New Nipissing hockey coach up to task

Being a first year head coach can be difficult enough, but when you’re the first head coach in the program's history you have to face a whole different set of challenges.

Just ask Nipissing University's new men's hockey head coach Mike McParland.

"It‘s difficult because you have to worry about creating something. I want to create a program that's viable, self-sufficient, and competitive and you have to do that on top of picking a coaching staff and recruiting players," said McParland who just attended the CIS Hockey Championships in Thunder Bay on the weekend.

Despite having a tough job to do, McParland said he is extremely motivated.

"It's like what I said in the (job) interview, being the first head coach in Lakers hockey history really motivates me," explained McParland

"To come back (to North Bay) and create a program is exciting."

One of the first things any new coach must do when they take over is pick a coaching staff and McParland chose two men with local ties - former North Bay Skyhawks coach Darren Turcotte and former North Bay Trappers forward Mark Kosturik.

"I'm very happy with the guys I have to work with," said McParland.

"Darren played 11 years in the NHL and he has a lot of knowledge to give to our players. Meanwhile, Mark played in Europe for 17 years and he has come back and established himself as a member of the community through his coaching and his businesses."

After naming his coaching staff McParland then turned his focus to what is probably his most difficult task - recruiting.

Most universities only have to round out their rosters with a few new players, but the Lakers have to recruit and fill an entire roster.

"Some schools like Western, for example, only need to add four or five guys and we need 25 players," explained McParland.

"That's why we've contacted so many people; we can't just focus on a select few."

When recruiting players McParland said he uses the strong reputation that both North Bay has in the hockey community and Nipissing University has in educational circles.

"I sell them on playing in North Bay; in a nice arena where they have the chance to play in front what we think will be a large fan base in a hockey city.”

"What is also big is that Maclean's ratings we have as a school make us one of the best and we also have great teacher to student ratio," McParland added.

McParland's "ace in the hole" is his experience in Europe as a coach, where he coached in Switzerland and Germany.

He thinks that experience will help entice players with major junior players to come to North Bay.

"I have strong contacts in Europe, so if guys come in here and play well their ability to play overseas will be assisted by Mark (Kosturik) and my connections," McParland said.

As for those big name players, something else McParland pitches to them is the increased minutes they'll get with a young Lakers team.

"Maybe in Major A they're only getting 13 minutes a game, but if they come here they'll be getting top line minutes," he explained.

McParland said he already has two players with major junior experience committed to the program and expects more by the summer.

Waiting until the summer for the big name players to commit could be frustrating for some, but McParland knows that's part of being a young program.

"We want to fill the roster with as much quality as we can." McParland said.

"In our infant year we're beggars, not choosers. We will have to wait until the summer for some players, that's just how it works."