Knoxville Ice Bears

15 Questions (Minus 3) with Coach Craigen

date: 10/11/2011

With Camp under way we had time to get a few questions in with Coach Mike Craigen in the second installment in our 15 questions series the season.

1.       What did you do during off-season this year?

MC:  Most of my time this summer was monopolized by recruiting players and trying to find the right kind of guys to help improve this team. However, I got to be involved with some corporate sales and game promotion aspects as well… so it was nice to see the entire operation.

2.       Last season was your first as a head coach for the Ice Bears. How would you describe the experience?

MC:  Enlightening. I’ve never learned so much in a single year as I did last season.

3.       You had been away from the team for 2 years before you came back as a coach. Do you feel that things have changed since you were a player for the Ice Bears?

MC:  To be honest, I don’t think so. I believe I’m still the same guy I was when I left the Ice Bears. If anything, I gained a deeper appreciation for the game of hockey after being away from the game.

4.       Do you miss playing for the team now that you are a coach and no longer a player?

MC:  I have my moments, yeah. Sometimes I wish I could jump out there and try to help out and I still feel the rush and the adrenaline a lot standing behind the bench. But I also think I’ve learned to better embrace my job as the head coach and I’ve put a lot more into the responsibility of preparing our team.

5.       What was your most memorable game from last season?

MC:  Game 1 of the playoffs in Mississippi was probably the most memorable. I was so proud of the guys and how they went into a pretty hostile environment and stole 2 points/home ice advantage.

6.       What kind of a coach would you consider yourself? Strict, lenient, or a perfect balance between the two?

MC:  Absolutely perfect.

7.       Who would you say is the most serious player on the team? Who is the joker?

MC:  We don’t have a lot of really serious guys. I try to surround myself with outgoing yet focused players who can gel together. If I had to pick one, it’d be Bryan Hince. He’s intense… almost always.

As far as jokers go….. we have a lot. David Segal usually leads the way in the practical jokes and pranks category along with Brett Valliquette while Emery Olauson’s dry sense of humor is hysterical on a day to day basis.

8.       Which Ice Bears theme night (wiener dog races, baby derby, race night, etc.) is your favorite?

MC:  I actually really enjoy the Youth Hockey between periods. I know it’s not a theme night and I love the Wiener dog races, but seeing the young kids play during intermission is my favorite.

9.       If you hadn’t been involved in hockey, where do you think you would be now, doing what?

MC:  I think I’d probably involved with sports somewhere, in some capacity. I went to school with the intention of being a sports journalist or broadcaster, so that is likely the area I’d be if all went according to plan.

10.   Do you have a favorite NHL team? A Favorite player?

MC:  Toronto Maple Leafs….. they have been and will be my favorite team until the end.

Wendel Clark is my all time favorite player. He could score, he could hit, he could fight and he was a great leader.

11.   The 10^th year anniversary of the Ice Bears is special for the team and the fans. What does it mean to you to be the coach for this season?

MC:  It is very special. Being in the area we are and dealing with the demographic of people that we rely on to buy our tickets and grow our brand, it’s something very special to be celebrating 10 years. I’m very proud to have been a part of this as a player and now as a coach and I think this anniversary is something that our entire organization, fans and city should really get behind to celebrate.

12.   What are your goals for the team this season? What can we expect?

MC:  It’s hard not to give a typical answer to this question…… everyone says their team will work hard every night. Everyone says their team will never give up. But I want a team that plays with passion and intensity…. That’s what I want.

 

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