Perth Courier, By Laurie Weir

Michael McLean, owner of the Perth Jr. B Blue Wings, is stepping aside as head coach of the team after one year.

"It's a surprising decision, but an easy decision actually," he said from his office at McLean Insurance in Perth on Friday, June 20.

His daughter, Avery, now 18 months old, was his deciding factor.

"I don't want to be on the bus at 1 a.m. anymore," he said.

He's also starting another business in town and with the loss of Christine Lyon, marking director on the team, who left the area on a personal family matter, the decision to quit coaching was even easier.

"My wife (Krista) has totally supported me in this decision," he added.

McLean's right hand man, assistant coach Colin Glenn, was notified recently of the changes coming, and he says he is preparing to submit his name for the head coaching job.

"It would be pretty cool," Glenn said on Monday in a phone interview, if he was the successful applicant. "Michael and I have the same coaching philosophy and that is we believe in a strong work ethic."

Both McLean and Glenn are each other's biggest fans when it comes to bench support.

"It did surprise me, and shock me," Glenn said of McLean's announcement. "When I realized he was serious, I made the decision that I am definitely interested in the job and I have thrown my hat in."

McLean says by word of mouth, he will have more people approach him about the coaching job, if interested.

"(Glenn) is a strong candidate because we have worked together last season," McLean said. "We also share many of the same coaching philosophies. Good coach. Hard worker. Excellent with our players (liked and respected)."

Both men may have a different outlook on the bench, but each has the same end result in mind - the wellbeing and development of the Blue Wings themselves, as well as getting the community into the game, even more than ever.

"We have a great bunch of guys returning this year," Glenn said. They are excellent. They are respectful young men and that's what we try to get across to them. Work hard and be the best on the ice as well as off."

NEW FOCUS

McLean has not lost focus on the team though - far from it. He is going to take the opportunity to develop even stronger marketing techniques to get more fans into the seats. He's going to do that alongside his marking director Linda Bartlett, an employee at the insurance company for seven years. A new project on the horizon is a program as well as sponsor nights during home games.

"We have 18 home games this year - Friday night hockey in Perth. That's where it's at," he said. "Last year, I bought the team after the schedule was already made and we had what... eight home games on a Friday night?" Not acceptable... not if you want to fill the seats on a Friday night, he said.

He made it a point to be at the league-scheduling meeting where a new schedule was drawn up. "It's been the same schedule for the past I don't know how many years. They just keep copying it."

Another highlight this year will be getting the Toronto Maple Leafs alumni into town. After a successfully crammed arena last January with the Montreal Canadiens alumni in town, McLean says there is no reason why he can't focus on bringing the Leafs to town.

"It's a disease you know... being a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs," McLean says with a grin. "My dad has that disease."