Midget AAA Lions name Gomez as new coach

The Lac St. Louis Lions did not have to look far for their new head coach. Gerry Gomez, who served as an assistant to Jon Goyens for the past five years, has been named the new head coach of the Lac St. Louis Lions of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League.

“I realize this position is probably the most sought-after midget coaching opportunities in the country. So I feel very, very fortunate and privileged,” said Gomez, who got the nod from Lions president/ general manager Raz Saltarelli and technical director Karel Svoboda.

Gomez said he was honoured but admitted he had “big shoes to fill” in replacing Goyens, who left the Lions after 10 seasons to accept the head coaching job with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

“I learned a ton working with Jon,” said the 43-year-old Gomez, who also brings an impressive resumé of coaching experience to the role. “We had a great working relationship. In five years together, we reached three playoff finals and one Telus Cup bronze (in 2016). And last year, what we did in the playoffs against Lévis ... the preparation work had Jon and I texting till all hours of the morning.

“Jon also had great relationships with his players; he cared tremendously about the players, about the person,” Gomez added. “I think that’s the No. 1 thing: Care about the kid, care about the person, and the hockey stuff will follow.”

Gomez grew up in Dollard-desOrmeaux and later suited up for the Concordia University Stingers and played some semi-pro hockey with the Laval Chiefs, but he’s been heavily involved in local minor hockey for the past decade. He coached in Deux-Rives and later served as head of player development for the Lac St. Louis region’s Structure intégrée Lions program.

“I’ve always been involved in minor hockey, and I consider midget AAA the last step in minor hockey,” he said.

Gomez, who is employed as an IT recruiter, said one of the biggest challenges of being a head coach is spending countless hours at the rink.

“The time commitment and preparation, physically being there at all times, for both practices and games, is a big part of the expectation,” said Gomez, who resides in Beaconsfield with his wife and two daughters, ages 11 and 7.

Gomez said high expectations also come with coaching the Lions, considered by many as one of the best midget AAA hockey outfits in Quebec and Canada.

“Everyone on your team has such huge aspirations,” he said.

jmeagher@postmedia.com