After spending two seasons with the Powell River Kings, former assistant coach Geoff Grimwood has moved on to become head coach of the recently rebranded South Island Major Midget Royals hockey club in the Victoria and southern Vancouver Island area.
In the last two seasons, Grimwood has helped the Kings to a record of 82-26-4 and a yearly spot in the Fred Page Cup final.
“I loved my time in Powell River and was not looking to leave there, but when this opportunity came up, it was hard to turn down,” said Grimwood in an interview with Island Sports News.
Part of what drew him to the team, he continued, was the Major Midget Royals’ new affiliation with the Victoria Royals Western Hockey League (WHL) team. “I’ve always felt the Major Midget program in the South Island had a lot of potential, and now with the Royals affiliating the Major Midget team with their WHL program, there is even more potential,” said Grimwood in the interview.
As a Victoria native, Grimwood was also attracted by the team’s proximity to his hometown. “I also have a lot of family that still resides here in Victoria, so obviously it was a good opportunity to come home and continue my coaching career close to home and in front of my family and friends,” he said.
As head coach of the Major Midget Royals, Grimwood will also have a spot as a possible assistant coach to Dave Lowry, head coach of the Victoria Royals WHL team.
Kent Lewis, head coach and general manager of the Kings, said Grimwood was an important member of team personnel. “He did a lot of work with our skill programs and recruiting,” Lewis explained. “He was certainly a valuable member of our club.”
A replacement assistant coach has yet to be announced, but Lewis said they are working hard to find a good fit for the team. “We’re being selective,” he explained. “We won’t just bring anybody in.”
With main camp starting in less than a month, Lewis is looking forward to a good year with some new faces. Lewis and his team are grateful to Grimwood for his time with the Kings and wish him well.
“It was a good opportunity for him and we wish him all the best,” said Lewis.
Before coming to Powell River, Grimwood spent the previous four years working for the Victoria Cougars and Peninsula Panthers. He spent four seasons between 2006 and 2009 as associate coach with the Cougars, helping them to back-to-back Vancouver Junior Hockey League (VJHL) championships. He later worked as head coach and general manager for the Peninsula Panthers in 2009 to 2010 taking them to a VJHL championship.
