The Adelaide Adrenaline are pleased to announce they have secured Mike Gainer as Head Coach for the 2010 Season. Born in Anchorage, Alaska USA, Mike comes from a strong hockey background as a player, referee and coach.
After arriving in Adelaide in 1997, Mike played an integral part in South Australia’s Goodall Cup winning team, and was also a member of the inaugural Adelaide Avalanche squad.
With twenty years of officiating experience, Mike was invited as a referee to attend a select U/25 officials camp held by USA Hockey in 1994. He finished in the top two of the class. In 2008 he was selected to officiate at the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Newcastle, AU.
Despite his success as a player and official over the past few years, Mike believe’s that coaching is his real talent. “I believe that my experience in these hockey roles, along with my experience in the Marine Corps, as a youth worker and now a firefighter has given me a broad base to become a good coach. This, along with the fact I was not that talented player made me focus on a lot of strategy, technique and hard work,” said Gainer.
One of Gainer’s strength in the past has been taking teams from their inception, or from the cellar to a championship. Back home he resurrected the Chilkoot Hockey Club to multiple City Championships. Here in Adelaide he took the Falcons A-Grade club from perennial wooden spoons to successive championships.
Despite this success however, Gainer knows he is stepping into unfamiliar waters in his role with the Adelaide Adrenaline. “This is the first time I have taken over as head coach of a team in such great shape. The Adrenaline are defending AIHL Champions, they are loaded with great talent (7 players have been invited to the 2010 National Team), and are in the process of signing some very high profile import recruits,” he said.
“The pressure is on me and there is no reason why we should not repeat, even though the competition is getting stronger and stronger. Newcastle is always up there and will be stewing over last years OT championship loss, and Melbourne is going to benefit from their new facilities at Docklands,” said Gainer.
With this in mind, the Adrenaline have wasted no time in kicking off their pre-season training in preperation for the 2010 season. The majority of the squad have already bagan their off-ice, with strength, agility and conditioning the major focus. All the players will meet February 6th for their official off-ice fitness testing. “There are a few exercises and techniques I picked up while serving in the Marine Corps. There is no reason why we will not be the fittest team in the league,” said Gainer.
The teams first on-ice session of the year is scheduled for January 31st.
