Bliss not returning as Muskie boys’ coach

After six seasons and five-straight OFSAA appearances, Shane Bliss is leaving his post as head coach of the Muskie boys’ hockey team.
Continuing the long tradition of successful Muskie bench bosses, Bliss assumed the reins after the departure of longtime Muskie mentor Glen Edwards.
After bowing out in the NorWOSSA semi-finals at the conclusion of the 2002-03 season, his first year as head coach, Bliss led his charges to all-Ontarios from 2004-08 twice, reaching the round of eight twice (2005 and 2006).
Bliss, who also remains the only Muskie player to capture provincial gold twice, said the decision to step down was not an easy one to make.
“I enjoy coaching hockey more than any other sport and in order to do the proper job, you have to be committed to the program, and the commitment to coaching the boys’ Muskie hockey team is more so than any other sport in the school,” he noted.
Bliss cited a combination of factors, primarily family, as tipping the scale in favour of giving up the position.
“My first and most important reason for doing so is family,” he remarked. “Our daughter, Madison, is turning two next month and we are expecting another child in mid-May. . . .
“My wife has been very patient with me being gone more than I’m at home during the winter, and it’s important for me to be home more to help her out, and be there for my kids,” he stressed.
Bliss noted he has been continuing to enroll in courses that will enhance his teaching background and offer additional opportunities in the field of education, as well.
While stepping back from the bench, Bliss said his involvement in many aspects of the team will continue.
“I’m still the athletic director in charge of hockey [at Fort Frances High School] so my duties will continue to include things like game scheduling, and arranging busing and accommodations,” he noted.
Another very important duty in his role as hockey athletic director will be finding his own replacement—a task he says is not as easy as it looks.
Bliss suggested there are a number of things to keep in mind as a new head coach is being considered.
“It would be nice to have someone from the school involved, as there are many aspects and expectations of our student athletes to keep tabs on . . . it would also be a benefit to have someone familiar with the history of the Muskie program and the Blueline Club.
“The program is well-respected throughout Ontario, Manitoba, and Minnesota and we would like to keep it that way.”
Bliss also made specific mention of the time commitment.
“It’s imperative that whoever takes over will have the considerable time necessary to fulfill the coaching requirements, keeping in mind that the position is strictly volunteer,” he stressed.
Citing the large number of Grade 12 players on this year’s team, Bliss suggested the new coach likely will be working with a lot of new faces and, as such, be able to put his own stamp on the squad.
While no firm timetable has been set for finding a replacement, an advertisement has been posted in today’s Fort Frances Times, and will run again next week, allowing those interested the opportunity to apply.
In contemplating his time as Muskie head coach, Bliss noted there are many people who have been a tremendous help to him and [are] valuable assets for the program.
“The Blueline Club changes every year, players change and so do parents, but during my tenure and before, Jock Spence and Bob Miller were always there,” Bliss said.
“The Blueline Club is the backbone for the success of the program. If people like Jock and Bob didn’t keep the ship running straight, the kids would not get to experience a fraction of what they do now.”
Bliss also praised the dedication of assistance coaches Paul Visser and Brad Hill, both of whom have been terrific for the program.
And then there was Ken (“Kenno”) Christiansen—a fixture with the Muskie hockey program for more than 40 years.
He was there in the 1960s and ’70s, he was on the bench as Bliss won his two gold medals in 1986 and 1989, and he’s still behind the bench today working with the defencemen and teasing the forwards.
“Kenno has given more time for these kids and the program than anyone,” said Bliss. “When he was working, he took holidays and time off without pay to go with the boys . . . he is usually the first one to practice and he spends hours and hours thinking about the team.
“If we could get a couple of guys like Kenno, the hockey team would be in great shape and my job as athletic director would be smooth sailing,” Bliss continued.
As for future coaching, Bliss already has stepped into a coaching role with the Fort High golf team, teaming up with Heron Landing club pro Brian
Johnstone.
“Our golf program has recently stepped up to become an official NorWOSSA sport [t had been classified as a club activity] so we are trying to implement a little more structure,” he noted.
“Fort High has some excellent golfers, and there are many opportunities through golf, so we are quite excited about building the program,” he enthused.
With the second semester, let alone the golf team, in full swing, final exams and graduation ceremonies to come, a hockey coach to find, and a baby on the way, Bliss is a busy man.
Hockey will be missed, but family comes first—and being a “gold medal” husband and dad is, without question, his highest priority.