The New Westminster Salmonbellies new coaching staff will bring a new level of fitness to the storied senior A lacrosse club.
That is the message from incoming head coach Steve Goodwin following the announcement Tuesday that he will replace outgoing coach Ken Thomas at the helm of the 24-time Mann Cup champions.
"I'm excited. I'm a New West guy. I love lacrosse in New Westminster. It's a culture of New Westminter," said Goodwin.
Goodwin will bring his entire coaching staff from intermediate A to the senior club after a week of deliberation.
His three assistants - future hall-of-famer Russ Heard, Jamie Stewart and Darrin London - have virtually grown up together in the game through minor lacrosse in New West.
"It was all of us or none of us," said Goodwin. "We're a little bit different."
The four friends replace Thomas and his coaching assistants Sheldon Palidwor and former Salmonbellie runner Chris Gill.
What we will bring to the game is aggression at every end of the floor, Goodwin said.
Changes ahead were evident in New Westminster's drafting at Monday's junior entry draft.
The Salmonbellies took consensus No. 1, Logan Schuss from Delta, with its second overall pick and then selected speedy defender Jeff Cornwall from Coquitlam with the third overall pick.
New West then went to its junior club for transition defender Reid Mydske, offensive righthander Keegan Bal and all-rounder Reagan Harding with its second-and third-round picks.
"We chose all three because they are strong athletically and can run the floor. We targeted all three," Goodwin said."We're going to be more aggressive on defence, and our transition will be very, very strong. We drafted a lot of speed."
The days of offence/defence and setting up in the defensive zones while the opposition brings the ball unchallenged up the floor are over, added Goodwin.
"That's not going to happen. In my game, the players are going to be very fit. That's the plan. That's what we do. It makes the other teams will have to be perfect to beat us."
The Salmonbellies flirted with the two-way game under former head coach Bob Salt during his tenure with the senior A club that ended in 2011.
Heard and Stewart will handle the offensive duties behind the bench, while Goodwin, who moved up the head coaching position with the 'Bellies intermediate A team, will share the defensive tactics with London.
The foursome led the intermediate team to its fourth provincial banner in six seasons last year.
"We will be making changes in the lineup from what it was last year," confirmed Goodwin.
