The Spruce Grove Saints are proud to announce the appointment of Stan Marple as the organization’s Associate Head Coach and Director of Corporate Partnerships, effective June 1st.
Marple joins the Saints, bringing years of experience, leadership, and winning culture from both the professional and university hockey ranks. In his role behind the bench, Stan will serve as a key member of Head Coach Martin Lachaine’s staff, leading the Saints defense core and overseeing much of the club’s special teams.
Stan’s positive energy, technical knowhow, and ability to build trust with players, brings a highly respected presence to the Saints organization. His knowledge of the game, combined with years of experience in winning environments, will contribute to successful team results for years to come.
“Stan’s success at some of the highest levels speaks for itself” said Saints head coach Martin Lachaine. “He understands what it takes to establish the proper team culture and brings a tremendous amount of experience and positivity to our organization. We believe he will have an enormous impact on both our players and the rest of our staff.”
Marple arrives in Spruce Grove with an extensive coaching and management resume that spans more than three decades. Internationally, he spent over 12 years coaching and managing with the Swindon Ice Lords of the British Premier League, and with the Guildford Flames of the British National League. Stan also played professionally in Europe for over a decade.
At the university level, Marple built an impressive legacy with the University of Alberta Golden Bears, where he spent nearly 20 years serving in various roles including head coach, assistant coach, general manager and player. His experience within one of Canada’s most successful university hockey programs further reinforces the level of excellence and professionalism he will bring to the Saints organization.
Marple’s appointment represents a true return to his roots. A former captain of the Saints organization during the 1988–1989 season, Stan now returns to the Saints family in a leadership role, bringing his journey full circle back to the organization where many of his hockey foundations were built.
In addition to his hockey operations responsibilities, Marple will also play a significant role in the business side of the organization as Director of Corporate Partnerships. During the offseason especially, Stan will lead corporate partnership initiatives and focus on revenue generation and business development opportunities for the Saints.
The Saints organization is excited about what lies ahead with Marple, and look forward to the experience, mentorship, and leadership he will bring to the Saints organization for years to come.
With the appointment of Stan Marple to the coaching staff, Boyd Olson will return full-time to his role as Director of Scouting for the Spruce Grove Saints organization. Boyd stepped into a prominent role with the coaching staff during the second half of last season when called upon to help lead the defense core and oversee the club’s penalty kill systems, contributing significantly to the team’s success and identity. His extensive background in professional and junior hockey as both a player and coach, combined with his long-standing experience within the Saints organization, makes him exceptionally suited to continue leading the Saints’ global scouting efforts. Boyd’s deep understanding of the Saints culture and his proven ability to identify high-character players will continue to play a major role in recruiting the next generation of Saints athletes for years to come.
-30-
