussions.
Mandate from Red Bull owner was to have coaches from all the major hockey countries. There were two Swedes, one Finn, Czech, Slovak, American, Austrian and HC was Pierre Page.
I was coaching Mount Royal Women but also doing skills at the Edge to pay my sons tuition and hockey fee. After five seasons there I got a call in the summer from the Red Bull GM who said they had identified 4 NA skill coaches and I was at the top of the list to take the position. I talked with my wife who was still nursing but didn't want to quit. I had offers before but none of the kid's wanted to go. They were all grown up and moved out. We agreed I could go for a year, so I accepted. It was the summer and I had finished recruiting. I resigned from Mount Royal and found them my replacement who is still there. I left as coach of the year with and all time leader in wins and 71% record. I think I was identified because the American coach in Salzburg stayed at my house on NCAA recruiting trips and knew that many of the boys I coached made the NHL. Two won the Calder and one the Hobey Baker. I don't take credit for their success but my name was associated with their development. So I am guessing that is how my name got brought up.
I met the Russian Olympic coach Jursinov 15 years before with Juhani Wahlsten and we did some clinics together in Finland. I was his guest coach for a few practices with TPS, Tuku. He came one week a month to run skills practices and would get me to give him English lessons when he was there.
It was a great experience living in one of the most beautiful places in the world and coaching with these guys.
'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'