Having the opportunity to coach the CRF Bison AAA midget team was something Dan Gendur couldn't resist.

The former coach of the Cochrane Generals is now heading the coaching staff of the Bisons, who recently relocated to Airdrie, and he and associate coach Dustin Taylor are currently gearing up for the challenge lying ahead.

"The Bisons have a storied past and they've been one of the top midget programs for many years, not only in Alberta but in Canada," says Gendur. "It was a very long process but it's very excited to be part of the organization and help move it forward."

The move to Airdrie means the focus is now on getting established and talking it up in the hockey community.

"Dustin and I will be heading out promoting it a little bit throughout our zone and then we'll go from there."

Meanwhile, others are working behind the scenes, including general manager Dale Peters, and some vital relationships have already been established. All players will be enrolled with the Global Sports Academy Group and attend George McDougall High School. 

"There are tons of people working behind the teams and getting things established and our partnership with Global Sports Academy is going to be a great asset to our organization. With all the different aspects of development that the kids will have at their fingertips, it's going to be a great season."

The Bisons' rookie camp opens on the Labour Day weekend prior to the main camp. They will carry a few extra players in September until the AMHL regular season opens. The team will also be bringing onboard one or two more coaches.

Gendur was an assistant for two years before becoming the Gens head coach last season. The last three years have seen the Gens rebound as a contender in the league and last year they won the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) regular season title and the South division in the playoffs before losing in the finals against the Red Deer Vipers.They went on to win the silver medal in the junior 'B' provincials.

Gendur says he's proud to have been part of that winning culture for the Gens but it still smarts to have never won the HJHL championship.

"Sometimes its difficult to talk about, but I think we can look back on it as a complete success for three seasons," says Gendur. "The culture that we built there is going to move forward for years to come."

He does take with him the friendships with the Gens staff and players built over the years.

"There were guys that started with me when they were 17-18 years old and now they're moving on from the Gens into the rest of their lives. I've been trying to help players establish themselves not as players but as working people who will continue to better our community."

In his hockey career, Gendur played in the WHL for five seasons for the Prince George Cougars and the Everett Silvertips where he was their leading point scorer and team MVP in 2007-2008. He also played in the ECHL, AHL, CHL and in the NHL as an entry level draft pick for the Vancouver Canucks in 2007. Additional coaching experience includes working with the Island Center of Excellence/Compton Sports Training, NSD and Spartan Hockey Development.