Inverness Oran Sports

Sports

Invernesser Kyle MacDonald named head coach of Nova Jr. X-Men


-by Bill Dunphy      

       On Easter Monday, Kyle MacDonald was in Margaree where he purchased a fishing licence for the 2014 Nova Scotia sport fishing season.

In a couple of months, the 25-year-old Inverness native will be casting his line into a different pool as he reels in players for the 2014-15 Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League season.

MacDonald was named head coach of the Nova Junior X-Men last week.

Already an assistant coach for two seasons (2011-12 and 2013-14), MacDonald said he was ready to take on the added responsibility.

“I am excited for the start of the season. It’s been a great program to be a part of, and I’m grateful to the executive for showing faith in me that I can do the job.”

In announcing MacDonald’s appointment, team president Shane MacIsaac said, “We were looking for a strong leader to coach our hockey team. In Kyle MacDonald, we get an individual who knows the game and, along with his experience as an assistant coach and player, makes him the right choice to lead our hockey team.”

MacDonald is fresh from four years playing with the University of Waterloo Warriors. His fourth season was cut short when he suffered a season-ending concussion.

Prior to his Canadian Inter-university Sport career, MacDonald played two seasons in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League: 2007-08 in Charlottetown and 2008-09 in Miramichi.

MacDonald also played three years with the Cape Breton West Major Midget AAA Islanders, wrapping up his final season as the team’s captain.

“Everything I’ve done has been a good, valuable experience,” MacDonald said. “The year when I wasn’t an assistant coach I was still playing myself. I came home after the concussion and went back the next year, but I wasn’t able to continue. I had a good run at it.”

 

Now that he has committed himself to coaching, MacDonald said he looks forward to preparing his players for the transition to the next level.

 

“Even when I was playing, you wanted to play at the highest level. I will be concentrating on conditioning and work ethic,” he said.

MacDonald acknowledged that it’s difficult for rural-based teams at any level to compete against the teams from the city.

“It’s getting tougher, for sure. We don’t have 80 guys coming out each year. But I think we can be successful by working on other things, like conditioning, which is a way I think we can improve.

“No matter what, I’m not going to sacrifice character for talent. I like this age group; they’re eager to play hockey and want to learn.”

 

MacDonald, who turns 26 next month, is currently working on his Bachelor of Education at St. Francis Xavier University and hopes to teach in Inverness County some day. He’s the son of Theresa and Frank, of Strathlorne.

 


 


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