Sparre joins coaching staff
IceDogs add former OHL player as assistant coach
Kris Sparre can’t imagine a life without hockey.
The 29-year-old native of Mississauga has been playing for quarter of a century but came to the conclusion after last season he may need to look for something beyond his playing days to stay involved in the game, so he turned to coaching.
“I always wanted to stay in the game,” said Sparre, who joined the Niagara IceDogs as an assistant coach recently. “It’s something I have been doing since I was five years old, and to be able to jump into a role in a very highend league, with a first-class organization, is pretty amazing.”
Sparre has a long, impressive and varied background at the playing level.
Originally a member of the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Sparre enjoyed a successful three-year career in the Ontario Hockey League divided between the Barrie Colts and the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.
After graduating from junior hockey, Sparre spent two seasons in the East Coast Hockey League, playing a season each with the Columbia Inferno and Idaho Steelheads. At the beginning of the 2009-2010 season, Sparre signed with the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutschen Eishockey Liga (DEL), the highest professional league in Germany.
He spent seven years in the DEL playing for Iserlohn, ERC Ingolstadt, Eisbaren Berlin and Dusseldorfer EG, as well as with Lowen Frankfurt and Dresdner Eislowen of the DEL2, the second highest level in Germany.
But injuries began to take their toll on his body last season and Sparre thought the time might be right to retire.
“It’s been a bit of an adjustment not preparing myself physically for the season — I’m usually working out with a trainer — but it’s one of those things where I could have played another five years or so but this opportunity came up and I had a couple of injuries last year that were substantial,” Sparre said.
“I decided it wasn’t worth risking having more injuries to play a sport so I decided to hang them up.”
Sparre played with IceDogs assistant coach Billy Burke in Barrie and the two kept in contact over the years which led to an interview for the vacant position formally held by new coach Dave Bell.
Sparre has been in Niagara for the last week or so helping the IceDogs at their summer camp.
“I wouldn’t say it’s been tough, it’s just been different not having to go back to Europe which I have doing for the last eight years,” he said. “The first week tough because I hadn’t been on the ice all summer. I was getting married and was very busy.”
“We had the first skate out here and we were working with some younger kids and then the pros came on and that was me over the last 10 years of my life,” he said. “To see them all coming out was tough. You’re not in on the drills, you’re making the drills.”
“The first couple of days I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it, but I’m very grateful to be in the game.”
Sparre is well aware there will be a learning curve as he transitions from player to coach.
“I’m new. I think I have a lot of experience professionally and in the OHL as well so for me it’s about keeping my eyes and ears open early on,” he said. “It’s important to learn from guys like Billy and Dave who have been around for a long time. Just learning how to run practices and things about the game. Just because you were a player doesn’t necessarily mean you know everything about coaching. There is a lot I can learn from these guys.”
Sparre, who had his share of coaches he enjoyed playing for and others he didn’t see eye-to-eye with, believes it’s key to be able to reach the players to get the most out of them.
“The biggest thing now is empowering your players to make them want to play for you,” said Sparre, who lives in Burlington with his wife Stephanie. “It’s not the old school days where you scream and yell. You have to encourage and teach them. That will be something I can bring as well.”
The IceDogs open camp Tuesday, Aug. 30 and Sparre can’t wait to get going.
“I’m really, really excited,” he said. “I’m excited for the start of training camp and to be with our team and seeing things with our players I can help them with and get to know them and develop them.”
“They are so close to making that jump and you could be someone who helps make a difference.”
We had the first skate out here and we were working with some younger kids and then the pros came on and that was me over the last 10 years of my life. To see them all coming out was tough. You’re not in on the drills, you’re making the drills.”
Kris Sparre