JANESVILLE, WI – The Janesville Jets, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), today announced changes to the coaching staff. Head coach Corey Leivermann has accepted the role of associate head coach with the Madison Capitols of the United States Hockey League (USHL), and will transition out of his Jets role this month.
The Jets have hired Parker Burgess as head coach, and promoted former assistant coach Lennie Childs to a new role of associate head coach. President and majority owner Bill McCoshen, general manager Joe Dibble, and owner Joe Pavelski led the hiring process.
“It has been a tremendous three years in Janesville,” said Leivermann. “I have learned a lot during my time, and am extremely thankful to the Jets ownership group for giving me an opportunity to be a part of and lead this organization. I am indebted to Joe Dibble, Gary Shuchuk, and Lennie Childs for teaching me and growing me, not only as a hockey coach, but as a person. I am excited to start a new chapter of my coaching career, and look forward to continuing my relationship with the Jets as a member of the Capitols. I want to give a special thank you to everyone who welcomed me into the Janesville community in 2017. I can’t thank enough the ownership group, hockey operations, business operations, billets, sponsors, fans, and players for making the past three seasons in Janesville unforgettable.”
Over the course of June, Leivermann, Burgess, and Childs will work together to facilitate a smooth transition. The new roles and responsibilities for Burgess and Childs will be fully assumed by the Jets’ pre-draft camp in Crystal Lake, Illinois, beginning on June 26.
Burgess, 35, joins the Jets from Nichols College of the NCAA’s Commonwealth Coast Conference, where he served as head coach of the Bison since 2015. He guided the Bison to a 74-48-13 record in his five seasons, won the 2017-18 CCC Championship, and helped the program reach a national ranking as high as #7 in March of 2018. Previous to his role with Nichols College, the native of Red Deer, Alberta, spent four seasons with his alma mater, the University of St. Thomas, as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator.
“I am excited and honored to represent the Jets organization and the Janesville community,” said Burgess. “I would like to offer my sincere appreciation to Bill McCoshen, Joe Pavelski, and Joe Dibble for this incredible opportunity. I am thrilled to get the chance to work with and coach alongside Lennie Childs. I am very fortunate to be a part of an organization where I am surrounded by so many great people and so much support.
“It is my intention to bring passion, positivity, and a relentless work ethic as head coach of the Jets. Our focus will be to develop players, advance players, and build a strong culture while pursuing our goal of bringing a Robertson Cup to Janesville. The Janesville Jets’ brand is one of the most highly-regarded in all of junior hockey, and it is our job now to continue to enhance that brand and positively represent the city of Janesville. My wife, Jessie, is a Wisconsin native, and we are excited about getting back to the Midwest and immersing ourselves in the Janesville community.”
“Parker Burgess brings a wealth of head coaching experience from the NCAA level to the Jets,” said McCoshen. “His head coaching experience will serve our organization and our players extraordinarily well. We have a strong core of returning players, and the combination of Parker and Lennie will ensure we give our players the best opportunity to develop and gain exposure to NCAA D1 schools. We also believe we have the staff and roster to position the Jets for an opportunity to win the Robertson Cup next spring.”
Childs’ promotion emphasizes his importance to the organization, and will assign him responsibilities beyond those required from his role as assistant coach, which he began in November 2018.
“I want to thank the Jets organization for their trust in me as a coach and person,” said Childs. “I am beyond excited to work with Parker in our pursuit to propel this program to new heights.”
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