Nationals Head Coach and General Manager Dan Sauvé has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Head Coach for the 2021-2022 season. “ It has been a privilege to coach in the CCHL for the past 10 years, especially in Rockland with the terrific organization that we have and our amazing group of owners. It was not an easy decision to make but the birth of our baby boy this winter has shifted my focus to spending more time with my family” says Sauvé. Although he won’t be coaching, Sauvé will maintain his role as the team’s General Manager. The search for a new head coach stayed in house as Sauvé was excited to announce Jeff Fox’s promotion to bench boss. “ Jeff has been a tremendous asset for our team over the past three seasons. He truly represents the values that we try to instill into our players. His professionalism, passion for the game, work ethic and structure will help him transition smoothly into his new role” adds Sauve.
As for Fox, he is excited for the opportunity to coach the Nationals. “I have gained some valuable experience with the team over the last three seasons. The Nationals are a first-class organization in the CCHL and the fan base in Rockland is the very best at showing their support at every game. I look forward to working with the staff and players on reaching the organization’s high expectations of winning a championship” notes Fox.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic that forced a premature end to the 2019-2020 season, the Nationals had won their first Yzerman division title, finished 2nd overall in the CCHL standings and were primed for a run at the title. “It’s no secret, we are trying to build our program into a championship team. Little by little, every year we gain valuable playoff experience which helps build that culture in our locker room. We want to get better every year and by keeping our coaching staff intact, we feel as though we are continuing our march in the same direction” says Sauvé.
Rounding out the coaching staff is Luc Chabot and Charles Lavigne. Chabot is returning for his third season behind the Nationals bench while also previously being the head coach of the U18 Nats in 2017-2018, leading them to a HEO League Championship. Lavigne, who is also the team’s assistant general manager, is making his junior coaching debut. He was an assistant coach on the 2020-2021 U18 Nats and he has served as the organisation’s goalie coach for the last three seasons.
The Nationals are back on the ice on the August 13-15th weekend as they hold a Summer Evaluation Camp to get ready for the upcoming season. The regular season is scheduled to start on September 24th.
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Photos : GM Dan Sauvé (left), Head Coach Jeff Fox (right)
