Published July 21, 2014 | By Trenton Trib

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

Excitement was at an all-time high in Trenton after the hockey team captured its 14th title in the program’s history this season. It was a somewhat unexpected run given the team’s youth, but all that mattered was that Trenton was back on top.

Some of that excitement was dulled just a bit after legendary head coach Mike Turner decided to retire following his 28th season at the helm. His departure left big shoes to fill and it added more to the plate of the administration, which already had to choose a new athletic director. 

Following their selection of James Trush as athletic director, they went to work in finding Turner’s replacement. It turns out that they didn’t have to look too far, as they decided to go with assistant coach and Trenton native Chad Clements.   

 To say that Clements is familiar with the program is an understatement, as he played under Turner from 1995 through 1997, and has coached under him for the last 11 seasons. 

Things have really come full circle for Clements, who made the MHSCHA Dream Team in 1997 with the Trojans. While he has been coaching for years, he never could have imagined a career in coaching while he was playing.

“Never in a million years did I see myself coaching,” Clements said. “All that I thought about was playing hockey. It wasn’t until I was at Michigan State that I thought about it. I mostly thought about teaching, but after that I thought about it.”

Over the past few years, he had begun to take more and more responsibilities from Turner, and he’s been a vital part of the success that the program has experienced over the last decade.

 It’s this experience that will help in making the transition to head coach.  

“I came in my first year teaching as a volunteer coach, and I was fortunate to have 11 seasons under Coach Turner,” Clements said. “He was my mentor and just taught me and taught me for years. Coach Turner was really pulling for me to take over the team. He really taught me what it would be like to be head coach. I’m set in terms of the X’s and O’s, and I’m familiar with all of the players that are coming up through the system.”

These years under a coaching legend like Turner will certainly help his transition, too.  However, some of the biggest lessons he learned from him have nothing to do with the action on the ice.  

“He’s always preaching that whatever decision is for the best of the kids. It was never about winning, it was about making sure that the student athletes were the best that they could be on and off of the ice. Never put winning above growing the kids.” 

Even with all of the years that he’s put into Trenton hockey, there will still be some challenges to overcome as a new head coach, which Clements realizes.  

“Delegating some of the power, I’d say will be one of the biggest challenges,” he said. “I’m going to have to step back and be more of a game manager rather than be as hands-on as I have been.” 

Luckily for him, he’ll have some solid help in making this transition, as both Greg Obrycki and Freeman Floyd will stay on the staff for this coming season. Though he was just named coach, he’s already set some goals for the future.

“The first goal is to make a smooth transition,” he said. “I want to make sure that everyone is okay with the changes; I’m not coming here to fix anything. Coach Turner did a great job at finding success, so nothing needs to be fixed. I’m going to keep most of the same system in place.”  

A winner of this year’s Golden Apple Award for his efforts in the classroom, Clements is looking forward to this new opportunity as part of the hockey tradition that has been built at Trenton.  

“Being named head coach was a dream come true,” he said. “I was ecstatic; I was excited. Right when I walked out of the principal’s office, I realized that the pressure was on. The program has had massive success, and I’ll have to keep that going.”