Drumheller Dragons add two coaches

Press Release

The Drumheller Dragons are proud to announce the addition of Jon Armbruster and Dave Ferrari to their Coaching Staff. Mr. Armbruster has been hired as the Team’s Assistant General Manager, Associate Coach and Director of Player Development. Mr. Ferrari has been appointed to the positions of Assistant Coach and Assistant Director of Player Development.

As a player, Jon Armbruster competed in the ACAC for three seasons as a member of Briercrest College. He then began his coaching career with the Caronport Cougars midget team, where he had a substantial role in advancing seven players to the Junior ‘A’ level in a single year. He spent the following three seasons in the AJHL on the coaching staffs of the Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves and Brooks Bandits before moving on to become an Assistant Coach with the Concordia Stingers in the CIS. Once back in Alberta, he joined the Bow Valley Timber Wolves in the Southern Alberta Midget League, where he continued his track record of successfully developing players for the next level.

“I would like to thank the Dragons’ ownership and management for the opportunity to coach in the AJHL again,” comments Coach Armbruster. “It is a special league and this is a special team. There’s just a culture here, an attitude, a deep desire to be the best that is extremely energizing. I can’t wait to meet our players and fans.”

Dave Ferrari, a native of Melbourne, Australia, brings with him an impressive breadth and depth of playing and coaching experience overseas. In 2005, he was a member of the Melbourne Ice, a semi-professional team which competes in the AIHL (Australia’s national hockey league), and later that same season he played for – and captained – the Victorian state team at the 2005 U-23 Australian National Championships. Before coming to Canada in 2006, Dave also spent three seasons coaching the Melbourne Sharks U-17 club, during which time he carried the additional duties of organizing and instructing several development clinics and leagues in the City of Geelong. Since arriving in Canada, he has become an important part of Hockey Alberta’s ongoing coaching development initiatives, having most recently provided technical and video support for the last two High Performance I coaching certification programs.

“I came to Canada to immerse myself in the game of hockey, to grow my knowledge as a coach and to share what I’ve learned playing at an elite level on another continent,” comments Coach Ferrari. “I’ve been very fortunate to do that so far and I’m thrilled to continue doing so as a part of the Drumheller Dragons program. I really identify with the “University of Hockey” concept on which the Dragons’ player development model is based, and I’m eager to start working with our student-athletes.”

“It’s a great time to be a Dragon,” says the Team’s Vice President, Rod Knelsen. “Our players and fans will be struck by the passion for, and knowledge of, the game of hockey that these two gentlemen bring. We’re very fortunate to have two people of this calibre on our staff. Our players will benefit tremendously from their work ethic and expertise.”

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)