The Dauphin Kings have hired a new marketing director.
Derrick Brucks joins the Kings after 12 years as a realtor in Saskatoon, Sask.
A native of Meadow Lake, Sask., Brucks played three seasons in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, one with the Saskatoon Titans, which later relocated and became the Kindersley Klippers. He also played two seasons with the North Battleford North Stars.
Following his playing days, Brucks played senior hockey in his hometown for a few years. After an injury ended his playing career, Brucks went behind the bench to become the head coach Meadow Lake’s senior team and also spent time as the general manager for a couple of years.
Brucks’s wife lives in Dauphin and he has been commuting between Dauphin and Saskatoon.
“I was actually excited to get to a smaller community. It’s kind of a closer community connection,” he said. “The city was great, but my roots, my heart is in a smaller place where you have more personal touch with the businesses and people.”
Brucks started, June 6, and has been settling in, acclimatizing himself to the job. There has been a lot to learn, he said.
“I’m just starting getting my feet wet with the job,” he said. “I absolutely love it. I think the businesses, the community here is amazing. I think they give great support to the Kings, but I think all the businesses have great support for Ukrainian Festival, Countryfest, I think for all events.”
One of the challenges Brucks faces in his new job will be to put more people in the stands. Fans, he said, want a game experience, noting there is a lot of entertainment that can be enjoyed at home.
“So I think we’re going to have some great intermission ideas. Maybe some different sponsorship nights to bring people to the game,” he said.
The season ticket drive, Brucks noted, will begin in July and registrations are now open for the team’s skills and development camp, Aug. 15 to 19, at Credit Union Place.
Brucks is looking forward to meeting fans and sponsors and showing off what the Kings will have next season, on and off the ice.
“The Kings are a big part of the community and, hopefully, we can help through the schools and any of the businesses. We want them out there in the public,” he said, adding the sponsorship drive for next season will begin within the next couple of weeks.
“It costs a lot of money to run hockey clubs and we just want to thank all the local businesses again for their amazing support throughout the years. Kings president Ashley Shaw said Brucks will bring a lot to the team and the board is excited he joined the organization. “He’s a great guy. He’s very personable. I think he’s going to be very wonderful in our community,” she said. “He’s going to be somebody that our fans and sponsors can approach at any time. I think he’s going to bring a lot to our organization.”
