New Stamps head coach Derrick Walters is no stranger to the team, or the game.
He grew up playing rep hockey with Williams Lake Minor Hockey and was on the Stamps roster as a forward for three seasons while he was attending Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.
“I like the competitive nature of the game and the camaraderie with the boys in the dressing room and being a part of the team,” he said of what he likes about hockey.
He also played a season with the Lac La Hache Tomahawks.
“There were lots of players with the Williams Lake Stampeders and I was given a chance to play a bit more ice time with the Tomahawks and was able to switch over and play with them for a year,”he explained.
In 2017 he returned to play a few games with the Stamps.
Walters helped assistant coach with the Stamps for the last two years and stepped into be the coach this year because previous coach Cody Tent needed more time with his family.
“He’s still helping out, still on the bench as staff and an assistant coach this year,” Walters said of Tent.
Walters credited president Willy Devuyst and manager Dylan Richardson for giving him the opportunity to give it a try and take over as head coach.
So far, Walters is happy with the level of commitment of the players.
“We have lots of guys that can come in, plug in and play any spot at any time. We are a very competitive team and a close team. Everybody gets along pretty well so it’s pretty seamless to jump in and put whoever in the lineup that’s available those days and get the job done.”
On Sept. 29, the Stamps won 10-2 against the Nechako North Stars and on Oct. 7 won 7-3 against the Quesnel Kangaroos.
Walters said the Stamps came out with hot starts for both games and stayed well disciplined, which is a priority this year for the team to stay out of the penalty box.
“We got great goal tending again so another year with great goalies that can come in an play each night, a solid defensive core and of course, we always have very skilled forwards up front who can score from anywhere.”
He said the team is pretty much the same as last year, although there are a few new players.
“We’ve got some guys from Kamloops that are coming up to play with us that have played pretty high level hockey. We have a defenceman who played in the WHL with the Regina Pats last year as well as some other guys that have played some junior hockey.”
Next up, the Stamps will play two games away.
They play the Hazelton Wolverines on Saturday, Oct. 21 and the Smithers Steelheads on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Looking forward to the games Walters said both teams are competitive, have good squads and highly-skilled players.
“We will be making sure we all bond together on the bus on the way up there, and kind of do the same thing we did against Quesnel and Nechako - come out hot at the beginning, try our best to mitigate penalties and try our best with our game plans.”
The Stamps next home games will be Saturday, Nov. 4 versus Prince Rupert Rampage and Sunday, Nov. 5 versus Terrace River Kings.
Excited for the opportunity to be head coach, he said the team’s ultimate goal is to make it to the playoffs and head towards the Coy Cup.
A senior bylaw officer with the city, Walters enjoys working in the community and closely with other departments and being a “good helping hand all around.”
His mom Cindy Walters works at the city and his father Troy Walters works at Tolko Industries.
Growing up he was an only child.
He attended Sacred Heart Catholic School and then Columneetza Secondary School.
While at Thompson Rivers University he completed a degree in sociology.
Walters was married in September to Alyssa Chritchley. Originally from Delta, she is as a nurse at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
The Stamps practice Thursdays at Total Ice Training Centre and once a month at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex.
Last year the community came together to help with the costs of repairing the team bus.
He said there were a few issues with the bus prior to the Oct. 7 game in Quesnel, but they were fixed and the bus is ready for the team’s road trips this year.
READ MORE: Williams Lake Stampeders stomp North Stars in season opener
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