The Swift Current Broncos have made an exciting addition to their coaching staff with the appointment of Taras McEwan as the team's new assistant coach.
McEwan brings a wealth of experience from his time with the Winnipeg Ice and is looking forward to contributing to the Broncos' success.
Originally hailing from Whitewood, SK, McEwan's ties to Saskatchewan made the opportunity with the Broncos particularly appealing.
“My wife is from Esterhazy, so close to the Manitoba border and my parents still live in Round Lake, just north of Whitewood,” he explained. “We have a seasonal campsite down there and we spend as much time as we can in the summertime. We're looking forward to staying close to family.”
With a background in various roles within the Winnipeg Ice organization, including director of scouting, joint manager of the Junior 18 team, and director of skating, McEwan's experience has been extensive.
He transitioned into a coaching role as an assistant coach for the Ice, before accepting the current position with the Broncos.
McEwan acknowledged that his connections in Swift Current helped draw him to the position.
“I've known Chad (Van Diemen, Director of Hockey Operations) from scouting, seeing him in the rinks, and seeing his dedication, how hard he works, and he's just a really good person and someone I’ve always got along with and had conversations with in the rink,” he explained.
McEwan also spent some time in Notre Dame in 2016/2017, giving him the opportunity to build a relationship with Head Coach, Devan Praught.
“We built a good relationship and we’ve had lots of conversations about coaching,” he stated. “When he got the position with the Broncos, I was really excited for him. I knew he would be a great person to lead a team and I've seen firsthand the kind of person he is and how he treats his players, and how good he is as a coach.”
McEwan's ties to the Swift Current community run deep, as his father, Brad McEwan, previously coached the Broncos during a six-year stint in the city.
“When I was younger my dad coached the Broncos,” he stated. “We were in Swift Current for six years, so I'm very familiar with the city and still most the people that live in town”
As for his goals with the team, McEwan emphasized the desire to build upon the strong foundation that the Broncos have developed.
“We want to be competitive each and every night,” he stated. “I think we have a real strong group of players coming back. Some of the young prospects that are coming in, players that were 16 turning 17 years old, and our 19 year old group, I think there's a lot of depth on this team.”
With his experience witnessing both the challenges and triumphs of team development, McEwan is optimistic about the upcoming season.