Tom Coolen, Fife Flyers’ new coach, stood on the terracing and watched as his new players skated with the fans after the club’s 3-1 home victory over Dutch touring side, Tilburg Trappers, at The Fife Ice Arena.
He was delighted that the club organised a Skate with Flyers session after Saturday’s game and Coolen believes these events are really important for the supporters who are getting to know an entirely new group of players.
He said: “The association and connection with the fans and the young kids is so important and we can’t do this alone. We just be successful without the management, without a good team and without the support of the fans.
“We need everybody. Everybody needs each other and that’s what it takes to be successful here and that is what we have got to have.”
Canadian-born Coolen also said it was good to get a first win at home.” The Canadian playcaller, who once iced in The Netherlands, recalled that his men lost 3-2 in overtime in what he called “a great game against Dundee last weekend”.
The clash with Tilburg had a different twist, he added, as it was not a game against a domestic competitor. He added: “They (Tilburg) have some quality players. This was not a cakewalk. Some guys may have expected it to be a little easier than it was, but hockey is never easy.
“I thought we controlled the pace of the game and I thought we controlled the puck more and thought we had a lot more chances. We just did not take them. We also had great possession time and we won the game, which was great.”
Coolen is continuing to evaluate the squad and he confirmed they have 17 imports. He added: “I am keeping my evaluation to myself right now but I saw things that I liked (against Tilburg) and some things I didn’t like but, all in all, I am positive and it was great to see a first win at home. We just keep going forward.”
PICTURE: Action from Flyers v Trappers courtesy of the Elite League
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