Nanaimo Fills in Coaching Staff

After being named head coach for the 2010 season, Dave Bremner has added two key assistant coaches to help the Timbermen climb the ranks in the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League.

Nirmal Dillon comes out of coaching retirement to help run the offense for the T-Men, a position where his experience will speak for itself. Just to name a few accomplishments, Dillon won a Minto Cup as a player with the Junior Shamrocks in 1962, is a member of the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame due to his impressive numbers playing for the Senior A Shamrocks, and was named WLA Coach of the Year in 1976, 1995, 1996, and 1998. "He's a great teacher," says Bremner, who won a Minto Cup himself while playing under Dillon in Victoria, "his knowledge and extensive experience will be invaluable to our guys."

Joining Bremner and Dillon is Nanaimo native Kyle Couling, who retired from the Calgary Roughnecks of the NLL after winning the Champion's Cup in 2009. Although this is Couling's first crack at a coaching gig, Bremner is confident his experience will guide him through the ropes. "He (Couling) will be in charge of the defensive roles for our team," says Bremner, "everyone, especially the kids are excited to have him behind our bench this year." Couling is a nine year veteran of the NLL and is also a member of the Senior A Timbermen.

The Timbermen will test their new additions both on the floor and behind the bench in pre-season action April 17th when they take on the Senior B Timbermen at 7pm at the Nanaimo Ice Centre; followed by a classic Island rivalry with the Shamrocks as both teams take their game on the road, playing Sunday April 18th at 3pm at the Strathcona Gardens Arena in Campbell River.