DIDSBURY - The Mountain View Colts have another new head coach for the upcoming Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL) season, their third in as many years.
However, the new coach, Gord Olsen, has plenty of experience, having coached the Colts from 2010 to 2017.
In fact, Olsen was behind the bench when the Colts won the team's only HJHL title in 2016.
Last year's coaching staff, led by head coach Rob Turville decided not to return due to family commitments.
"They had family commitments with kids coming into sports like hockey," said Olsen. "They just didn't think they could fulfil the commitment of a junior coaching gig with that stuff going on. Family comes first."
Two years prior, Olsen stepped away from coaching because he wanted a break from the routine.
"I felt it was time to step away to have a change," he said. "I had been there awhile. Things get repetitive. Maybe you need a fresh look. There were some other guys wanting to get into it as well."
Olsen has remained with the Colts organization as a general manager for the past two years.
"I managed but I wasn't really fond of it," he said. "It keeps you involved but it's not like coaching where you're involved in the action and the actual operations of the team. Basically, I just missed it. When Rob and the other guys said they weren't able to come back they wanted to make sure the team was left with someone who had some experience.
"Not that that means anything. I still have to coach the players. The players make the coach. If you have good players, obviously coaching is a little easier."
Last season, under Turville and his staff, the Colts went for 22 wins, 14 losses, two ties for 41 points and fourth place in the Heritage League's Northern Division. The Colts swept Ponoka in the first round of the playoffs and then came back from down 3-0 to upset second-place Red Deer Vipers to win that series four games to three.
The Colts' season ended in the league semifinals after falling four games to two to Airdrie, who would go on to win the league title.
Olsen said he expects the team to be strong once again with a talented core expected to return for training camp, which begins with conditioning camp Aug. 26 - 28.
The main camp is set to go Aug. 30 - 31 at Carstairs Memorial Arena. There will be an inter-squad game on Sept. 1 from 3 - 5 p.m. also at Carstairs Memorial Arena.
"We're in a good spot with a lot of players coming back," he said. "I don't look to change a lot of that, just keep the ball rolling and do what I've done in past years."
Olsen said that this season's team will greatly benefit from the playoff experience they got last season.
"The experience of finishing third in the division, that's pretty respectable," he said, "and then the playoff run; getting all those players back. They've seen what it takes to get to that level. Hopefully the experience will carry them to the next step forward. Hopefully I can help do that."
Olsen said the coaching staff is looking forward to seeing a lot of returning players at camps as well as some new faces.
"Just because the guys were on the team last year they still have to show that they want to be there," he said. "They can't just take it for granted. If we have a younger player who comes in and outperforms someone he could take their spot. That's how hockey works. We also know we could lose some players to work and school.
"That's what the league is like. Other changes can happen. They don't live and breathe it like at Junior A. We're just looking at having a strong camp and take a look at some kids."
Regular season starts Sept. 20
Mountain View starts its exhibition season on Saturday, Sept. 7 at home at the Didsbury Memorial Complex with a game against Airdrie Thunder, the same team that knocked the Colts out of the playoffs last year.
The next night, the Colts host Red Deer, another familiar opponent. The exhibition schedule wraps up on Wednesday, Sept. 11 with a home game against Sylvan Lake.
The regular season starts Friday, Sept. 20 with a home tilt against Stettler. The Colts then travel to Coaldale the following day for the team's first regular season road game.
