Former Screaming Eagle to coach N.L. team at 2023 Canada Games
CLARKE'S BEACH, N.L. — Since Matthew French left his hockey-playing days behind, he's been focused on getting better behind the bench.
The 38-year-old from Clarke's Beach has been coaching in his home region for the last several years.
During that time, French, a former Cape Breton Screaming Eagle player, has thrown himself into the craft. He's developed personal strategies, coaching models and reconnected with past coaches who have become mentors.
It all led to him developing his style and becoming better at relating and developing players. He hopes to inspire them to be the best they can.
“I've grown as a coach in the game,” said French. “The whole experience now is preparing players … it's about playing at the next level.”
Recently, French learned that his growth as a coach will continue at one of the highest levels of amateur hockey.
On April 22, Hockey NL announced its high-performance program coaching staff for both its male and female provincial teams.
French was named an assistant coach with the under15 male team and will join a staff which includes head coach Mark Lee and fellow assistant Adam Drover. Corner Brook's Brandon Crewe will be the team's trainer, while Mike O'Brien is the team's goaltending coach and David Campbell is the director of operations.
“I was pretty pumped to be named a coach,” said French.
French isn't the only Conception Bay North coach who found their name assigned to a team.
New Harbour native Jennifer Pollett was named the head coach of the under-16 female team and Harbour Grace native Kelsey Shute is that team's goaltender coach.
Having a spot on the under15 male and the under-18 female teams comes with a bonus. Each of those programs is tabbed for the 2023 Canada Winter Games scheduled for Prince Edward Island.
That means they are twoyear postings, as is customary for a Canada Games cycle.
"I am definitely looking forward to the experience,” Brandon Crewe said of the coaching lineup.
That represents a reunion of sorts for French. It will be his second time attending the Winter Games, albeit the first time was in a different capacity.
When he was in Grade 10, he was a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador hockey team that competed at the 1999 Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook.
“It is good to be a part of the Games after playing in them before,” said French.
Over the next couple of years, he expects to regularly be asked about his Canada Games experience and how it was leading up to the competition.
French remembers it being a busy year between travel for the Canada Games team, his high school team, AAA hockey and regular minor hockey.
At the Canada Games he competed against future pros like Scott Hartnell, Pascal Leclaire and Jay Bouwmeester.
For him, it was a great thing.
“My experience as a player was a positive one,” said French.
Hearing those stories and sharing those experiences has Crewe looking forward to going through the process with French.
“It's going to be pretty neat to have someone on staff who played in the Games,” said Crewe.
While sharing those stories of who he played with and against and about the athlete's village will be an enjoyable part of the next two years for French, it won't be the only thing on which he will focus.
Player development and ensuring players have the best experience they can is also at the top of French's list for the Canada Games.
He wants guys to be hitting their stride and playing their best by the time they hit the ice for the first game.
There will be plenty of onice, off-ice and virtual sessions over the next couple of years that will be designed to help players develop and get better.
“Our job is to prepare the players as best we can,” said French.
Crewe has a similar philosophy when it comes to helping his players before and during the Canada Games. For some of the athletes, this will be the highest level of hockey they play, and it'll be important to make sure they enjoy it to the fullest.
“I want to make sure it's a good experience for them,” said Crewe.
For French, being named to the Canada Games staff means two phases of his career spent in hockey are connecting to that competition.
He's moved from playing to coaching and so far, they've both led to the Canada Games.
“You just have to have a passion for the game,” said French.