Grand Forks Border Bruins head coach John Clewlow will be returning for a second year behind the bench at the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena, the hockey club announced last week in a press release.
The former Southern Professional Hockey League player from Brampton, Ont. took the help of the Bruins last season in his first professional coaching position. Clewlow led the Bruins to a third-place finish in the Neil Murdoch division for the 2018-2019 season.
“Having a returning coach will allow the team to build on the momentum of last season and gives returning players a level of familiarity that we hope will be immediately apparent on the ice,” said Border Bruins board president Darryl Funk in a press release.
That continuity, Clewlow said, could help the team forge deeper into the playoffs next season.
“We have an opportunity to grow something special this season and for me to build a team around my style of play,” Clewlow said in the release. The coach credited the community support for his success in his first year in charge.
While the team has been announcing returning players recently, they’ve also announced that their main selection camp will take place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 at the Jack Goddard Memorial Arena.
The puck drops on the Border Bruins’ 50th season in the Kootenay International Jr. Hockey League on Friday, Sept. 13. The team’s home opener will be the following night against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.