DIDSBURY - Dan Visser, the new head coach of the Mountain View Colts hockey team, says he’s looking forward to a competitive 2022-23 season, with about a dozen veteran players expected to suit up when the regular season gets underway on Sept. 23.
Visser was the team’s assistant coach last season under longtime head coach Gord Olsen, who is remaining with the team as an assistant.
“I think we are going to be strong,” said Visser, who was on the Colts board of directors for five years prior to becoming as assistant coach for the 2021-22 season.
“Over the last year I’ve done a lot of recruiting and we’ve got some really good prospects out there,” he said.
Visser says he’s also hoping for a good campaign from his veterans.
“I’m looking for big things out of all those guys,” he said.
The Colts play in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League’s north division, with the squad’s home games played at the Didsbury Memorial Complex.
The Colts’ 2022-23 training camp recently wrapped up, with exhibition games starting last weekend.
“Training camp is done and I’m sitting with 28 players right now,” he said. “I’m looking at trying to get that roster cut down a few more.”
Visser hasn’t yet picked the captain or assistant captains for the 2022-23 team.
As he takes over the head coaching reins with the Colts, Visser explained that he has coaching experience at several levels.
“I’ve done lots of minor hockey coaching,” he said. “I coached up to peewee, bantam.”
Visser was also a hockey player in his own right.
“I played up until my midget year,” he said, noting he suited up on both Didsbury and Carstairs teams.
The Didsbury-based Colts have several exciting plans for the upcoming season, including a new team jersey, a renovated team dressing room, and a new light show.
“We hope to attract a lot of fans this year,” he said.
Having former head coach Olsen on the roster as an assistant should be very helpful, he said.
“I’ve learned a lot from him over the past year,” he said, noting Calvin Knutson will also be an assistant coach in 2022-23.
