Photo credit: Allen Douglas/KTW
Mark Ferner is the head coach and general manager of the Vernon Vipers, having opted to leave his position as associate coach of the Kamloops Blazers.
Speculation of a second stint in Vernon — where Ferner led the Vipers to three consecutive B.C. Hockey League championships and two consecutive national junior A championships between 2007 and 2011 — began on Sept. 8 when Jason Williamson vacated his post as bench boss and GM of the Snakes, citing personal reasons.
“Their [the Vipers] owner [Duncan Wray] called me and asked permission to talk to Mark about 10 days ago,” Blazers’ GM Craig Bonner told KTW on Monday, Sept. 22.
“I never really heard anything about it until yesterday. They offered the job and he was interested. His house and family are in Vernon.”
Ferner, hired as head coach of the Everett Silvertips in July of 2011 and fired in January of 2013, joined the Blazers as an associate coach in August 2013.
If he did have aspirations to take over behind the bench in Kamloops, those were curbed when Don Hay was named the Blue and Orange’s head coach in May.
Bonner said the search for Ferner’s replacement is underway.
“Me and Hayzer will sit down and talk about it. It’s fairly new to us,” Bonner said.
“Obviously, it’s not the best time of year, but there are a lot of coaches who should like the opportunity to work with Hayzer.
“Don will have a lot of influence on the decision. He has to work with him and travel with him. We’ll have some interesting names come up now that the news is out.”
Bonner said there was no rift between Hay and Ferner and their relationship was “fine.”
Ferner’s coaching career started with the Vancouver Giants following his retirement from professional hockey in 2001. He played in North America and Europe for 16 seasons and suited up in 91 NHL games.
His departure from Kamloops marks the end of his second stint behind the bench with the Blazers.
The Sedley, Sask., product was an assistant coach from 2002 to 2005 before taking over as head coach for the 2005-2006 campaign.
Ferner spent the entirety of his junior hockey career playing for Kamloops, from 1982 to 1985.
Ferner did not immediately reply to an interview request on Monday.
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