The Kimberley Dynamiters have hired Glenn Burgess to lead the team following the resignation of former bench boss Roman Vopat.
Burgess, who has spent many years coaching with Cranbrook minor hockey association teams, decided to step up to Jr. B and throw his name into the ring when the position opened up in Kimberley.
“The neat thing about it is from their 20-year-old Brett Luker to 19-year-old Connor Kutzner and a few of those guys right down to Jason Richter, a 16- year-old—I’ve coached all of those boys in the past,” Burgess said.
“There’s probably over a third of the team that I know very well, so I feel it’s a good thing.”
Assistant coach Jordan Foreman took over interim head coach duties with fellow assistant Todd White at his side during the gap.
“When I heard they were looking for one [coach], I put my name out there and got the phone call and it was quick,” Burgess said. “Within two days I was the coach of the Dynamiters. It was fast and it was pretty exciting.”
Burgess has four sons, one of which is currently on the Fernie Ghostrider’s roster, while another spent four years with the same club before graduating out of the KIJHL.
“I’ve always had a love for coaching. Even before coaching my own kids, I actually coached before they ever started hockey,” Burgess said. “I coached baseball, basketball and hockey, also.”
His latest accomplishment was leading the Cranbrook Midget Tier 2 Ice to a provincial championship last season.
Burgess will take over a pretty successful Dynamiters team so far, which has an above .500 record at 17-13-0-0. The Nitros are one point behind the Ghostriders for first place in the Eddie Mountain division and sit in a two-way tie for eight place overall in the KIJHL.
He’s kept his eye on the team before turning his thoughts to coaching it and likes what he sees.
“It’s a type of thing where it looks good right now,” Burgess said. “To be on the bench will be even better because I hope to exploit their talents a bit more. I’m happy with what I’m seeing so far, very happy.”
