WARRIORS NAME LIAM BLACKBURN ASSOCIATE COACH
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The West Kelowna Warriors are proud to announce the hiring of Liam Blackburn as an Associate Coach, joining Head Coach Simon Ferguson and Assistant Coach Wyatt Head behind the bench. Blackburn will also continue in his role as the team’s Director of Scouting. A former Warrior, Blackburn was a key part of the 2016 National Championship team and returns to the club after a successful year as Head Coach of the Okanagan Warriors U18 team and as the Warriors’ Director of Scouting. Head Coach and GM Simon Ferguson shared: |
“Having Liam move up from the JPHL to the BCHL is a natural step for him, and we are excited to bring his energy and knowledge to the Warriors. Liam was an offensive player and will bring new and fresh ideas to help develop our players. Fans will be excited to have another former Warrior joining our staff. Wyatt Head and Liam know what it takes to be successful in the BCHL and college hockey and both are huge assets to our organization.”
Warrior fans will remember Blackburn as a standout member of the team for three seasons. In his final year, he recorded 74 points in 54 games, helping the Warriors capture the National Championship. Blackburn ranks second all-time in franchise scoring with 190 points in 160 games.
Following his Warriors career, Blackburn played four seasons at the University of New Hampshire (NCAA) and four seasons of professional hockey in Europe and North America. He retired from playing in 2024 before joining the Warriors’ staff and the Okanagan Hockey Club.
On his new role, Blackburn commented:
“It is an honour to return to West Kelowna as a coach. This city holds a special place in my heart, and I deeply appreciate the strong community and enthusiastic fan support. I am eager to contribute to the development of our players, both as athletes and as individuals. I look forward to collaborating closely with Simon and Wyatt this year, with the goal of helping this team secure another championship.”
The Warriors will open training camp on August 29th, with the home opener set for September 19th at Royal LePage Place.
