Contributed by Mark Yaxley.
The Golden Rockets have parted ways with Head Coach and General Manager Chuck Wight, who spent the better part of the past four seasons with the team. Jared Houseman, who served as Wight’s assistant last season, has been promoted to the team’s interim Head Coach.
Houseman is joined by two new assistant coaches, Ralph Stadler and Cole Pearn. Stalder played sixteen seasons in the Swiss National League, before retiring from professional hockey and relocating to Golden. Pearn brings significant sports performance experience with him from his time as a crew chief for a championship NASCAR team. Trainer and equipment manager Cruz Chiappa remains with the team, rounding out the Rockets’ young and dynamic staff.
For his part, Houseman has completed both his Development 1 and High Performance 1 coaching certifications. He attended the NHL Global Coaches Clinic this past summer in Nashville where he got the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds in the game. He had this to say about the changes to the Rockets coaching staff,
“I’d like to thank Chuck Wight for what he did for the organization over the last few years. I feel ready to guide this ship where it needs to go, changing the culture and giving more structure to the team so that we have everything we need to win hockey games. I feel great confidence in our new coaching staff with Ralph’s extensive professional hockey experience and Cole is a hockey guy thru in thru but provides much more than that. He is a proven winner, and he knows what it takes to win championships. It’s been a great dynamic so far. I’m sure the athletes would attest.”
Photo: Left to right
Assistant Cole Pearn, Head Coach Jared Houseman, Trainer Cruz Chiappa and Assistant Ralph Stalder
