YORKTON - The Yorkton Junior Terriers are celebrating 50 years in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League this season.
To mark the milestone Yorkton This Week is digging into its archives and pulling out a random Terrier-related article from the past five decades of reporting on the team, and will be running one each week, just as it originally appeared.
This feature will appear weekly over the entire season in the pages of The Marketplace.
Week #19 comes from May 8, 2002.
It will be a familiar face behind the bench of the Yorkton Terriers this fall.
Don Chesney, who has lived just south of the city most of his life, was announced Friday as the team’s new Director of Operations.
Chesney was chosen from among some 30 applicants for the job, which came open with the resignation of Blaine Gusdal earlier this year.
In making the announcement, Terrier president Glenn Kozak made it clear Chesney’s mandate was a simple one – to build a winning Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team.
“There’s no question the Yorkton Terriers have to develop a winning team here,” he said.
Kozak said in looking at the applications they sought someone with experience in the league and experience in winning, In Chesney, they found a coach who in the 2000-’01 season was SJHL coach of the year, and a season earlier was coach of the year in the South Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
The Terriers were also looking for a little spirit to help boost the team.
“We wanted somebody to introduce a little colour to the scene,” said Kozak.
Chesney – who signed a one-year deal – was pleased to be at the helm of the Terriers in his home town.
“I guess my hockey roots started when I was just a little kid south of town,” he said, adding he used to come into the city to watch the senior Terriers to play.
While Chesney commented “the trail of hockey has been good,” getting the Terrier job was still something special.
“Who the heck would have thought I’d end up here?” he asked. “I’m still a little flattered, a little bit over-whelmed.”
Asked what he saw himself bringing to a Terrier team which has missed the SJHL playoffs the last two seasons, Chesney said attitude will be important.
“I guess what I’m trying to bring to the hockey club … is to have a hardworking club … a club with a lot of energy,” he said.
The first big decision for Chesney will be choosing an assistant coach, a decision he said he’s just starting to work on making.
“I’ve knocked a few things around,” he said. “I want someone who added a little different dimension than what I bring to the hockey club.
“My philosophy is I want the best guy to help me help the team. I don’t want somebody to just bring me coffee … I want them to really bring something to the hockey club.”
Chesney also expects to start securing players, adding he would start calling veterans as early as Saturday.
“Then the middle of next week (this week) I’ll jump in my car and visit as many families as I can and have a pizza and a coffee with them,” he said.
Chesney has one advantage going into the job, having watched many Terrier games last season when he was scouting for the Waywayseecappo Wolverines in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
“For sure I watched about 99 per cent of your home games and all of your games in Melville,” he said.
From his vantage point in the stands Chesney suggested it looked as though “some of the players were a little frustrated last year.”
That frustration must evaporate and a new attitude must prevail if the Terriers are to make the playoffs next season.
“We’re going to need a little better work ethic,” he said.
And, Chesney said some returning players may simply not fit the Terrier program.
The process of building the team may mean “some pieces have to be thrown out and new pieces brought in,” he said.
One position is goaltending with Peter Bartline gone to a scholarship and Mike Zastre struggling from last year’s team.
“Right off the bat … we’ll be looking to bring in a 19, or 20-year-old with a bit of experience,” he said.
There are other holes to fill on the Terriers who also graduated two of their top three scorers in Lance Kopan and Trevor Secundiak, and as well their captain Jeff Cassan on defence.
Chesney said everyone on the team must have the Terriers first in their minds, something he added seems obvious but players sometimes lose track of.
“The team has to come first. Players don’t really realize that,” he said.
Chesney said he also wants players to know every role on the team is important.
“Guys blocking shots, or killing penalties, are just as important as someone who leads the league in scoring.” He said.
Chesney said he wants a good atmosphere around the team to help spur on-ice performance.
“You’d be surprised what a good time can do,” he said.
