DURHAM, UK- Whitley Warriors currently occupy 2nd place in English National League Division 1, 5 points behind the league leaders Billingham Stars. Warriors title challenge is all the more impressive when it is considered that Whitley lost around 8 of their top players last summer. Prohockeynews recently got the opportunity to speak to Warriors Rookie coach Garry Dowd on how his first coaching role was going.
“Coaching is a lot harder than I thought, trying to match players in lines which I thought would be easy after being around hockey for about 25 years. Planning practice and trying to motivate the team on game days (is also tough) plus the amount of time it takes up but I am enjoying the journey learning every day.”
Garry was officially appointed as Warriors player/coach in the summer however as of yet he has not taken to the ice this season. It appears though that the combative defenceman could soon return to action.
“I must admit there is a few times I’ve wanted to put the gear on but last season my health kept taking a kick every time I played. I am starting to practice again but just light work so you never know I might have to put the gear on but for now the lads are doing ok.”
Garry went onto speak of how he had rebuild Whitley’s roster over the close season and how the first half of the 2011/12 has gone for his team.
Garry on the bench at Billingham
“We lost the main part of the team over the summer and being a non paying team it’s so hard to replace them, but saying that I think I have a team now that is coming together. The hardest position to fill was James Flavell’s (netminder) but with the signing of Richie Lawson the team is starting to have a new look which is all good.
“We are 2nd in the table 5 points behind Stars but we still have to play them 3 times yet so I’m not panicking. I think after the last result against them we are going to pick up the pace. Personally I think the league is anyone’s there are some strange results coming out but we are going to fight to keep (the title) at Hillheads and I think we can do it with the team we have.”
“The strangest team is Trafford as they are in the top half of the table and last season they were a bottom team but it’s great to have a league like this as last season we had the league more or less won by Christmas and this year it’s going to be going down to the wire with the likes of Trafford and Telford fighting all the way.”
ENL North side Blackburn Hawks have recently signed an import. Garry spoke of how Whitley had looked into acquiring the services of an overseas player.
Garry speaks to assistant player/coach Kevin Bucas
“We tried an import out but for some reason he never came back and now he is playing University hockey. I would never rule an import signing out but being realistic it’s an ITC fee which isn’t cheap and with the quality of players we have in our squad I don’t think we need to count on 1.”
With the departure of so many players over the summer many squad players from previous campaigns have been given much more ice time this term while the impact of the new signings coming into Hillheads has also been crucial.
“I never like to single a player out as we are a team but Nathan (Nazzy) Ryder is doing really well, he is a forward but being so short in defence he has dropped back and made a big impact. All the fringe players from last year have stepped up to the plate and they are getting plenty of ice time though we are also bringing two young kids (Harry Harley and Christian Johnson) in when they haven’t got under 18’s and they are also a massive part of our team now.
“The signing of Jamie Tinsley was a massive signing for us at the beginning of the season as Jamie brings so much to the team not just on the ice but in the changing room he never misses a practice and is happy to play any position to win. Then I got the chance to sign Dean Holland and Richie Lawson.
“Dean has made a massive impact playing alongside Jamie, Dean has an eye for goal and he also doesn’t mind getting dirty which is what we needed. Richie came in with a good background record, he plays the puck very well and he has the passion to win.”
Dowd instructs his side
As the interview drew to a close Gary went onto speak of the general standard of ENL hockey at this moment in time and the possibility of an end of season north/south play off series.
“The quality in the league has increased massively due to the sport changing to a young man’s sport. Also not many British kids make it into the Elite League so they are generally stuck in the EPL and as there isn’t any EPL sides in the north east players find it hard to travel to teams (the nearest EPL side being Sheffield). If there was an EPL team round here I would lose a big chunk of my team as they would be able to play in that league no problem.
“I personally liked the end of season playoffs against the south it just gave you that bit more to play for then you get to the final and it’s good to go down south and see their standard. I hope we can reintroduce this again.”
Thanks to Whitley Warriors coach Garry Dowd for taking the time out to speak to prohockeynews and we wish him and his team all the best for the remainder of the campaign.
Whitley are in action this Sunday evening (December 18th face off 5pm) against the Billingham Stars at Hillheads.
Images courtesy of Colin Lawson @ http://www.icehockeymedia.co.uk/ Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com
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