The Kindersley Jr. Klippers have juggled coaching positions this week as it was recently announced that head coach, Garry Childerhose, has taken a leave of absence due to health concerns.

Childerhose only recently joined the Klippers as he was introduced as the new head coach this past April. Despite an enthusiastic welcome from both the Klippers and Childerhose, he is yet to have the opportunity to coach the team through a regular season game.

Childerhose was absent at the Klippers home opener last Friday, as well as, the following night’s game in North Battleford, which saw the Klippers lose both games.

In an announcement yesterday by the Kindersley Junior A team, stated that Childerhose is taking a leave of absence and coaching adjustments have been made in the interim.

Larry Wintoneak, who held the assistant coach position, will be acting as the head coach for the Klippers while Childerhose tends to his health. Additionally, newly hired business manager, Garrett Turner will join Matt Glencross in covering the assistant coaching responsibilities.

“This is an unfortunate situation for sure – Garry was a high-character man and this was his dream job and the organization, we are all here to support him and we want him to get better. It’s not easy for sure and we want him to get better and want him to get back,” shared Wintoneak.

Wintoneak expressed the family that is the Kindersley Jr. Klippers organization and said everyone, on the ice and behind the bench, is rallying together showing their support for Garry.

“If you don’t have your health, nothing else really matters, so we are just making the necessary adjustments through the coaching staff on the team to allow Garry the time he needs.”

He stated there is no set time frame for Garry’s return and are having to push forward as a team as the entire season lays in front of them.

The shuffle in coaching has been well structured and provides the Klippers with ample knowledge and expertise, as all three men have an extensive hockey history, with numerous years of coaching.

As the Klippers are still looking for their first win of the season, Wintoneak proclaimed this is obviously not the start they were looking for.

“We’re disappointed obviously, we didn’t win our home opener and we got slapped around 7 to 1 so it’s not fun – but you break down the video, you show the boys what to do and what not to do. The second game, we showed up, we had a little more physicality, a little more loose puck intensity – we were more on our game – wasn’t enough obviously, but we are going in the right direction.”

Besides looking at the game tapes, Wintoneak expressed the importance of the players coming together as a team and being able to trust each other which will transform onto the ice.

“One thing we ask to our players is to be a good teammate, it’s important to do that, because then you can trust each other. You have to be able to trust the guy in front of you, beside you and behind you. It’s not just always hockey skills, it’s life skills that can really make an impact on any team.”

The Klippers are getting ready for a busy weekend with two home games on Friday and Saturday, followed by the SJHL Showcase on Sunday.

First up for the Klippers will be a match-up against Estevan, which Wintoneak says will be a battle as Estevan is looking to make their mark early on in the season, followed by Saturday’s match up against Weyburn.

Sunday the Klippers will have their first game in the SJHL Showcase, hosted in Warman, as they take on the La Ronge Ice Wolves. On Tuesday, they will face off once again against the Estevan Bruins to wrap up the Showcase.

The SJHL states they are expecting to have over 200 scouts in attendance during the showcase including ones from the NHL, CIS and NCAA.