Wednesday, July 20, 2011

John Marks Named Head Coach of Fargo Force

Press Release

The Fargo Force announced that John Marks has been named the team's Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations.

"A solid foundation has been laid out for the Fargo Force by Dean Blais, Steve Johnson and Jason Herter, and I hope to keep that foundation running and keep the team headed in the same direction to ultimately attain that goal that we all want to achieve – to raise the Clark Cup," said Marks.

John Marks began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of North Dakota in 1982, where he helped lead the Sioux to the 1987 NCAA Championship. Also on that coaching staff was Dean Blais, who led the Fargo Force during their inaugural season of 2008-09. Marks also had stints coaching professional hockey in the East Coast Hockey League, the Southern Professional Hockey League and the International Hockey League. He twice led teams to championships in the ECHL, becoming the first coach to lead two different organizations to the ECHL title. Marks also captured a championship in the SPHL and was named the league's Coach of the Year following the 2006-07 season. Most recently, he was the head coach for the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League during the 2010-11 season, leading the team to a 38-17-7 record.

Marks played collegiate hockey at the University of North Dakota and was twice named All-American. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks ninth overall in the 1968 NHL Draft and went on to play 10 seasons for the Blackhawks, tallying 275 points (112 goals, 163 assists).

Marks takes over for the departed Jason Herter, who advanced to a coaching position in college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

"I'm thrilled that our search has led us to someone with such a quality hockey background like John", said Force General Manager Jon Kram. "We are confident that he will continue the success of the Force both on and off the ice."

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

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