BONNYVILLE – With 11 seasons under his belt with the West Kelowna Warriors, Chad Carder has been hired as the assistant coach of the Bonnyville Jr A Pontiacs as of Aug. 16, and is looking to help bring home a championship.
"The goal will always be to win a championship and see the team develop and get better as the season progresses," said Carder.
Carder would like to extend his gratitude to both the Pontiacs for giving him this opportunity, and to the people in his past that shaped him as a coach.
“I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have worked with each and every player and goaltender who had faith in me as a coach. As well as all of the coaches and management who helped to develop me into the coach I am today.”
He added, “I have always been someone who works hard to develop players on and off the ice. The hockey rink is my second home - or first, if you ask my wife. I always try to create a positive, fun culture around the rink and in the community,” said Carder.
Carders’ 11 season with the West Kelowna Warriors of the BCHL were spent as the goaltender and skills coach, and during that time the Warriors went on to win the BCHL, Western Canada Cup, and the RBC (Centennial) cup.
Dalton Edwards, marketing and gameday director, explains that Carder “[stepped] onto the RJ Lalonde ice for the first time... at the Pontiacs’ U13 Elite Development Camp and the U15 Young Futures Camp.”
Fans can also meet the entire Pontiacs’ staff and players off the ice on Aug. 24 at the Pontiacs’ annual two-person scramble golf tournament, continued Edwards.
Edwards expects Carder's experience as a goalie and as a goaltender and skills coach to help “solidify the bench from all angles and [add] a fresh perspective and resource to the Pontiacs’ organization and the Bonnyville community.”
"I like to be honest and straightforward, communicating in a constructive manner. Having been a goalie coach for almost 20 years, I definitely see things differently and like to teach players to look at things from a different perspective,” said Carder.
Pontiacs’ head coach Ayrton Nikkel, who has worked with Carder with the West Kelowna Warriors, said he is excited to welcome Carder to the staff.
"I have worked with him daily for a number of years and with his versatility as a coach, his attention to detail and his love for the game, I believe he will not just be a great asset to our team, but the entire Bonnyville community,” said Nikkel
Carder aims to bring his upbeat and positive attitude to his coaching and is ecstatic to meet new players and coaches in a community that loves their hockey.
Carder is dedicated to team development and winning championships, and it’s also a goal of his to “help obtain as many scholarships for players as possible to help them continue their success in their hockey careers.”
