Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fukushima Named Associate Head Coach

Press Release

Longtime Waterloo Black Hawks assistant coach Shane Fukushima has been promoted to the new position of associate head coach, the team announced Tuesday.

Fukushima is preparing for his sixth season in the Cedar Valley. In 2006-2007, he joined the Black Hawks staff and helped the team to the USHL’s regular season Anderson Cup championship. Charged with coaching the club’s forwards, Fukushima’s efforts led to Waterloo pacing the USHL with 246 goals during the 2008-2009 season. Away from the rink, he has tracked down top talent for the team as the Black Hawks’ recruiting coordinator.

In his new role, Fukushima will share in more key decisions concerning the team’s hockey operations.

A three-year USHL player for the North Iowa Huskies under current Black Hawks head coach P.K. O’Handley, Fukushima served as team captain in 1997-1998 as the squad claimed a North Division championship. From juniors he advanced to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls before a foray into professional hockey. Joining the coaching ranks, he worked at his former high school in Owatonna, Minnesota and in the NCAA at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. His father Mas – the Hawks’ head midwest scout – played in the original USHL during the 1970’s and coached O’Handley as a high school player.

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

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