Spitfires bringing back goalie coach Wilson
The Windsor Spitfires and goaltender coach Perry Wilson have agreed to a new one-year deal for the 2018-19 season.
“Last year was awesome and I love it being around a staff that was so professional,” said the 58-yearold Wilson, who replaced Jim Bedard last season. “It was a good chance to get my feet wet in the hockey world.”
Under Wilson, Spitfires goalie Mikey DiPietro became the first goalie in franchise history to be named Ontario Hockey League goaltender of the year.
As well, Wilson, who is a Windsor native, was named to Hockey Canada’s coaching staff for this year’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November.
“It’s great to have Perry back in the fold,” GM Warren Rychel said. “He and Mikey worked very well together last season. Perry fits nicely into our coaching staff and he’s always innovating new ways to get the most out of our goalies.” This will be a big season for the Spitfires with DiPietro heading into his final junior season and the Spitfires having added Finnish goalie Kari Piiroinen while also working in third-round pick Xavier Medina.
“It’s a big year for Mikey and a chance for the team to take another step,” Wilson said. “I’m super excited and can’t wait to get going. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
EXPRESS ADD TWO
The Windsor Express has added a pair of players for the upcoming NBL of Canada season.
A day after bringing guard Ryan Anderson back into the fold, the club inked American centre Luke Cochran on Wednesday for the 2018-19 season.
A California native, the sixfoot-10, 235-pound Cochran had been playing for the Nevada Desert Dogs in the North American Premier Basketball League.
The six-foot-four Anderson played with the Express from 2014-16 before spending the last two seasons with the London Lightning, for whom he averaged 15.6 points per game and shot nearly 90 per cent from the free throw line.
“We are glad to have him back,” Express head coach and vice-president of basketball operations Bill Jones said. “Ryan is one of the best three-point shooters that has ever played in our league.
“He’s a leader and a competitor and we’re glad to have him on our team as we compete for a championship.”
ONTARIO SUMMER GAMES
There will be 31 athletes with local ties in London to take part in the 2018 Ontario Summer Games, which will run Thursday through Monday.
The event will draw 2,500 athletes, who range in age from 12 to 18, to compete in 21 sports. Locally, David Garrett will compete in archery, Bob Mero, Erika Hnidei and Barbara Mero in track and field, Ethan Pavao, Nicholas Zinyk and Xander Fralick in baseball, Yashar Greaves Saadat, Quinn Carey, Aiden Bishop, Eloi Ninganza and Nick Hardcastle in basketball and Zadie Ziebarth, Anna Scarfe and Samantha Clements in beach volleyball.
As well, Ioana Marinescu, Grace Pattinson, Andreea Marinescu, Maisy Woloszyn, Brooke Megdall, Aunnika Brown, Nylah Miller, Andrienna Demonte, Grace DiCarlo, Dmitri Tremblay and Derek Demonte are entered in diving, Paul Meloche, Shannon Coffey and Hannah Meloche in golf, Emma Clements in indoor volleyball and Benjamin Wolf in road cycling.