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Former Riders coach reflects

Mohr looking for new opportunities after contract ends
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Craig Mohr isn’t ready to hang up his whistle yet.

The former Fernie Ghostriders head coach and general manager is looking for new opportunities after learning his contract with the organization would not be renewed following the 2017/18 season.

Soon after the Riders were eliminated in the first round of playoffs on February 27, the board of directors announced it had decided to proceed in a different direction with the Junior B hockey team.

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Mohr had been involved with the club on and off for about a decade before moving to Fernie and taking over the team in 2014.

He harbours no “ill-will” towards the board over its decision.

“It’s disappointing,” he said.

“I’d like to stay, I’d like to continue on with the program but it’s not going to happen, so I don’t have any grudges or ill-will towards anyone.

“The board of directors have a job to do and they’re feeling that a new voice and such is probably the best way for that program to go, so hey, it’s the game I’m in.”

It hasn’t been an easy season for Mohr, who lost two friends as well as his rink when an ammonia leak at the Fernie Memorial Arena in October resulted in the death of three people and caused the facility to close.

He considers it his most difficult year as the Ghostriders coach.

“Not just the personal loss but all of a sudden your home gets ripped away and I don’t know how much people understand what a dressing room means to players, it is their home,” he said.

“They probably spend more time in the dressing room than they spend anywhere else.

“We went from being probably one of the hardest rinks in the league to win with our fan base… to travelling every day.

“That was really challenging, the grind of it, helping the players deal with change.”

Despite the difficulties the arena closure presented, Mohr believes it taught both him and his players an important life lesson – how to deal with change.

He is proud of how the club responded to the challenge.

“We can hold our heads up high,” he said.

“At the end of the day, our guys played hard, they didn’t quit… they all embraced it and said ‘well, I’m here, I’m a Ghostrider, let’s forge ahead’.”

Mohr is a strong believer in mentorship and the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s mandate of player development.

He leaves the job knowing he has played a role in preparing Riders players for the next step, whether that’s in hockey, further education or full-time employment.

“A lot of people can judge success by wins and losses or this and that,” he said.

“I think a lot of it for me was we’re helping them to become better people, better citizens and I think if anything, that’s our biggest achievement for sure.”

Mohr, 46, hopes to continue coaching hockey as he has done since he was 21.

He will look back on his time with the Riders fondly.

“It’s always disappointing when you get let go but by the same token I’m very thankful, thankful for the opportunity that everyone gave me,” he said.

“I got to work with some unbelievable people, my staff, the coaches, the medical staff, just truly amazing people and in the four years, probably 100-150 players just on the team alone.

“Just great young men, they were lots of fun, worked hard, had a sense of caring.

“Here it’s 100 per cent community… and I think that’s part of an awesome learning experience and something I’ll miss right now, but that doesn’t mean my coaching career is going to end.

“I’m still going to continue to look and stay, I’m not ready to hang the whistle up yet.”