Former Ice Bear back behind the bench.
The Knoxville Ice Bears announced today that K.J. Voorhees, a former player, is the new assistant coach. The organization looked to fill this position after Marc Rodgers was promoted from assistant to head coach on June 23. Rodgers had been the assistant for three seasons. Voorhees will begin working with Rodgers immediately to prepare for training camp, which is set to begin on Sunday, October 11.
“K.J. will be a great addition to my coaching staff and also a great addition inside our dressing room, some players already know him, so being around us should be a smooth transition. He already knows that I am only looking to win and seems extremely excited for the opportunity to help this organization achieves its goals. He will be a second set of eyes for me, not only behind the bench, but also when I break down video. Every team in this league is gunning for us, and the league will be much better than last year. So having K.J. will be a benefit to our organization,” commented Coach Rodgers.
K.J. Voorhees is a native of Lake Stevens, Washington, but has been a resident of Knoxville for several years. In fact, he came to Knoxville in 2002 to play for the Ice Bears. The 5-10, 190 pound right wing played 223 games for the Ice Bears from 2002 until 2006, during which time the team transitioned through two leagues before finally remaining a part of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) beginning in 2004. Voorhees scored 162 goals, had 165 assists and only 155 penalty minutes as an Ice Bear. His contribution on the ice helped the team win their first SPHL championship during the 2005-2006 season.
Voorhees’ hockey career began in 1995 with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He spent the next four years playing for Colorado College in Colorado Springs. His solid collegiate career helped him obtain a position on an international team in Sweden from 2000 until 2002. After that, he spent one year with the New Mexico Scorpions (Western Professional Hockey League) and one year with the Tacoma Sabercats (West Coast Hockey League).
Since retiring, Voorhees has been an instrumental part of the developing youth hockey in Knoxville. He currently works as the Hockey Director at Cool Sports home of the Icearium. He is responsible for organizing the Knoxville Area Hockey Association (KAHA), which teaches kids from age 4 to 18 the sport of hockey. Voorhees has also been involved with the Thunder Hockey team for the past two years. This is an elite travel hockey program. Last season he was the assistant coach of the 94 Thunder team, which was coached by former Ice Bear Josh Akright, and this year he is the assistant coach of the 95 thunder team, which coached by former NHL player Jim McKenzie.
K.J. stated, “I am very excited to join the coaching staff of the Knoxville Ice Bears. The Ice Bears have established themselves as a perennial powerhouse in the SPHL and I look forward helping Coach Rodgers continue that tradition.
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