Joe McWilliams
Lakeside Leader
Overcoming local skepticism is part of the job of Slave Lake Icedogs’ coach Brian Noad. Maybe even the biggest part of it, for now. Noad arrived in Slave Lake last week and hit the ground running, “knocking on doors,” as he calls it, trying to rally support for the fledgling Junior ‘A’ team.
A training camp is scheduled for the second weekend in September. Noad says he expects “about 40 guys in camp.”
Between now and then, he’s looking for sponsors, for an assistant coach, for billet families for players and lots more.
Such as?
“Golf tournament,” he says. “Sept. 20.”
That’s the one at Gilwood, set up as a fundraiser for the Icedogs. Noad has connections with NHL alumni players and has a few confirmed. They include former Maple Leaf and Bruin Tom Fergus, ex-Calgary Flame Rick Nattress, and former Oilers Craig Muni and Mike Krushelnyski.
“Buy them for $1,200 to play in a foursome,” Noad says.
Noad is also looking for hole sponsors and more for the tournament.
As for players, Noad says he’s got a few coming from Ontario, some Europeans and hopes also to have “four or five local kids.”
The league – as it appears right now – will have four teams. Enoch, Cold Lake and Rosetown Saskatchewan are the other three, with the possibility of a fifth. It’s a tough task to start a league out of nothing and even tougher when people are trying to shoot it down on social media.
“If it was easy, everybody would do it,” Noad says. “It’s going to work,” he adds. “All we need is support from the community.”
Another task Noad has set for himself over the next while is to “build a dressing room,” for the team. This would entail the wrangling of donations of materials and labour to make something more than the basics in one of the existing rooms. With the approval of the town, of course, which Noad didn’t have yet when he was interviewed.
Sometime in October – if all goes more or less as planned – the Icedogs will hit the ice for the regular season.
“We’re going to put a good product on the ice,” Noad promises. “Work hard and you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.”
Originally from Ontario, Noad played his Junior hockey with the Markham Waxers and the Pickering Panthers of the OPJHL.
