FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Langley, BC – June 2, 2011
With the sale of Langley’s BCHL franchise officially complete as of yesterday, the hockey club’s new owners invited members of the community down to the Langley Events Centre for a meet and greet and to announce their new staff and sign some new players.
Headlining this announcement was the hiring of Steve O’Rourke as Head Coach and General Manager. Steve comes to the Rivermen after serving two years with the Calgary Flames organization as an Assistant Coach for the Abbotsford Heat. His primary responsibility while with the Heat was player development, something that should translate very well at the junior level. Prior to joining Abbotsford, Steve spent three years working at the Okanagan Hockey Academy as Head Instructor. While enjoying a seven year career playing professional hockey in Europe, the ECHL and UHL, he earned his MBA in Sport Management after completing his B.A. in Kinesiology at the University of Lethbridge.
“We were excited to have the opportunity to bring in a Head Coach and GM with Steve’s background,” co-owner Roy Henderson said there was never any debate after his first meeting with O’Rourke, “he wants to help these players get to the next level and I know he’ll connect with this community.”
Joining O’Rourke on the bench will be Roy Henderson’s eldest son, Bobby. Bobby, who is 29, recently finished his first full season behind the bench with the Mission Ice Breakers of the PIJHL. He has also been heavily involved as a scout in the BCHL and with his family’s business – Global Sports Camps. Bobby played five seasons for Chilliwack in the BCHL, serving one year as captain before moving on to a scholarship at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Bobby will have a familiar face sharing an office with him as Jordan Emmerson, who also coached with Bobby in Mission Ice Breakers, has signed on as an Assistant Coach as well. Jordan spent two years in the BCHL before earning a scholarship to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He earned two degrees while there, one in Kinesiology and the other in Psychology. Emmerson’s primary role on the coaching staff will be strength and conditioning.
Rounding out the hockey staff will be Goaltender Coach, Pasco Valana. Valana is currently on the development team at ICOACH.com as well as serving as the Chief of Athlete Services for the 2010 Olympic Games here in Vancouver. He has long worked as a professional goalie coach and consultant, co-founding Pro Formance Goalie Schools Inc.
