The Westside Warriors would like to announce the resignation of Head Coach/GM Darren Yopyk.
“Darren is leaving to pursue a career with an NHL team,” says Team President Mark Cheyne. “At this point he isn’t allowed to say exactly where he’s going, but I can assure you he deserves it and we wish him nothing but success. We understand as an organization that we’re building careers of not only our players, but our staff as well.”
Yopyk compiled an overall record of 71-38-3-8 with the Warriors over two years as Coach. Westside finished in 3rd place last year and 4ththis year in the always tough Interior Division.
The Warriors reached the second round of the playoffs each year with Yopyk and he finished with a 12-12 record.
"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved with the Westside Warriors organization,” says Yopyk. “I have truly enjoyed my two years as Head Coach/General Manager of the Warriors. I would specifically like to thank the Cheyne family for their support and dedication over the past two seasons. They truly are a special family to work for. The entire staff of the organization is wonderful, and we have considered them an important part of our extended family.”
Yopyk had thirteen (most in Canada) players on the roster this year committed to NCAA Division 1 Scholarships and says leaving the players is going to be tough.
“Leaving the players was extremely difficult, but I know they will all continue to progress both individually and as a team. I know each and every one of them will work their hardest as the Warriors continue to ascend to the upper echelon of the BCHL."
Yopyk added he hopes to release his new position as soon as possible.
The Westside Warriors would like to thank Darren Yopyk for all of his contributions and wish him all the best at his new endeavor.
The Warriors have a new Head Coach/GM in place and will make an announcement later this week.
Darren Yopyk Bio:
Darren was born and raised in St. Paul, Alberta, where he played in the AJHL before receiving a scholarship to the prestigious Princeton University.
While at Princeton, Yopyk was a starter for the four years he played for the university. By the time he was a senior, he was made captain of the team, was a First Team All-Ivy League performer and was a four-year member of both the ECAC and Ivy League All-Academic Teams. He helped lead Princeton to its first ECAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998.
As a senior, he earned the Blackwell Trophy as the team’s MVP and the 1941 Championship Trophy, which is awarded annually to the varsity player who best reflected the winning spirit of the 1941 championship team.
Once he left Princeton, Yopyk served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for two seasons, from 2000-2002. During his tenure with the Minutemen, Yopyk assisted with on-campus recruiting and co-ordinated the digital video analysis. While he was at UMass Amherst, Yopyk earned a Master’s Degree in Psychology and received his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis on student-athlete academic performance in May 2006.
Darren spent the past four years on the coaching staff at Merrimack College. He was promoted to associate head coach before the 2008-09 season, where he worked primarily with the defenseman and penalty killing unit and served as the schools' top recruiter in the northwest and Canada. He also ran the team hockey mentorship program, served as an academic advisor for the Warrior’s hockey players, and coordinated and broke down game video.
Currently there are several players from the AJHL and BCHL attending Merrimack with 2 players taken in the 2009 NHL entry draft. Darren has established great contacts in Western Canada and is a recruiter who can sell a program to young players and their families. Darren is regarded as a tireless and dedicated worker who is focused on teaching, hard work, commitment and effort.
