Bill Birks
Head Coach/General Manager
Bill is entering his third season as Head Coach and General Manager of the Trail Smoke Eaters. He joined the Smokies as an assistant coach under Jim Ingram for the 2010-2011 season, helping lead the team to a 31-23-2-4 record and cutting the club's goals against by 100 goals from the 2009-10 season.
Birks was named Head Coach and General Manager of the Smokies in the spring of 2011.
Birks' long involvement in the game of hockey stretches back to his time as a BCHL player in Merritt during the late 1980s. He was named Merritt Warriors' Unsung Hero during the 1986-87 BCJHL season, and then moved on to minor pro hockey with the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs. Before joining the Smoke Eaters, Birks was an assistant coach with Merritt under Al Glendinning. His resume also includes time as a scout and minor hockey coach.
Barry Zanier
Assistant Coach
Barry Zanier is back for his eleventh season as an assistant coach with the Smokies.
Barry has had involvement with the Trail Minor Hockey Program - working with Pee-Wee and Bantam aged players prior to joining the Smoke Eaters. In addition, he served as Player/Coach with the Senior Smoke Eaters in the mid 1980's.
In his playing days, Barry was a prominent member of the Smoke Eaters and Senior Smoke Eaters. Sandwiched in between his career in Trail, Barry was a member of the UBC Varsity Thunderbirds where he played and earned his Bachelor Degree in Education.
Barry teaches Elementary School in Rossland, where he has lived for over 20 years with his wife Aileen. They have 3 daughters - Taryn, Kailyn and Kolby.
Craig Clare
Assistant Coach
Photo/bio coming soon!
President: Tom Gawryletz
Treasurer: Rick Basso
Directors: Scott McKinnon, Dave Rugg, Dawn St. Jean, Patricia Groulx, Jack Beard
Director of Scouting & Player Personnel: Murray Caton
Head Scout: Kevin Rabbitt
BC Central Scout: Joe Quewezance
BC Interior Scout: Howie Finch
Lower Mainland Scout: Brad Rand
Vancouver Island Scout: Brent Demerais
Northern BC Scout: Terry Klapstein
Eastern US Scout: Pat Rabbitt
Goaltending Consultant: Alex Evin
Trainer: Brock Ward
Trainer's Assistant: Matthew "Patches" Eckersley
Team Chaplain: Kent Maddigan
P.A. Announcer: Tiger Milburn
Off-Ice Officials: John Mota, Peter Dodgson, Al Pro, Bob Turtle and Russ Fullerton
Spud Shack: Bob Moffat, Tiger Milburn, Lorne Christianson and Noel Smith
Photography/Stats: Randy Emery
Video/Audio Technician: Darryl Taylor
First Aid: Patti Marino
