By Michael Pavitt

Canada were bronze medal winners at the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi ©Getty ImagesKen Babey has been named as the new head coach of Canada's ice sledge hockey team, it has been confirmed, with Ron Choules and Herve Lord completing the new set up as assistant coaches.


As head coach Babey will take control of the team for the 2014 to 2015 season, including the 2015 World Sledge Hockey Challenge on home ice in Leduc and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Ice Sledge Hockey World Championship in Buffalo, USA.

Babey, 60, spent 27 years as the head coach of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology men's ice hockey team, ending his career as the most successful coach in Canadian post-secondary hockey history.

He also served as head coach of the Canada National Men's Summer under-18 team at the 2000 Four Nations Cup, winning a gold medal at the tournament.

Ken Babey will be the head coach of the Canadian ice sledge hockey team for the next year ©Hockey CanadaKen Babey will be the head coach of the Canadian ice sledge hockey team for the next year ©Hockey Canada



"We are beginning a new four-year Paralympic cycle this season, and we could not be more excited about this coaching staff," said Shawn Bullock, Senior Manager of hockey operations and the men's national teams with Hockey Canada, after the announcement of Babey's appointment.

"Ken and Ron bring knowledge and success from a number of different levels of the game, and when combined with Herve's understanding of, and passion for sledge hockey, this is the right group to lead Canada's national sledge hockey team this season."

Canada were bronze medal winners at the Sochi 2014 Paralympics and will be the defending champions at the IPC Sledge Hockey World Championships having beaten the United States in the 2013 final, hosted in Goyang, South Korea.

The 2015 edition will see Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia and US battle for the title from April 24 to May 2.

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