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By Earl Seitz

Blazers coaches

Blazers introduce new head coach and associate coach

Jun 19, 2019 | 3:51 PM

KAMLOOPS — Shaun Clouston was officially introduced to Kamloops today as the 17th different individual to hold the Junior Oilers or Blazers full-time head coaching position since the franchise moved from New Westminster in 1981.

The 51-year old native of Viking, Alberta has 23 years experience as an assistant or head coach, including the last 18 in the Western Hockey League.

“For me this is a pretty emotional day, this is a very exciting day.” says Shaun Clouston.

Clouston says there were options after he was let go by the Medicine Hat Tigers on May 30 —- but after a meeting here with general manager Matt Bardsley last Wednesday, it took off and was a slam dunk.

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“My mindset was this is it, let’s get this done, and I don’t even want to talk to anyone else.” says Clouston.

It was a soothing ointment for the shock of what had happened two weeks earlier, on May 30, when after 16 seasons and as the winningest coach in franchise history, Clouston was suddenly let go by the Medicine Hat Tigers and replaced a day later by the guy he had repaced nine years earlier, Willie Desjardins.

“Whoh…..that was tough.” says Clouston.

“It felt like a punch to the stomach. It was shocking. It was unsettling for a couple of days. I was determined to not take it personally and to get rid of the ego aspect, and realize that things just happen, and it’s our response that is what is important.”

Clouston says he feels no animosity towards Willie Desjardins, who came back in at Medicine Hat and took his job.

And says he feels he could’nt be coming in here at a better time —- in a city long starving for its junior hockey team to have success —- and with the way last season ended with a late drive to force a tie-breaker and then getting into the playoffs.

“The players are very excited.” says Clouston. “When you have a run like that, when the city gets behind you, when there’s so much energy, it creates a want for more of that. It gives the players some confidence. There’s a large number of players returning from last years team.”

Clouston also says he’s well aware of the recent track history here when it comes to coaches —- he’ll be the third in three seasons and the 7th different person to hold the fulltime head coaches position in the 13 years of the current ownership.

“I think as a coach, you never know.” says Clouston. “You have to live in the moment, and coach day-by-day.”

One of those current owners, in essence, one of Clouston’s bosses, will be working for Clouston —– Darryl Sydor comes in as a fulltime associate coach after serving as an assistant for the last half of last season.

“Darryl and I are going to the NHL coaches clinic tomorrow together —- that’s the next stop, so it’s really about connecting, getting to know each other, earning trust.” says Clouston.

“I think it’s going to be seamless.” says Darryl Sydor. “We speak the same language, we have the same passion and to be able to share each others knowledge —- he’s very open minded, and so am I. He’s go to challenge myself, and I’m going to challenge him, and I think that’s what good coaching staffs do.”

When Sydor came in as an assistant coach last season there was plenty of speculation surrounding the head coaches position —- and that did’nt diminish any when Serge Lajoie was cut loose in early April.

“Well, that’s you guys’ (media) job, speculaton, right.” says Sydor. “Yah, I do think my aspiration is to be a head coach in the Western Hockey League and help these kids out.”