Only a week after losing their assistant coach to the Castelgar Rebels, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats have accepted the resignation of head coach and general manager Brad Tobin.
Tobin coached the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League team to one of its best seasons ever in 2017-18, leading the T-Cats to a 32-12-2-1 record. The season ended when the Columbia Valley Rockies knocked Creston out in the first playoff round.
Tobin has accepted an associate coach/assistant GM position with the Surrey Eagles, a BCHL team that plays at a higher level than Creston.
He acknowledges that the timing of his move is unfortunate, and has agreed to stay on for the team’s first two exhibition games this weekend.
In announcing his resignation earlier this week, Tobin said, “The board of directors … the time and effort they put in, I don’t think people realize how much effort it takes to have a community run team so the volunteers and the board of directors, I can’t thank enough.”
He added that he has enjoyed the community in his two years (the first as an assistant coach) in Creston.
“I can’t thank the people in the community around here enough, I’ve said it, it’s kind of the one thing that I’ve loved during my time up here, the people are very welcoming opening up their homes for meals once in a while, and just being around the rink and that, it’s been awesome”
The Thunder Cats’ search for a new head coach and general manager is underway.