Merritt Centennials Head Coach and General Manager Joey Bouchard is pleased to announce the hiring of former Centennials player Luke Pierce as an assistant coach for the 2009/10 British Columbia Hockey League season.
Pierce, 25, was born and raised in Merritt, and played his minor hockey in the Merritt Minor Hockey Association. He began his junior hockey career in the KIJHL with Revelstoke, before advancing to the Centennials. Pierce played in Merritt from 2001 through 2003 and finished his junior career in 2003/04 with Vernon.
His post-secondary education and college hockey career consisted of four seasons as a player and one season as an assistant coach at Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Pierce served as captain of the Paladins for the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons and graduated this past spring with a Masters of Business Administration.
“Luke was a character hockey player when he played, he was a gritty player, and he was also a leader,” Bouchard said. “We're excited to have him on board and to get him back in his hometown and helping coach our hockey club.”