While the team is off to its best start ever, that did not stop the Langley Junior Thunder lacrosse squad from making a coaching change.
Prior to their 9-5 victory over the New Westminster Junior Salmonbellies on June 7 at the Langley Events Centre, head coach Dave Wilfong was replaced with Jake Elliott.
"It was apparent that the coaching staff and our management was not on the same page in terms of player personnel," said Thunder president and governor Joe Willmott.
"There was nothing wrong with what they were doing as a coaching staff. It was philosophy and friction and the general manager decided it was time to make a change."
Wilfong was in his first year as the Jr. Thunder coach and the team was off to a 5-5 start in the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League. The team has started the season 0-4 before bouncing back to win six — including Thursday's game — of their next seven games.
Two of his Wilfong's assistant coaches, Rob Dalzell and Troy Margetson, also stepped down.
Dan Lewis remained on as an assistant and will be joined by Peter Tellis.
Elliott has seven years coaching experience at the junior and intermediate levels in western Canada.
He also works as the play-by-play voice of the National Lacrosse League's Minnesota Swarm and as the team's director of western scouting.
Following this past season, he was named the winner of the Tom Borrelli Award as the NLL media person of the year.
He takes over a Thunder squad which returned largely the same group as the one in 2011 which qualified for the post-season for the first time in six years.
The victory over the ’Bellies marked the return of 2011 MVP Reegan Comeault, who just completed his freshman season at Ohio State. Comeault had three goals and three assists in the 9-5 victory.