Ken Law of Penticton was named as the Osoyoos Coyotes’ head coach and assistant general manager last week. Photo submitted - Click on picture for larger image
OSOYOOS TIMES-February 3, 2010
By Paul Everest – Osoyoos Times
The Osoyoos Coyotes have tapped a former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) coach of the year to steer the club when it takes to the ice for the first time this September.
The team’s owners, Osoyoos Junior Hockey Inc., announced last week that they had hired Ken Law of Penticton as the Coyotes’ first head coach and assistant general manager.
Law’s coaching days began shortly after he stopped playing hockey in Moose Jaw, Sask., at the age of 17 due to an ankle injury.
For the past year, he has coached Penticton’s Triple A Tier 1 Midget team and he has led teams to three provincial championships including last year when he took his Penticton Vees Tier 2 Midget squad to the provincial championship and won.
Law was named KIJHL coach of the year for the 2003-2004 season during his first and only year of helming a team in the league when he was head coach of the Summerland Sting.
From 2004 to 2007 he was assistant coach with the Penticton Vees Junior A team and helped the squad win the British Columbia Hockey League Interior Division pennant in the 2006-2007 season.
With 30 years of coaching experience behind him, Law said he’s not concerned about facing a blank canvas when it comes to filling the Coyotes’ roster.
Building the team from scratch will be his first job, but Law said he already has some players in mind from other teams in the league and he’s also got an eye out for local talent.
“Every year I track players,” Law said. “I want to make the team that other teams won’t want to play.”
His strategy for accomplishing that mission includes “building from the back-end out” with priority going to developing a strong defensive line and formidable goaltending before focusing on forwards.
Law will get his first look at potential players at the Coyotes Spring Prospect Camp, which will be held from April 9 to 11 at the Sun Bowl Arena.
The Coyotes have extended an invitation to players between the ages of 15 and 20 to attend this camp.
From there he’ll identify between 40 and 45 players that will move on to the team’s main camp, to be held in late August.
It’s likely, Law said, that some Junior A players will trickle down at that point and look for ice time with a Junior B team such as the Coyotes.
Those who survive the main camp will get a chance to take the ice during exhibition games in September before Law makes the final cut to 23 players for the regular season.
Roy Schultz, the team’s general manager and director of hockey operations, said 16 people with experience with Junior A and B clubs throughout Western B.C. and the U.S. applied for the coaching gig.
Schultz knew Law from his own days with the Penticton Vees and said he was confident in Law’s skills to lead a hockey club.
“I knew what he’d bring to the table,” he said, adding that Law is fair and respectful to players. “His hockey know-how is second-to-none.”
Schultz also said that Law and the Coyotes will put an emphasis on bringing local talent to the team.
“We want to make sure that local kids are more than welcome.”
Law currently lives in Penticton with his wife Brenda and is retiring next month from a job with Canada Post that he has held for 32 years.
He said he plans to commute to Osoyoos at first, but an apartment here could be in the cards down the road.
Once the retirement party is over, Law said, his main focus will be the Coyotes.
“One of my goal places to work was Osoyoos,” he said, adding that his son played for the Osoyoos Heat during the 1996-1997 season. “I think the facilities are just great there for a Junior B team.”
The schedule for the Coyotes’ season will be determined at the league’s annual general meeting in June and the team plans to work with the Town of Osoyoos to establish the best possible times for games.
John Kapusty, the team’s president, said he is also looking for public input about the best times for games at the Sun Bowl Arena and anyone with ideas can email him at [email protected].
The team is holding a meet-and-greet event at the Sonora Community Centre on Feb. 11 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Players interested in attending the April prospect camp can look to the Coyotes’ website at www.osoyooscoyotes.com for application information.
[email protected]
