Banner Banner Flyers’ Marks receives two-year extension

Press Release

After guiding the Winkler Flyers to their best regular season in nearly 10 years, Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations John Marks has been given a two year extension with the club. In his first season behind the Flyers bench, Coach Marks led the team to the first regular season division championship since 2002 and a 17 point improvement over the year before.

"The Winkler Flyers are extremely excited to announce that Coach Marks has agreed to a new two year deal to continue the work he started this past year with the hockey club,” said Flyers General Manager Henry Siemens.

“We were extremely happy to see some of the things that we saw with the team this past season. We saw a level of competition that I think our fans appreciated, a good work ethic from the team and a lot of very positive things.“ added Siemens.

“We were the best team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for the second half of the season and it is great to see the development and the programs that he is putting in place for the kids."

After entering the Christmas break in third place in the Addison Division, the Flyers went on a tear in the second half of the season with a 20-3-3 record in their final 26 games helping them clinch their first Addison Division regular season championship since 2002.

"We absolutely feel that this is the right direction for the Winkler Flyers at this time. We feel that John has a lot more to offer this team. Because he came in during the summer last season he more or less inherited the team that was there. And now he is a little bit more familiar with the MJHL, and more familiar with Junior A hockey players in general.” Said Siemens.

“He's going to spend the summer scouting and looking for the type of player that he needs for this team. He knows what he's got coming back, and we feel this is a very positive step for the Winkler Flyers."

The hockey club board of directors has also taken on a new look. Board member Menno Friesen did not let his name stand for another term. He was replaced by team founder Dan Giesbrecht, who was the first person to enter the Winkler Flyers Hall of Fame in the builder category. Giesbrecht will also serve as the teams new President after Tony Dyck decided to step down.

"It is another very positive development for the Winkler Flyers to have one of the people who was instrumental in bringing the Flyers to Winkler in 1980 get involved again in this capacity." Said Siemens of Giesbrecht’s new position.

However, despite improved success on the ice and an increase in attendance, the Winkler Flyers did experience a slight financial deficit this past season.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)