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-- Aug 15, 2009 --
FORMER REDMEN CAPTAIN & MVP APPOINTED HEAD HOCKEY COACH AT McGILL
MONTREAL - Jim Webster of Pointe Claire, Que., has been appointed interim
head coach of the McGill men's hockey team. A multilingual native of Montreal,
he brings three decades of coaching experience, including pro hockey stops
in Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Norway, plus stints at the junior college
and university levels.
Webster, 61, replaces Martin Raymond, who stepped down last week after
14 seasons, to accept an offer from the Montreal Canadiens to serve as
an assistant coach with their American Hockey League affiliate in Hamilton,
Ont.
"We're extremely pleased to find someone with the extensive hockey
background that Jim brings," said Drew Love, executive director of
athletics and recreation at McGill. "I'm confident that our student-athletes
and the Friends of McGill Hockey alumni support group will be very satisfied
with this decision."
Webster graduated from McGill in 1973 with a B.Sc. in physical education,
which was preceded by a commerce degree from Sir George Williams University
in 1970. He also earned a master's in physical education from Boston University
in 1975.
While at McGill, Webster captained the hockey Redmen in 1972-73, winning
the Quebec university league scoring title that year. He also earned team
MVP honours and received the University's Scarlet Key Award for leadership.
"I'm excited about the challenge," said Webster, a Level IV
certified coach who also speaks French, Italian and German. "The
calibre of university hockey is much-improved from when I played. Martin
has done a tremendous job revitalizing the McGill program and the core
of the team is expected back, including the assistant coaches, so I don't
plan on any major changes. I like an up-tempo style of team with an aggressive
forecheck and I believe that is precisely what we have now."
Webster played pro for two seasons with the New York Islanders Central
Hockey League affiliate in Fort Worth (1973-75), then played for Innsbrucker
EV in Austria (1976-77), before eventually beginning a long coaching career
in 1978.
Webster was a player-coach with HC Rosenborg in Norway (1978-80), played
briefly in the IHL with Milwaukee and in the AHL with the Nova Scotia
Voyageurs, then moved onto Switzerland (HC Langnau, 1980-81 and HC Zurich,
1981-82) and Italy (HC Val Gardena, 1982-83). He returned to Canada the
following season to coach and teach at Mount Royal College in Calgary,
where stayed five years and won a national championship in 1988.
Named bench boss at the University of Ottawa the next season, Webster
was then wooed back to Italy, where he guided HC Milano (1989-91), HC
Varese (1991-93) and Val Gardena (1993-94).
Since then, he has served as the technical director and resident professional
for the West Island Minor Hockey Association, was head of instruction
at National Training Rinks in Kirkland, Que., and founded the Sport Etudes
program for hockey at John Rennie high school in Pointe Claire, Que.
The Redmen are scheduled to open training camp on Sept. 6 and their first
preseason contest is set for Sept. 18 in Trenton, Ont., against Royal
Military College. Other non-conference games are scheduled against the
defending national champions from UNB (Sept. 25-26 in Fredericton), Ottawa
(Oct. 2 at McConnell Arena) and at UQTR (Oct. 7). The Redmen are slated
to host their regular season opener against Concordia, Oct. 16, as part
of the Homecoming Week festivities at McGill.
At season's end, a decision will be made concerning the interim status
of the head coaching position.
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