Sean Ringrose named Griffins interim head coach, covering brother's parental leave
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Sean Ringrose has been named interim head coach of the Griffins men's hockey team this season, MacEwan Director of Athletics Ken Schildroth announced Tuesday.
The Griffins assistant coach will take over as bench boss for the 2019-20 season, covering a six-month parental leave by head coach Michael Ringrose.
"Sean brings a consistency to our team in terms of leadership, style of play and focus on the three pillars of a MacEwan student-athlete – athletics, academics and community service," said Schildroth. "I believe his strong work ethic and commitment to excellence will guide our team effectively as our interim head coach this season."
Griffins assistant coach Zack Dailey and goaltending coach Kurtis Mucha will be part of Sean Ringrose's coaching staff as the Griffins attempt to win a fourth-straight Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championship.
"It's a challenge that I'm really looking forward to – taking on a bigger role with the team," said Ringrose, who is the younger brother of Michael Ringrose. "I've got a great supporting staff with Zack Dailey and that leadership group (of returning players). I'm really looking forward to the challenge.
"We have a lot of great recruits who are eager and excited to push the program (forward). Zack and I have learned a lot from Mike, not just last year, but in the past, as well, and I think that will really help us this year."
Sean Ringrose brings a wealth of high-level hockey experience to the Griffins program.
After growing up in the Edmonton minor hockey system, he played for three different Alberta Junior Hockey League teams – Sherwood Park, Drayton Valley and Fort Saskatchewan (netting 78 points in 59 games for the now-defunct Traders in 2006-07). He then amassed 105 points across his final two junior seasons for the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers.
Ringrose launched into a five-year university hockey career at the University of Alberta (2009-14) as a point-per-game player all the way through, upping his totals to 36 points in 27 games in his senior season as he captained the Golden Bears to the 2014 national championship. Both Dailey and Mucha were also on that team.
Ringrose played in a variety of pro leagues from the U.S. to Europe after that, hanging up the skates in 2018 to join his brother's coaching staff at MacEwan. There's no doubt his playing career has exposed him to several styles of coaching which he can draw on in his role as Griffins interim head coach.
"I think with all the variant experiences across several leagues, you see all the different ways people do things," he said. "Being able to draw on what I think works and what I think fits my coaching style has molded my philosophy as a coach."
The Griffins have one preseason game remaining – Oct. 5 vs. Concordia (6 p.m., Downtown Community Arena) – before heading into their regular season opener Oct. 11 vs. Red Deer College (7 p.m., DCA).
