The Okotoks Oilers have a new man on the bench this season, but the newest member of the coaching staff is far from an unknown commodity.
Oilers assistant coach Bobby Fox joins the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) club this season as an individual familiar with Oilers head coach James Poole and assistant Derek Stuart. He was a member of the Calgary Buffaloes coaching staff, alongside Poole and Stuart, when the Midget AAA club won the Mac’s Tournament in 2009.
“There’s a comfort level with him in terms of myself and Derek,” Poole said. “He brings a different style than me and Derek so we think he’ll be a nice complement.”
Fox has been around the block at the AAA level in Calgary, coaching in nearly every corner of the city.
He was the head coach for the Bantam AAA Bronks of the Northwest Athletic Association in 2010-11. The previous year, he led Calgary’s Southeast Minor Midget AAA Rangers to the Sutter Cup, the South championship of the Alberta Minor Midget Hockey League. Prior to his stint with the Buffaloes, he coached with the Calgary Royals at both the Minor Midget and Bantam AAA levels.
Fox said he offers the Oilers a coach who’s adaptable and is a student of the game.
“I think they’re getting somebody that’s innovative,” Fox said. “I’m constantly learning all the time, always studying the game and always willing to listen to new ideas.”
Fox also brings versatility to the table, as he has experience playing forward and defence and has previously coached both positions. He’ll be in charge of the defence and penalty kill for the Oilers, during what is a transitional year on Okotoks’ back-end with three rookie defencemen.
Poole described Fox as a player’s coach.
“He understand the game well, he’s good in terms of his motivational style and in getting the most out of players,” Poole said.
Fox was brought in to replace Jeff Peters, who served as an assistant on Poole’s staff last season.
“Jeff’s commitment level didn’t allow him to be here as much as we’d like last season.” Poole said. “It was a mutual understanding that Jeff wouldn’t be able to commit to anything this year.”
The split was clearly amicable as Fox said Peters will be around to help out the Oilers at times this season.
