Bullies Finalize Hockey Operations Staff

September 2, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies News Release


ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies of the ECHL have finalized their 2004-05 hockey operations staff highlighted by the addition of Mark French as the team's new assistant coach.

French, 33, comes to Atlantic City after spending the past two seasons as the Head Coach at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON. Taking over a Golden Hawks team that went 8-14-2 in 2001-02, French posted an overall regular season record of 22-19-4 and led Wilfrid Laurier to the CIS divisional finals in back-to-back seasons. He was honored for his efforts by being selected as an assistant coach to the Canada Under 18 Team that competed at the World Under 18 Championships this past spring in Belarus.

"I'm excited about coaching at the next level and am looking forward to the professionalism of both the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and the ECHL," said French. "Atlantic City has already built a great tradition in the hockey world, and I am very excited about having the opportunity to become apart of that."

Prior to his tenure at Laurier, the St. Jacobs, ON native served in the dual role of assistant coach and assistant general manager for the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League from 1999-2002. French played his collegiate hockey in Canada at Brock University.

"I welcome the experience that Mark French brings to the table," said Head Coach Matt Thomas. "He is a good teacher of the game and an excellent communicator, and therefore will be a guy that fits well in our locker room."

Along with French, the Bullies have retained Josh MacDonald as the team's equipment manager and named Brian Maddox as the new athletic trainer. MacDonald, 26, returns to the Bullies for his third consecutive season in the role of equipment manager. MacDonald and Thomas both came to Atlantic City prior to the 2002-03 season from a championship caliber program at the University of Maine. Maddox, 26, begins his first season with the Bullies after spending last year as the assistant athletic trainer for the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League.

Operation: 1,700 is now underway. The Bullies have set a goal to secure 1,700 season tickets between now and Opening Night 2004, October 29 against the Trenton Titans.

IT'S TIME FOR ACTION! Season tickets start as low as $324 and are on sale now by calling a Bullies Customer Service Representative at (609) 348-PUCK.

For more information on the Bullies Hockey Operations staff, contact Dan Weiss at (609) 348-7809. For more information on South Jersey's only professional hockey team, visit www.boardwalkbullies.com.



ECHL Stories from September 2, 2004


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