Ice Pilots Head Coach Closing in on ECHL History
February 7, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Pensacola Ice Pilots News Release
PENSACOLA, FL - Ice Pilots Head Coach John Marks has had a remarkable coaching career. Marks whose playing career spanned ten seasons and coaching career which has included 23 seasons is embarking on history. With 477 career ECHL wins over 14 seasons, he sits just 3 wins away from tying coaching legend John Brophy for most coaching wins in ECHL history.
Marks began his coaching career in 1983 as an assistant at his alma mater, University of North Dakota. He later took his first head coaching job with the Kalamazoo Wings of the IHL. He spent four seasons in Kalamazoo, taking them to the playoffs in all four years, two of which included winning 50 or more games. He followed that up with two seasons with the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL before moving on to the ECHL.
In 1993, the Charlotte Checkers joined the league and Marks became the team's first head coach. He would stay in the Queen City for five seasons, winning the Riley Cup, the first of two ECHL Championships in just his third year at the helm. His Checkers' clubs advanced to the postseason all five years.
After leaving Charlotte, he moved south and became the head coach of the Greenville Grrrowl, whom he also helped start from scratch. He led the Grrrowl for eight seasons, winning the Kelly Cup, his second ECHL Championship, in the 2001-02 season.
Last year he won the third of his professional titles with the Fayetteville Fireantz of the SPHL. In his first year with the Ice Pilots, Marks is the career leader in games coached in the ECHL with 964. His 10 postseason appearances are the most among ECHL coaches. Marks is looking to add another record to his stellar resume in the near future.
Don't miss the hard hitting, exciting action, as the Ice Pilots' next home game is Friday, February 22 at 7:05 p.m. vs. Gwinnett at the Civic Center. It is College Night, as tickets are just $5 for students, faculty and family. Group Tickets and Military Packages are still available through the Ice Pilots office. For more information, or to reserve your seats, call (850) 432-PUCK, or visit the Ice Pilots web site at www.icepilots.com.
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