Alexandria Tabs Jeff Crouse As Assistant Coach

The Alexandria Blizzard have announced that native son, Jeff Crouse, will be returning to his hometown to serve as an Assistant Coach to Head Coach, Doc DelCastillo for the 2009-2010 season. Crouse returns to the city where he began his coaching career as an assistant with the Minnesota Blizzard from 2003-2005.

Crouse joins the Blizzard after serving as Head Coach for the North Iowa Outlaws last season, and leading them to a 38-18-5 mark, which was good enough for second place in the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Central Division.

“I am very excited to be back in ‘Alex’ again, where I first began my Junior coaching career,” said Crouse. “With all the experience that Doc has in hockey, and my knowledge of the League and the Central Division, I think that we have a very good opportunity in front of us to do something special. I am truly looking forward to working with Doc and the whole Blizzard organization on our quest to win a championship.”

Prior to his head coaching stint, Crouse spent three years as an assistant from 2005-2008 with the NAHL’s Santa Fe Roadrunners and the North Iowa Outlaws. No stranger to playing junior hockey, Crouse played for three teams – North Iowa, Bismarck and Great Falls – before embarking on a Division III college hockey career with the University of Wisconsin River Falls and Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“The Blizzard organization is proud to welcome Jeff back into our community,” said DelCastillo. “We feel that with his experience and enthusiasm for hockey, this will be a great fit for both Jeff, and the Blizzard.”

Blizzard president, Chris Canavati added, “Providing opportunities for local players and coaches to advance their career is a primary objective of this organization. It will be exciting and fun to have Jeff Crouse back with the Blizzard.”