BREAKING NEWS: Avalanche name former Houston High mentor as head coach and general manager

March 29, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - The Alaska Avalanche have found their man, a guy who has been right there all along.

On Thursday, the Wasilla-based Junior A hockey organization announced the hire of former Houston High School mentor Jamie Smith as its head coach and general manager.

&#8220We felt Jamie was the right guy for the job,” said Keith Morris, who has manned the position on an interim basis since November. &#8220Jamie fits everything the organization was looking for.”

The Avalanche ownership also announced that Morris, who has also been the team's general manager has been promoted to Alaska's director of hockey operations.

&#8220I think this is great for me, great for everyone involved,” Morris said.

Morris was hired by the team's majority owner, Mark Lee, in early November to be the general manager of the organization. But two weeks later Morris inherited the job coach after the abrupt resignation of former head coach Dean Larson and his assistant, Corey Millen. Since, Morris has been juggling both jobs as the organization did strive to find some consistency in its front office.

And consistency is something Morris knows Smith will bring.

&#8220The one thing that has been constant from day one is Jamie Smith,” Morris said, referring to Smith's long ties with the Mat-Su hockey community and the evolution of the junior franchise in the Valley. &#8220He has experience dealing with junior hockey out here, and hockey in general in the Mat-Su Valley for the last 18 years.”

Smith is already deeply rooted local junior hockey organization, dating back to the efforts to bring that level of hockey to the Mat-Su Valley. In addition to helping bring a franchise to the Valley, Smith was named the organization's first marketing director, and along with the business off the ice, he has helped coached the team on the ice.

All of that, combined with the fact Smith's family is also rooted in the Mat-Su Valley, will provide a smooth transition for the organization, Morris said.

&#8220I'm excited. It's something that definitely has me pretty fired up,” said Smith, who served as the head coach of the Houston High School varsity hockey program for 15 years before stepping down in 2006.

Time spent away from family was a deciding factor in his decision to take a step away from coaching at the high school level. But his new position with the Avalanche, Smith said, will provide the ability to balance his family life and commitments to the Avs organization. Smith said he'll be able to see his kids off to school before making the trip to the rink every day. And with the addition of a third Alaska team - the Kenai Peninsula Brown Bears - to the North American Hockey League, Smith and the Avalanche will not have to travel as much.

After stepping down as the head coach of the HHS hockey squad, Smith became more involved with the Avalanche organization. In the back of his mind, Smith had the idea of becoming the team's head coach some time in the future.

&#8220I thought maybe down the road, move into something like that,” Smith said. &#8220But I didn't anticipate it so quickly.”

Smith helped found the Houston hockey program 16 years ago, and in his tenure he led the Hawks to five small-schools state championships in six years. He also helped run the Big Lake Amateur Hockey Association youth programs.

Smith said he had long thought about taking the leap to the next level of coaching, but thought it would be in the college ranks because that tied in with being an educator.

Currently Smith works full time as the activities director at Houston High. Smith said he has agreed to take a sabbatical for a year, with an option for a second year.

This will be Smith's first opportunity to coach at a level higher than the youth or prep ranks. While some may question bringing in a rookie head coach to lead an evolving organization, Morris does not agree with that argument.

&#8220When you get to this level, the X's and O's are the same,” Morris said. &#8220It's how you manage a team, it's how you build a foundation.”

As head coach, Smith's responsibilities include leading the team on the ice and managing the team's coaching staff.

Smith said Houston High School assistant coach Jake Williams and former Wasilla High School head coach Eric Troisi will help the team as coaches, and with the development of a youth association that will be partnered with the franchise.

As the director of hockey operations, Morris' primary responsibilities will center around recruiting, and helping current Avalanche talent find opportunities at the college level.

&#8220That's a key piece for us,” Smith said. &#8220moving kids onto college, it puts a little validity in what we're trying to do.”

The Avalanche are currently competing in their final series of the year. Alaska concludes it's three game series, and it's season, tonight at Saturday at the Menard Memorial Arena. The first puck drops at 7:30 p.m. each night.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.