BRACKNELL, UK- Bracknell Bees head coach Claude Dumas will not return to The Hive for next season. The Canadian player/coach will return home where he is due to get married in August, and will not be able to commit to the 2010/1011 English Premier League Season. The former Washington Capitals draftee had the difficult task of putting a team together at short notice at the start of last season, and the Bees were unlucky to miss out on a spot in the playoffs. Bees General Manager Stuart Robinson said: “We were keen to ensure that the retention and recruitment difficulties that the Bees went through last Spring weren’t repeated this year, so we have therefore kept him fully up to date with our plans. “But in order to push them through positively, he understood that we needed to find a coach who would now commit for 2010/1011.” As a player last season, Dumas recorded 15 goals and 29 assists. The former Telford Tigers player’s replacement is due to be announced later this month, along with some new signings. Bees owner Katie Eletheriou said: “Claude has been an absolute pleasure to work with and has been one of the most genuine and honest guys in hockey. In spite of the 294-mile round trip from his home to the rink three of four times a week, he has professionally applied himself to the challenges of last season and worked tirelessly to prepare the team. “We sincerely thank him for everything he has done and he will always be welcome at Bracknell. We wish him well with his plans to marry his fiancee, Natalie, in the summer.” Contact the author david.bol@prohockeynews.com
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