Shamrocks Making Coaching Change for 2021

The Victoria Senior A Shamrocks are announcing today that Bob Heyes will no longer be Head Coach following an unprecedented and very successful eight-year term as the club’s bench boss. Heyes was offered another position within the organization but following consideration he as decided to decline in order to focus on other projects.

“The Shamrocks are deeply appreciative of Bob’s contributions to the club, and grateful to his family for allowing him and supporting him in his dedication to the club over the years, from his playing days through his coaching career,” said General Manager Chris Welch.

Heyes first joined the Shamrocks, Victoria Payless at the time, as a goaltender in 1989, playing with the club through 2000, winning a Mann Cup as a player in 1997 and 1999. He later joined the team as an assistant coach before being named head coach in 2012.

As a coach, Heyes has accumulated a seriously impressive record of 157 wins, 83 losses, and 3 ties. The club has made the playoffs every year under his leadership, winning the WLA playoff championship in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2019, and winning the Mann Cup in 2015.

“This was a difficult decision to make,” continued Welch. “It certainly isn’t one we took lightly. Nobody works harder or is better prepared than Bob Heyes. Whether he was given a team of seasoned veterans like in 2015 or a young, relatively inexperienced team like in 2019, he was able to find success. Nobody bleeds green like Bob, and he showed that every day with how hard he worked and how much he cared in his role as Head Coach.”

“I’ve had the feeling for some time that we needed a fresh voice of leadership behind the bench – and it’s not because of Bob’s abilities or that he did anything wrong. It’s just a reality of coaching in sports that it is a temporary job, and every coach will eventually run their course with a team; I feel we have reached that point.”

An announcement regarding a new head coach is expected in the coming weeks, but until then, the Shamrocks have no further comment.