Wranglers head coach Dale Hladun has been selected by the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) to coach the Okanagan team in the prospects game in Kelowna on Jan. 13.
“I’m excited for it and I’m proud of it and it’s quite an honour,” said Hladun.
The prospect game is made up of the school-aged talent in the KIJHL, made up of two teams represented by each conference, Okanagan and Kootenay. The game is a high-profile event allowing players to have a platform in front of scouts from Canadian and American colleges, Junior A and the Western Hockey league.
It’s the second time the league has held the Top Prospects game after an eight-year hiatus.
“I thought it showcased the level of Junior B in our province,” Hladun said.
Hladun was also behind the bench for the Okanagan team created from the ten teams making up the Doug Birks and Okanagan divisions. This time he will be the head coach with assistance from coaches Mark McNaughton and Ryan Parent from Princeton Posse and the North Okanagan Knights.
The deadline for picking the roster is coming up fast but so far, Hladun has no idea who will be selected for his squad yet.
“We got to start going over the rosters here and we got to pick before the Christmas break,” he said.
Frazer Dodd and former player, Brevin Gervais, were named as players in last year’s Okanagan team.