BY SCOTT
HADDOW
It's a good thing Tom Faganely has large feet because
he's attempting to fill a big pair of shoes.
Faganely was recently named the new head coach of the Sudbury
Junior Wolves.
The team enjoyed its best season ever in 2005-06, winning
the NOJHL Championship and coming within one goal of making the
national Junior 'A' championship tournament.
The team also set new franchise records for wins (36) and
points (73).
At the helm of the squad was Darryl Moxam, who stepped down
in August for family reasons. The club has retained Moxam in a
consulting role.
After a short search, the management staff of the Junior
Wolves nabbed Faganely, who last coached the Sudbury Wolves AAA
minor bantams squad. He was eager to join the junior loop.
"It was interesting," said the 51-year-old about the
whirlwind process. "I couldn't get a job with the Sudbury
Minor Hockey Association and then I saw the Junior Wolves were
looking for a new head coach. I applied and they originally
asked me to stay on as an assistant coach. Three days later
they asked me to be the head coach...obviously I said yes. It
fell into my lap and coaching at this level was something that
appealed to me. I jumped at it right away."
Faganely knows the size of the shoes he has to fill are not
just big, but also rife with success.
The pressure cooker environment he has entered appeals to
his character.
"I'm a rookie this year," said the Lasalle Secondary School graduate. "The Junior Wolves had an excellent team last season. Definitely, I have big shoes to fill, but that's what makes it exciting for me. I am looking forward to the challenge and it will be."
Despite the high tide of success last season and the high
expectations of the franchise, Faganely isn't worried about
having to produce right away.
"I don't feel pressure at all," said the Cambrian College
graduate. "I like to do well and I know the team wants me to do
well. I will try my best and that's all I can ask from
myself. It will be a learning experience as well for me."
The Junior Wolves are elated to have someone of
Faganely's experience joining the club. Faganely has been a
high level coach for the past 19 years, guiding teams from
almost every level of AA and AAA hockey imaginable.
"Tom brings a wealth of hockey knowledge to our
organization" said Junior Wolves General Manager Mike
Rowlandson in a news release.  "He has played and coached
at all levels including AAA bantam, midget and college hockey.
Our players will certainly benefit from Tom's knowledge and
experience."
Faganely knows he brings a lot to the table as a head coach.
"I bring hockey experience," said the former Illinois State
University hockey player. "I also bring enthusiasm. I know
quite a few of the kids on the team already. I've coached
six of them over the years at different levels."
Like any other head coach, Faganely wants to build a winner.
"I want to develop players and chemistry," said the former
college varsity coach. "I would like us to repeat as champs. It
will not be easy. With the new rules, our team will be about
skating and puck possession. It will be a team that hustles and
uses all its players to the fullest."
Faganely has surrounded himself with a strong supporting
cast of assistant coaches, including former Sudbury Wolves
defender Ryan Hastings, former junior 'A' hockey player
Ryan Pawlowski and Rob Restoule.
"It's a whole new staff this year and these are guys I
can count on."
The Junior Wolves 2006-07 season starts this Saturday, when the squad travels to Abitibi to take on the Eskimos.
