As the Walkerton Hawks Junior ‘C’ Hockey Club continues to add to the roster, new head coach Bill Monkman said he’s looking forward to the 2010/2011 season.
That’s a place familiar to the right-winger. He’s spent time on blades since he was a tyke in Tara, where he played until Midget, and then moved up to Junior ‘B’ with the Listowel Cyclones, where he played two seasons.
He also played four years at the University of Guelph, and then went pro, playing in the American Hockey League (Kansas, Georgia, California, and Alabama).
He also played a season in Australia in 2004.
Closer to home, Monkman played two seasons in the Senior Men’s division with the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks.
He took up coaching minor hockey last season.
Monkman works part time at a bank and also farms with his father near Tara, where he lives with his wife and new baby.
He said he’s eager to get behind the bench in Walkerton. “I’ve heard nothing but good things.?Like any organization, you’re only as good as your executive and volunteers, so that’s encouraging.”
He also praised the fans for the support they give their local hockey club.
“I went to a couple home play-off games and they had to turn people away at the door. They take their hockey pretty seriously in Walkerton,” he said.  
And he doesn’t aim to disappoint this season. The sights are set on the Schmalz Cup, and getting the team past the provincial quarter-finals.
“Once we’re over that hurdle, who knows what will happen. First and foremost, we want to improve on last year, and get passed the quarter-final,”?Monkman said.
The Hawks have won the Western Junior ‘C’ division title three years in a row, and have lost in the first round of playoffs at the provincials each year.
But for the regular season, Monkman said he’s looking forward to having fun, but winning games is the focus.
“I?definitely like to have fun at the rink, but the funnest part is winning,” he said.
Monkman said they’ve got a lot of returning players this year, but they’re continuing to sign more. “We still have some big decisions to make on players, but we’re getting close,”?he said, adding he’s looking for players with “a good work ethic, guys who want to win, and have a good hockey sense.”
Monkman said his coaching style encompasses every aspect of the game, with equal emphasis on offence and defence.
“It takes the whole team to win games,”?he said, “but it’s not like I’m coming in with a whole new idea. The goal is you just want to do better than the year before. I made it to a few games last year, and it’s just little things that make a difference in the game.”
The Walkerton Hawks have a few pre-season games to stretch their wings, including one tonight (Sept. 1) at the Walkerton arena against the Fergus Devils; another on Friday, Sept. 3 against the Stayner Siskins, who they’ll meet again the following Monday in Wasaga Beach.
The season opener is Sept. 10 at 8:30 p.m. against the Hanover Barons, with a tailgate party before the game.