New Academy Director for Sting

Sting sign former GB Coach: Sutton Sting can announce today the biggest and most exciting news in the Club’s short history, the appointment of the new Sting Academy Director, Jon Rowbotham. A little over a year after Jon Rowbotham walked away from the sport he loves, Sting Chairman Ian Johnson, has been able to entice Rowbotham from self-imposed exile from hockey back to the sport and a resumption of the collaboration between himself, Mr Rowbotham and Gary Apsley which proved so fruitful when the three last worked together at the ill-fated Sheffield Scimitars in the 2009/10 season. Mr Rowbotham is considered by many inside ice hockey to be a very talented and tactical coach. He has won many junior championships throughout the junior age groups at regional and national level, with his most successful achievement being the gold medal won with GB U18s in the World championship in 2009.

Upon announcing the appointment today Ian Johnson said, “When Jon Rowbotham walked-away from ice hockey last May, he left a massive hole behind him and Sheffield lost one its most dedicated, capable and proven ice hockey servants.” he added “Throughout the past year I have kept in touch with Jon and I am absolutely thrilled that he has decided to get back in to ice hockey again, and I am delighted that he chose to come and help us at Sutton Sting”. A former Head Coach with the Sheffield Scimitars’ Junior Academy and coach of the Scimitars ENL team Rowbotham is a household name in Sheffield, and a man whose credentials speak for themselves. He was appointed as the Coach of the EPL Scimitars in March 2009 by Johnson who found Rowbotham’s appetite for learning about and developing his ice hockey knowledge to be infectious, Johnson said “When I met Jon he blew me away with his knowledge, his vision and his enthusiasm for the game. Gary and I checked Jon’s credentials and they speak volumes about the man and his dedication to hockey. Things didn’t go to plan in Sheffield and Jon decided to quit the sport after more than 10 years in charge of the Club he helped build.

Now he is back and ice hockey can breathe a sigh of relief that one of the sports big men is back in town!” It’s not just Jonson who is delighted that Rowbotham has come back to the game he has given so much to, fellow Sting Co-founder Rob Saunders was also quick to heap praise on their new appointment, and he said “I am a big fan of Jon Rowbotham. He is a great tactician and a coach who build’s his team from the back, looking to shut out opponents before taking offensive chances as and when they arrive. This is a major coup for the Sting and in Jon we have one of the best Coaches in the UK joining our little Club. I have every confidence in his ability to help us develop the Club to take our players all the way to the top.” Mr Rowbotham’s credentials as a junior coach are impeccable indeed the highlights from his young career are impressive; gaining promotion to Division 1 at IIHF World Championship by winning gold, picking-up the silver medal in 2008, ENL 1 league and cup double winner in 2008/9, U19 regional and national champions 2006/7. Before he broke his ties with the game last summer, he played a pivotal role in the development of the region’s young elite athletes for more than a decade as he has coached at regional conference and national level with the undoubted highlight being Team GB’s historic gold medal victory in Estonia in 2009. In his twelve years as a coach at Sheffield Rowbotham delivered 10 league titles, 8 national championships and two cup titles. Now, after a year pursuing ‘other interests’ Rowbotham is back in the sport he loves so much and kids of Sutton Sting will be the main benefactors of his return. Speaking about his appointment Rowbotham said, “I was privileged to have enjoyed so much success at Sheffield and it was hard to walk away. I have had a year away from hockey and have found new habits which I intend to keep going so that I have a life away from hockey which will be good for me.” He went on, “With the support of Ian, Rob and Gary’s I know we can develop players in teams that will find success, enjoyment and fulfillment from this great game and if we do what I know we can then the people and parents of Sutton will be very proud indeed”. Rowbotham has been away from the limelight but not at the expense of his own development. In fact he has been much in demand and has received many offers to get back in to coaching, with a major offer recently from an Elite League club. He has been working on a player development model as well as building-up his legendary play-book and he intends to put his new tools to good use with the knowledge-hungry kids at Sutton Sting. He said “It is true that I was approached by a big club to get involved with their junior set-up but I respectfully declined as I would find it difficult to go back. Instead I want to look forward and I know the people I will be working with who value my skills and my contribution and that is really important.” The news of Rowbothams appointment will be seen as a big step forward for Sutton Sting as Sting Director Gary Apsley knows all too well. He said, “My goodness, what a result for the Sting! We now have a Coach with a proven track record of coaching kids to the highest level and I know exactly what kind of man we have in Jon Rowbotham. He is a winner who enjoys the respect of a great many people within the sport so I guess he’ll be bringing enormous credibility to our modest operation? It is another amazing day for Sutton Sting!” Rowbotham wasted no time getting to know his new Club as he evaluated the senior player’s trialing for the Sting’s 2011 ENL team. Before that he had taken a Q&A session with six of the Sting’s U12’s who were at England U13’s trials last night.