By CORY WOLFE
Times-Herald Sports Reporter
Marv Merkel is getting out of the tar business and taking more of an interest in ice - but he'll still be part of a paving crew.
The Moose Jaw Warriors promoted Merkel to full-time assistant coach status Tuesday and he'll be responsible for helping pave the WHL club's path through at least the 1999-2000 season.
To accept the full-time post, Merkel resigned from an 11-year tenure with Moose Jaw Asphalt Inc. Where he served as maintenance foreman most recently.
"We thought it over and pondered this and decided it's something I've always wanted to do and more than anything I've wanted to be part of coaching," said Merkel. "With the family's support, I accepted the challenge and with their thumbs-up, here I am."
Merkel, 43, had been a part-time assistant coach with the Warriors since the 1994-95 season. His promotion gives the Warriors two Moose Jaw products at the top. Second-year head coach Len Nielsen is the other.
"Merk knows what I'm all about and I'm very aware of what he's all about," said Nielsen. "It creates some continuity that way. He's also familiar with the organization and all the players, what they can do and what they can't do."
The full-time assistant coach position was vacated last August after Nielsen was promoted to head coach, supplanting Al Tuer. The position wasn't filled last season as the Warriors opted to go with two part-timers, Merkel and Doug Conn, who worked somewhat as volunteers but had their expenses covered.
The new structure will give Nielsen "somebody I can talk to every day about strategies, where we need to improve and ways we can be better.
"Plus it's another guy there when something pops up and the kids need someone to talk to."
Merkel had a self-described reputation as "the bad guy" during his junior hockey career that took him to Flin Flon and back to Moose Jaw as part of the Canucks' SJHL entry.
"My style of play was kind of the bad guy and that's just the intensity of competition," said Merkel. "I always gave my heart."
The fiery attitude he had as a player will be one of Merkel's chief assets in his new position, added Nielsen.
"Merk has been around, he's been part of it and he knows exactly what the league and the team is all about. He's a very competitive guy and he's been very succesful coaching whether it's hockey or ball or whatever."
Nielsen said when the recruiting process began that Merkel and Conn would be considered for the post.
"I'm not dead set against the situation we had last year (with two part-time assistants)," Nielsen told the Times-Herald on June 21. "It's not ideal but like I said, I want to bring in someone who is going to be a good fit and good for the organization."
Other candidates were considered, though. One of those candidates was Derek Kletzel, whose four-year career with the Warriors ended in 1992.
"We hadn't offered it to aybody," said Nielsen. "We talked to a number of different people and expressed some interest in different people. For whatever reasons, it worked out this way."
Nielsen added he approached Kletzel about his interest in the job last fall. Howeber, Kletzel was an assistant with the midget ‘AAA' Warriors last season and works full-time at Julian's Fitness and Rehab.
"The timing wasn't such that he felt he could do things full-time and that was fine," said Nielsen. "I'm still interested in him and he's offered to help out with some things from time to time."
WARRIOR SCALPINGS...Doug Conn will not be back as a part-time assistant coach, citing a number of other commitments. He might remain with the Warriors in a scouting position, pendig a meeting with general manager Ralph Schmidt...Rookie camp opens Aug. 24 followed my main training camp Aug. 30...forward Jamie Lundmark is in Toronto today for the national juntior team's tryout camp...at a recent meeting of the Warriors' board of directors, Dale Toni took over the reigns as club president, taking over from Larry Booth who has moved to B.C.
- Aug. 4, 1999
