Clendenning taking over reins for Muskie girls

Lucas Punkari

With the head coaching role for the Fort Frances Muskie girls’ hockey program left open following the departure of Mel Langtry after last season, Fort High brass began the search to find someone to fill that role.
Enter Scott Clendenning.
A former Muskie and Bemidji State player, Clendenning will be in charge behind the bench for the black-and-gold this season, which gets underway next Tuesday night with a training camp at the Memorial Sports Centre.
“I’m really passionate about the game and I’m excited to bring my experience to the girls and see what can happen with us going forward,”
Clendenning, who found out that he was the new coach of the Muskie girls’ program in July, was in the running with a couple of other candidates for the job and went through an interview process with Fort High athletic director Shane Beckett and principal Al McManaman before getting the position.
“During that process, it really brought to light that this is a high school program and they take things very seriously,” Clendenning recalled
“The combination of athletics and academics is a huge part of things, and it’s something that needs to be intertwined together in order to have a positive outcome for everyone involved.
“The theme of the team will be commitment to academics and athletics, and if a player is not able to fulfill both roles as a student and hockey player, they will have a difficult time making the line up,” Clendenning stressed.
The 44-year-old Clendenning has been coaching in the game for 14 years, and has been involved with various levels of the sport after finishing up his playing days.
“I grew up in Fort Frances playing minor hockey and with the Muskies here, and then I was able to play junior hockey out west and then college hockey for Bemidji, which were all great experiences,” Clendenning recalled.
“Since I’ve finished playing, I wanted to give back to the game that I love so I got involved in the coaching aspect of things, and I’m still doing that,” Clendenning added.
Having suited up for Fort High from 1982 to 1986, and having come away with a gold medal and two silver medals from OFSAA tournaments during that time, Clendenning hopes to bring that experience from his playing days to those that he’ll be coaching this season.
“I would like to bring it all back to what it really means to wear a Muskie jersey and what it means to have that big M on your jersey,” Clendenning explained.
“When I played all of us loved the game and we played hard every time. I think that hasn’t hit girls’ hockey yet and that is something I would like to bring that in.
“Girls’ hockey has come a long way and they can play the game just as well as the boys can play it, but I think it’s time to step it up a notch,” Clendenning added.
With that in mind, Clendenning plans his team to have a bit of energy to it when they take on those teams in the NorWOSSA loop this season.
“It’s going to be a high energy team that will be very aggressive on the forecheck,” Clendenning explained.
“I believe in having a lot of puck possession, which is something that you need to score goals, and even though it’s girls’ hockey, they still play the game with a lot of grit, and that’s something I am hoping to see with our team as well this season,” he added.
Though Clendenning is unsure as of yet just how many players will be at the training camp, one of those that won’t be there is highly dynamic forward Jillian Langtry, who has made the Thunder Bay Queens Midget AA program for this season.
“Myself, along with everyone here in the Muskie program, wish her the best of luck with Queens this year, and we hope that she has a successful season there,” Clendenning said.
After the training camp, which runs from Tuesday to Thursday of next week at the Ice for Kids Arena starting at 8:15 p.m. on all three nights, Clendenning’s first game behind the bench will take place during the annual tournament hosted by the Muskies, which will get underway on Friday, Oct. 21.
“During the course of the year we will also be playing in a tournament in Minneapolis, and we will also be traveling to Thief River Falls to face their team for their home opener,” Clendenning added.
While it’s uncertain as of yet how the Muskies final roster will shake out and where the team will finish, Clendenning already has his goals in mind for his inaugural campaign behind the bench.
“I definitely want to be competitive, and I hope that the girls will also buy into what I want to do here,” Clendenning explained.
“If that happens, I think we’ll be very successful,” Clendenning stressed.