The Calgary Roughnecks have tabbed a couple familiar faces as the building blocks of their new coaching staff.
The club announced Wednesday assistant Dave Pym has been promoted to head coach. He'll be joined behind the Riggers' bench by Curt Malawsky, a veteran forward who is hanging up his pads after a dozen pro campaigns.
Pym was an offensive assistant coach last season, when the Riggers won the National Lacrosse League title. He joined the Roughnecks organization four years ago as a scout.
"It has, and will continue to be, an honour and a wonderful privilege to work for owners, management and staff who share the same character, determination and hard work as that of the players who so proudly wear the Roughneck jersey," Pym said in a statement.
Pym lives in Sherwood Park, coaches the Edmonton Eclipse Jr. A team and will become the first Alberta-based instructor to serve as a head coach on the indoor lacrosse loop.
"We're pleased to finally get to the point where we can hire within Alberta a head coach with Dave Pym's qualities," said Roughnecks owner Brad Banister.
"He has been with our team for four years and we're pleased that we're finally going to be able to hire within the system of the Alberta Lacrosse Association."
Malawsky, 39, will also serve as the Roughnecks assistant general manager. He notched 260 goals and 277 assists in 159 career regular-season games in the NLL, and won his first championship ring last season.
"Curt and I are cut from a very similar cloth," Pym said.
"Curt is a warrior in this league and was rewarded this past May with the ultimate prize."
Pym is the only returning member of the Roughnecks coaching staff. Former head coach Troy Cordingley and assistant Terry Sanderson both resigned to be closer to their families in Ontario.
