The Westshore Wolves are coming off one of their better seasons in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, but they’ll have to take the next step with a new coach.
With new-dad Tyler Matheson stepping away from the coaching ranks, the Wolves have named former Saanich minor hockey midget bench boss Ian Birnie as Westshore’s new head coach. The Wolves have also promoted assistant GM Clay Carson to roll of general manager. Current GM Ken Carson is moving from GM to director of hockey operations.
Birnie coached the Saanich Tier 1 midget team to the provincial championship tournament the past five seasons. He will be assisted on the Wolves’ bench by Victor Gervais and J.R. Smith.
Last season, the Wolves advanced to the VIJHL final four before losing to the eventual league champion Campbell River Storm.
Wade jumps from Cougars to Wildcats
Victoria Cougars play-making forward Kyle Wade is taking his act to the desert.
Wade, from Courtenay, has accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Arizona in Tucson to suit up for the Wildcats in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.
Last season, Wade racked up 38 points in 39 regular season games for the Cougars and another seven points in seven Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoff games.
Wade will join former Cougars teammate Anthony Ciurro on the Wildcats squad, which plays against the likes of Arizona State, Colorado State and Nevada-Las Vegas.
Vikes add star striker Goertzen
Head coach Bruce Wilson was looking to add some scoring punch to his University of Victoria Vikes men’s soccer team and he didn’t have to go far to find it.
In fact, just across the street.
The Vikes announced this week they have signed Mount Douglas Rams grad Rees Goertzen to the squad for the upcoming U Sports season.
Goertzen, originally from Calgary, played for the Vancouver Island Wave this past season, but it was in Calgary where he got his start. Goertzen led Team Alberta to the bronze medal at the 2014 national championships and in doing so was named the tournament’s Golden Boot winner as top scorer. He also spent a year in the Whitecaps Academy in Vancouver before moving to the Island.
Reaume on track for truck success
After crashes in his last couple of races, Victoria driver Josh Reaume was looking to just finish a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race this weekend at Kansas Speedway, and he did that and more.
Reaume drove his Colonial Countertops Toyota Tundra to a 21st-place finish, his best showing of the young season.
Reaume will look to continue his success this weekend when the series stops at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday night.
Gymnasts take over Pearkes Arena
Pearkes Arena will be abuzz with activity this weekend, but it won’t be hockey.
The 36th Annual Garden City Invitational gymnastics meet goes Saturday and Sunday with more than 350 athletes competing from B.C., Alberta and Washington.
Double gold for Vikes rower
University of Victoria first year rower Kyle Fredrickson made quite the splash in his first time representing Canada at an international event.
Fredrickson, and teammate Andrew Todd, won two gold medals at the Para Rowing International Regatta in Gavirate, Italy. Fredrickson, a Shawnigan Lake School grad, and Todd won their medals in the PR3 M2 events.
