The Virden Oil Capitals are extremely excited to announce the addition of Brandon, MB native Ken Schneider to the coaching staff for the 2021-2022 MJHL season. Schneider joins an impressive staff that also includes Brett Braybrook, Reid Gow, Derek Leblanc and Ryan Potter.
Schneider enjoyed an extensive playing career that included spending time with the Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL), the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) and the Brandon University Bobcats (CIAU). He then went on to carve out an impressive coaching career that started in Hockey Brandon where he spent time coaching minor hockey at various levels. He joined the Ile Des Chenes Northstars senior hockey team in 2002-2003 and guided that club to the 2003 Allan Cup championship, a club that featured former professional players such as Pat Falloon, Jamie Leach and Kelly Glowa. Following the 2003 championship he remained with the Northstars for several seasons before joining the staff of the AAA U18 Wheat Kings. He spent 1 season as an assistant coach under Brad Wells before taking on the head coaching role in 2010-2011. He would spend 4 seasons as head coach with the AAA Wheat Kings and then decided to take a break from the coaching scene and joined the WHL’s Regina Pats as a regional scout. Schneider enjoyed the scouting but missed the relationships build with players in a coaching role and rejoined the AAA Wheat Kings in 2018-2019 and guided the team to the Manitoba AAA U18 Hockey League Championship, where his club beat the Winnipeg Wild in the provincial final.
Schneider resides in Brandon with his wife Lizanne and he has 3 kids (Dustin, Winnipeg, Mark, Regina and Hope, Moose Jaw) that are all grown and starting their own families. He recently retired from Meyer, Norris, Penny in Brandon where he was the Human Resources Director for several years.
GM and Head Coach Tyson Ramsey is very excited to reunite with Schneider behind the bench, “We are very proud to add Ken and the wealth of knowledge he brings to the game of hockey to our organization. Ken and I spent time together in the AAA Wheat King organization and I learned so much from him. He is extremely passionate about the game and his values are completely in line with what our organization feels is important for our players and our organization as a whole,” said Ramsey. “We are very lucky to have someone like Ken join our group. He has been a mentor to me, and I can’t wait to work with him again. He will really compliment a staff that I really enjoy working with and our players will be lucky to learn from him in so many different ways.”
Schneider was equally excited to be joining the Oil Caps, “I am super excited to joining the Virden Oil Capitals Hockey Club”, said Schneider. “I am joining a team of professional people from the front office right through the organization. There certainly is familiarity when it comes to the scouting staff, and of course Tyson who I have had the privilege of coaching with in the past. I look forward to embracing the team and the community of Virden and see this as a great opportunity to experience junior hockey from a coaching perspective.”
The Oil Caps will begin their 2021-2022 season at home on September 17th against the visiting Waywayseecappo Wolverines. Season ticket information will be coming soon!