The Cochrane Generals waited for the announcement of Dan Gendur as head coach of the AAA Midget CFR Bisons to announce major changes of their own are in the works for the 2017-18 season.

General Manager Jacqueline Hurlbert is leaving the club after five years with the organization in what was largely something in the cards since the beginning of last season. The organization is also looking for at least four and ideally five new board members with a key interest in bringing more business leaders on board.

Those interested in applying for the head coach and general manager jobs will be able to find information on the team's website and Hurlbert says they expect to fill the positions quickly because of the interest regularly expressed in becoming part of the successful junior B organization.

"We are a successful organization on and off the ice and we don't really have to worry about going to look for people. People are reaching out to us and want to be involved," says Hurlbert. "Dan moving on in his role just showcases that we are developing players and developing the organization and it's a great stepping stone for developing coaching staff as well."

Inquiries had already been received for a coaching position even before Gendur signed on with the Bison.

"We received interest even before Dan got his position. As soon as the (2016-17) season ended we were receiving emails and calls from coaches who were wondering if the coaching staff was staying the same and what availability the organization had."

Hurlbert stayed on a year after joining the Canmore Eagles junior 'A' organization last season to help ease the transition already taking place in the coaching staff when Evan McFeeters left to join the Eagles coaching staff. And while it was tough wearing both hats, she still enjoyed being part of the Gens organization.

"It has been an amazing five years for me with the team," says Hurlbert. "I've seen the team not make the playoffs and I've seen the team go to provincials. It's definitely hard. I thought I was going to be done last year and when I was asked to stay on that kind of nostalgia 'oh let's do it one last time' kind of thing happened.

While leaving the team is hard she's confident it is positioned to have continued success.

"I didn't want to leave the team in the position where they would be anything less than what they achieved last season and now this year they're in a good place. I'm not leaving the team with any unfinished business and anything but the best people that can take them forward.

"I'm looking forward to where they go from here because I think whoever steps into the role will do a really good job with the organization. It's not a year where we expect our compete level to be any less than last year, so they have a great base to come into and run with."

Those interested in serving in the board can email cochranegenerals@gmail.com.

"We have a lot of board members who have been grinding away and helping us out a lot the last couple of years. We actually are heading towards business owners in Cochrane who want to get involved. What we're seeing with the development of our junior B program is more and more involvement with the community and we'd like to have the likeminded individuals who are involved is business having a say and be a part in it."

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Gendur Leaves Generals