The migration of management from the Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs to the Senior team continued on Thursday.

Pat Coyle, the former bench boss of the junior team, is the new coach of the Western Lacrosse Association’s Adanacs.

Coyle stepped down as the Jr. Adanacs coach on Sept. 18, citing a desire “to focus on his other commitments.” Those include being the coach and general manager of the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth. He was also an assistant coach for Team Canada that won the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship last Saturday in Langley.

Since Coyle joined the Jr. Adanacs in 2015, his team lost only eight times in 84 games. He guided the team to five appearances in the Minto Cup, two of which ended with national championships.

Coyle's coaching duties followed an illustrious playing career during which he captained the Adanacs to their only Mann Cup senior national championship, in 2001. He also played for five championship teams in the NLL. 

In 2014 Coyle was inducted into that league’s hall of fame and in 2017 his name was added to the Adanacs’ Ring of Honour.

Coyle’s history of success as a player and coach fuelled his hiring to his latest position, said a statement posted by the Adanacs to their Instagram page.

“We really feel Pat will help the club turn the corner and return to the days of a winning franchise.”

Coyle succeeds Steve McKinlay, who took on the job last June after Bob Bell abruptly stepped down along with his assistants, Shaun Springett and Al Truant. 

Shortly after Bell’s departure the Adanacs also added Scott Wortley as the team’s new general manager, a position he also holds with the junior team.

“The senior Adanacs are recognizing the strengths and assets to create a more collaborative lacrosse family in Coquitlam,” Adanacs president Yvan Lomas told The Tri-City News at the time.

The Adanacs won just three games last season, continuing a run of futility that has seen the team fail to make the playoffs every year since 2013.