April 25, 2020
By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net
New Kansas City Mavericks Head Coach Tad O’Had is excited to run his own team for the first time in his career and work in the Kansas City area. O’Had was named to the post on April 13 becoming the Mavericks fifth head coach in franchise history.
Like many young coaches O’Had has moved around in order to move up the coaching ranks to his current role as a Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations. Unlike many young coaches O’Had moves even took him out of the United States all the way to Russia. Tad worked in Russia back in 2009 co-founding several Olympic training programs. O’Had calls his time in Russia as “A phenomenal experience.” Tad calls “the whole experience, talking with people running the academy and meeting one of his all-time favorite coaches in Russia, Pretty Special.”
Following a return to the United States and working the past seven seasons as an Assistant Coach with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, O’Had is ready for his new position in Missouri. The Mavericks are one of 26 teams in the league but Tad felt the opportunity in Kansas City was too good to pass up. O’Had feels when looking for a new opportunity “Look at the ECHL and go to a situation that has a foundation for success.” Tad saw firsthand the “Incredible support system in KC” on a Sunday when the Everblades played the Mavericks to complete a three-game set over a weekend.
In addition to the fan support O’Had saw up close he heard from former Mavericks players who raved about their experience in KC, the fans and the city. Tad feels the ECHL is a recruiting league and teams must replenish players. When it comes to the Mavericks Tad says “KC is a great destination to come to, ECHL is a young man’s league and you have to recruit against other ECHL teams.”
Before Coach O’Had can take his spot on the bench and coach the Mavericks to a win he must find players to form a team. The New Mavs will be built from the back forward according to Tad. He feels a focus on “Goaltending is due to defense wins championships”. Tad feels firmly that “Goaltenders are like pitchers in baseball and are so very important.” Coach plans on surrounding his goaltenders with quick defenseman for support. Fans who like offense won’t be disappointed as the new coach plans to “Play a fast tempo and excite the fans.”
Coach O’Had is wasting no time getting ready for his first group of Mavericks who will take the ice for the 2020-21 season. Coach is already contacting agents ready to find players who will come to KC and help the Mavericks win their first ECHL championship.
