October 23, 1996
NR.083

EASTER NAMED CANADIAN HOCKEY'S IN-LINE MANAGER

OTTAWA -- Dave Easter, who coached Team Canada to a silver medal at the inaugural International Ice Hockey Federation World Inline Hockey Championship last summer, has been named Canadian Hockey's In-Line Hockey Manager, President Murray Costello announced Wednesday.

The world championship title was the second medal-winning performance for Easter as a coach of a Canadian In-Line team in just over a year. In July 1995, he recruited, evaluated and coached a silver-medal winning team at a World In-Line tournament in Chicago.

As a result of his involvement with the national team, Easter was appointed hockey advisor for Roller Sports Canada. His main tasks in that role were to raise money and secure equipment for Canada's senior and junior men's national teams, both of which he coached.

Easter, 35, an Advanced Level and Theory 3 coach, has extensive experience coaching ice hockey at the midget and Junior B and C levels in his hometown of Chatham, Ont. In 1993-94, he was named coach of the year in the Great Lakes Jr. C League, after he piloted the Dresden Jr. Kings to a Divisional Championship. The previous year, he coached the Chatham Midget AAA hockey club to a Divisional Championship also.

A graduate of the University of Windsor, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Easter established his own business as an independent investment planner. In his new role with Canadian Hockey, he will be based in Ottawa, effective immediately.

As In-Line Hockey Manager, Easter replaces Mark Bandrauk, who left Canadian Hockey last month to pursue other interests.