Cents fan Callie Langlois got to know the new head coach of the Merritt Centennials, Curt Toneff.
When did you become interested in hockey and then coaching?
I became interested in hockey from the time I can remember, I would actually be up at about 3 AM in my garage shooting pucks and balls putting holes in the walls, my brother played and my mom had been around the game a long time, she was married to an NHL player before she remarried.
I became interested in coaching when I was in my rookie season of junior, I was assigned to help a minor hockey team in practice and I always had it in the back of my mind from then on.
Who is your favourite hockey team and player(s) from any league?
I don’t have any favourite players, I cheer for the Canucks, and tend to sort of study Pittsburgh and Vegas.
What have you seen improve on the team since you started?
I think the guys have improved their attention to detail in each zone, as well as offensive creativity the most, if I had to try to put a finger on it!
How do you stay positive as a coach and in general?
I often find myself just thinking of what we get to do, as a staff and players. Our days revolve around a great game, Canada’s game. It is a blessing and we are lucky to do what we do.
What do you do in the off season or your spare time?
I like to play a bit of golf, and find a body of water now and then, the last few summers I have spent on Vancouver Island, this summer I am excited to see what Merritt has to offer. I love the heat.
How are you liking the Merritt winter so far compared to coming from Saskatchewan?
When my girlfriend and I arrived I kept complaining about how cold it is and that’s obviously ironic coming from Saskatchewan, it’s just a different type of cold I guess!
What does a typical game day look like for us hockey fans out there?
Usually I arrive at the rink at around 8 AM, go over what our line up will be and catch up on some things, video or recruiting, emails… etc.
The players arrive at around 9:30 and we are on the ice at 10. We skate for 20-30 minutes and then they are free to do whatever they want. After that I usually will touch up our pre game video and maybe grab lunch. I usually like to get a workout in myself and be back to the rink for around 3 to make sure everything’s in order.
We meet at 5 PM and go over video and special teams and from then on it’s kind of the players time to get prepared, and then it’s their fun time.
