Breaking News BILOXI, MS – Under normal circumstances, winning a championship as a coach would seem to be a guarantee to continuing in the job. That is unless your team takes on new ownership.
That was the case on Friday as Steffon Walby, head coach and general manager of the defending SPHL champion Mississippi Surge, was relieved of his duties by new owner Tim Kerr. The change was announced to the team staff at a meeting in Biloxi.
“In order to move ahead and keep hockey viable here on the Gulf Coast, this is a decision that we had to make in the overall best interest of the franchise,”
Steffon Walby was fired Friday by new Surge owner Tim Kerr
Walby’s tenure in Biloxi spanned two franchises in two different leagues. He spent the last three years of a 14-year playing career wearing the jersey of the ECHL Mississippi Sea Wolves as the player/assistant coach. He moved up to associate coach in 2004.
Walby stayed with the organization through the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina which left the Mississippi Coast Coliseum unplayable for two season. His reward came in the form of being named head coach of the Sea Wolves in 2007. In two seasons at the helm, Walby’s record was 57-75.
When the team closed up shop following the 2008-2009 season, Walby led a new group of investors in taking over the franchise and moving to the SPHL. He assumed the duties of general manager and head coach, guiding the newly named Surge to two straight appearances in the Presidents Cup finals, winning the title this past April over the Augusta RiverHawks.
Walby’s coach record in the SPHL was a spectacular 71-19, good enough to win the Coffey Trophy as regular season champ both years.
Off the ice, the Surge struggled at the box office, forcing the ownership group to look for new investors. Kerr, owner of the Pensacola Ice Flyers and chairman of the SPHL’s Board of Governors, stepped in and bought the team after assisting in keeping it afloat through the end of the 2010-2011 season.
Through the team, Kerr said a search to replace Walby behind the bench is underway.
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