NEWS

(Story by Brad Kelly of the DurhamRegion.com - photo credit:  Tim Bates/OJHL Images)

Turns out the Whitby Fury didn't need a new coach after all.

The interim label has been lifted, and the club has named Scott McCrory as the new head coach. McCrory, one of the owners of the club, took over behind the bench with one game left in the season following the dismissal of former coach Tom Boyle.

"The kids really responded to us, so I'd like another chance," said McCrory. "Once you get the itch, you want to keep going with it."

Fury GM John Tugnutt said the Ontario Junior Hockey League club received 22 applications for the vacant head coaching position. But once McCrory, who is chairman of the board for the league, got clearance over any conflict of interest concerns, the focus became bringing him back to the fold.

"At the end of the day, Scott was the guy we wanted all the way along," said Tugnutt, adding the players were asked for their input during exit interviews. "I asked each one of them confidentially, 'What did you think of Scott and the staff?' Overwhelmingly it was a positive endorsement.

"Whether it was returning players or graduating players, everyone said they would be a fantastic crew to come in and coach the team."

The crew includes the return of assistant coaches Rico Sirrizzotti and Joe Van Volsen. Also added to the mix are Corey Bricknell as an assistant coach and Anthony Cornacchia as a skills development coach.

"We feel with the head coach and the three assistant coaches and the skills development coach that we have a very good staff for the team this year," added Tugnutt.

McCrory, a former OHL leading scorer when he captained the Oshawa Generals, got his first taste of coaching during his playing days in Europe, serving as a player/assistant coach. He has coached in the Oshawa minor system, and in the summer, minor and junior lacrosse in Clarington, leading the Jr. C Shamrocks to three provincial titles.

With the Fury, he will be looking for his first victory next season, after losing the final game of the regular season and then getting swept in four straight in the first round of playoffs by Cobourg. McCrory said that he received texts from former Generals coach Paul Theriault and teammate Jeff Hackett, encouraging him to taking his coaching to the next level.

Before he took over the head coaching job, McCory said he had to get clearance from his wife, who would have to take on more responsibility with their sons playing minor midget this season, as well as from OJHL board members.

"That was the first thing we wanted to clear up. We've been doing some good things with the league," he said of getting league approval. "I'm proud of sitting on the board and helping to make sure the hockey side was run properly."

The first order of business for the organization will be its annual rookie camp on May 25-26 at Iroquois Park. McCrory is looking forward to being involved in the process from the beginning.

"We know there's a lot of local talent coming in. Now it's just a matter of who has the desire to take their skill to the next level."

Sports editor Brad Kelly covers all of Durham Region for Metroland Media Group.