The Penticton Vees hockey team is losing their assistant coach but gaining a new one.
The Penticton Vees Junior A Hockey Club announced Friday that assistant coach Jason Becker recently accepted a new position as head coach of the midget prep team at St. George’s School in Vancouver.
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“Jason has been a great asset to our program and myself these last three seasons,” said Vees head coach, general manager and president Fred Harbinson in a media release.
NEWS: Vees assistant coach Jason Becker (@jason_becker74) has accepted a new position at St. George's School in Vancouver and former Vees captain Patrick Sexton (@PSexton94) has been hired as an assistant coach.
— Penticton Vees (@PentictonVees) May 17, 2019
Details: https://t.co/IL9567ZBXr pic.twitter.com/Jt3w97zyTw
“Our mandate is to provide opportunities not only for our players but also for our staff to enhance their careers. This move gives Jason an opportunity to run his own program and we wish him the best of luck in doing so.”
The Saskatoon native spent three seasons on the Vees bench after being hired ahead of the 2016 to 2017 season and was mainly responsible for the Vees defence and penalty kill.
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Becker joined the Vees after two seasons at the Okanagan Hockey Academy and four years with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.
The Vees also announced the organization has hired former captain Patrick Sexton as an assistant coach in his place.
Sexton, from Ottawa, recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin where he attended after finishing his junior hockey career. Sexton played five seasons of junior hockey, three in Ontario and the final two in Penticton.
With the Vees, Sexton scored four goals and 17 assists in 103 career games from the blue line, according to the media release.
He was the captain of the 2014 to 2015 Vees championship team and is best known for his game-winning goal in game seven against the Vernon Vipers.
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“Patrick was the quintessential Vee when he wore our jersey and I’m confident he will bring that same attitude and passion to our coaching staff,” Harbinson said.
“I felt it was important at this time to bring an alum onto our staff, and an alum that understands what it takes on a day-to-day basis to win in our league. Paddy will be well respected by our players, as he accomplished what they set out to do in our program.”