‘I’LL BRING THE GOOD TIMES BACK’

SCOTT SPEARING is confident he can bring the good times back to Bracknell Bees.

Spearing, 31, says he was “over the moon” to be appointed as new head coach of the Bees last month after the club opted to part ways with Lukas Smital.

And it has been a busy few weeks for the forward, who will continue to play as well as coach, as he looks to assemble a brand new squad to tackle the new National League

(NIHL) challenge.

“It’s surprising how busy it’s been, but it’s good fun,” Spearing told The Wokingham Paper.

“I was never expecting to get the call to take over. Maybe in the future, a long way away, it would have been a great option for me.

“But when the owners approached me, I was over the moon.

“Lukas is a friend of mine and it was a difficult one for them to let Lukas go, but the club wants to move in a different direction.

“It was an opportunity for me that I couldn’t really say no to.

“I grew up playing hockey in Bracknell and to take on that role of being the Bees coach is a bit daunting at the beginning but something I’m enjoying getting my teeth into.”

While it was somewhat of a dream move for Spearing, he says it would not have been possible without Bees legend Smital.

The pair first linked up when Spearing joined Bees aged 17 and they formed a close friendship.

“Lukas has helped me and guided me through my career,” said Spearing.

“I wouldn’t be the player I am without him and I really respect the guy for what he’s done and I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking this job on unless he was happy with the situation.

“I was helping out Lukas at the end of last year because I was injured and Lukas was allowing me to run the bench and he was interested in using me as an assistant coach in the future.

“It was great experience and I’m really grateful for the fact that Lukas gave me that chance last year to do that.

“I coach the juniors as well which is obviously a completely different level, but if the knowledge is there to play then the knowledge is there to coach.”

Spearing has made some stand-out signings already with a mixture of foreign talent, youth and experience ahead of the NIHL Division 1 South campaign.

Among the signings are former Bees favourites Frantisek Bakrlik and Jan Bendik, youngster Jared Lane and forward Steve Osman, who spent last season playing in this division with Invicta Dynamos.

Given this is a new challenge for Bracknell, moving along with a host of other sides from the Elite League (EPL) to the NIHL, Spearing is keen to build a balanced squad.

“If you’re able to build a team with a range of skills and places where players have played from, especially with the new league, it’s great to have guys coming in from the NIHL,” he said.

“Guys who can play well in these new rinks you’re going to be travelling to that nobody really knows.

“It’s nice to know that you’ve got guys with ability who can play everywhere and a mixture of the two different leagues coming together to bring out a hybrid style of hockey that will bring the best of both leagues.”

He added: “I don’t think it is a step down to the NIHL.

“I think it’s a step from the NIHL up to the EPL more than anything to be honest.

“I think the way the league was going in the EPL, it was not the EPL anymore. “It was being overstretched which put us in the situation we are in now with all the clubs dropping down to the NIHL, which is just a name at the end of the day.

“It’s still the second league of British ice hockey, it’s still got the same players in and the top players that were capable of playing in the EPL in my opinion are staying in all the good teams in the NIHL 1. “I think it’s going to be hard to tell the difference.”

Something Spearing is hoping there will be a difference in, is results on the ice.

Bees have struggled near the foot of the EPL for a number of years and he says he wants to start packing out The Hive by delivering a winning side again.

“If I can’t compete with the top teams in the league then

I’m failing to do my job in my opinion,” said Spearing.

“I’ve got big hopes for the team and I try to signify that with signings like Frankie (Bakrlik), Jan, Osman, Josh Martin and Thommo (Shaun Thompson).

“I want to bring back the success for the loyal fans that have been there and also bring back those other fans, who have dwindled away gradually because they feel like the team isn’t succeeding like it should be.

“We want to get the rink back to being a busy place like it used to be, to bring that atmosphere back.”