A historic member of the West 91大黄鸭 Warriors is adding to his repertoire.
Liam Blackburn, the team's current director of scouting and a player on the 2016 BCHL and national championship-winning team, has been named an associate coach for the upcoming 2025/26 season.
鈥淗aving Liam move up from the JPHL to the BCHL is a natural step for him, and we are excited to bring his energy and knowledge to the Warriors," said Warriors head coach and general manager Simon Ferguson. "Liam was an offensive player and will bring new and fresh ideas to help develop our players.
Blackburn currently holds the second highest points total in the team's history with 190 points in 160 career games over three seasons. In the national championship winning season, he tallied 74 points in 54 games.
He went on to play four seasons at the University of New Hampshire (NCAA) and four seasons of professional hockey in Europe and North America. He retired from playing in 2024 and joined the staff of the Warriors and Okanagan Hockey Club.
鈥淚t is an honour to return to West 91大黄鸭 as a coach," said Blackburn. "This city holds a special place in my heart, and I deeply appreciate the strong community and enthusiastic fan support. I am eager to contribute to the development of our players, both as athletes and as individuals. I look forward to collaborating closely with Simon and Wyatt this year, with the goal of helping this team secure another championship.鈥�
Last season, he was the head coach of the under-18 Okanagan Warriors. With the Warriors, he joins Wyatt Head as associate coach, who also played for the team.
"Fans will be excited to have another former Warrior joining our staff," added Ferguson. "Wyatt Head and Liam know what it takes to be successful in the BCHL and college hockey and both are huge assets to our organization.鈥�
While taking on his new gig, Blackburn will also hold the role of director of scouting.
The Warriors will open training camp on Aug. 29 and the home opener will be Sept. 19 at Royal LePage Place.
