Culture of accountability triggers Nanaimo Buccaneers’ dramatic turnaround

NanaimoNewsNOW caught up with Bill Bestwick this week, in his first year as head coach and general manager of the Buccaneers.

He leads a completely new coaching and managerial staff overseeing the junior A tier 2 club.

Formerly a highly accomplished, long tenured head coach with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, four-term city councillor and prior scout for the St. Louis Blues, Bestwick even surprised himself by pressing pause on retirement earlier this year.

After being approached repeatedly to connect with Bucs owner Nicole Brandenburg, Bestwick obliged and following a series of meetings he was formally hired last March.

“I couldn’t say no to somebody that cares so much,” Bestwick said, who emphasized how passionate Brandenburg is for the organization and community.

Bestwick was folding laundry for the players as they began trickling into their designated dressing room at the Nanaimo Ice Centre two-and-a-half hours prior to a 7 p.m. practice on Wednesday, Oct. 9

While returning behind a hockey bench and doing laundry for players was not on his bingo card, Bestwick said the ride has been well worth it.

“It might turn out to be one of the best decisions in hockey I’ve ever made,” he said with a smile.

Ironically, Bestwick played for the original Buccaneers organization more than 50 years ago in the early 1970’s.

Buccaneers head coach and general manager Bill Bestwick, born and raised in Nanaimo, is a constant fixture around the team’s dressing room/office at the Nanaimo Ice Centre (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Bestwick worked with Brandenburg to enhance the team’s locker room, including improved flooring, a fresh coat of paint, ice baths, and gym equipment.

In addition to support from ownership, the Buccaneers are backed by what Bestwick called an exceptional coaching and office staff.

He said coaching with his son Brett, former Nanaimo Clippers standout AJ Gale, and help from other former players has been instrumental.

“I wouldn’t be sitting here and our team wouldn’t be successful if they weren’t here, make no mistake about that,” Bestwick said.

Buccaneers players routinely show up at the rink to workout, bond in the dressing room and immerse themselves in bettering themselves as athletes and people, Bestwick said.

While winning games makes a big difference, Bestwick says their team has “completely bought in” to coaching staff messaging and that they have the full trust of their players.

So far, Bestwick said morale has been high.

“We’re winning that battle right now, there’s no issues with our culture, it’s absolutely fantastic.”

Bestwick said it has been an honour helping to restore an organization he once played for.

“I didn’t come here to try and make it better, that was never an objective for me. The objective for me was to make it the best.”

Bill Bestwick pictured in 1971 when he played for the original Nanaimo Buccaneers organization before advancing to the BCHL’s Clippers. (Submitted photo)

Assistant coach AJ Gale played on the Clippers for Bestwick for parts of four seasons as a talented offensive leader.

Gale said Bestwick’s dedication to excellence set the stage for what’s been an inspiring organization to be associated with.

“Its just been remarkable and super fun to be a part of.”

Gale said he’s been struck by the detailed-oriented approach by Bestwick, which he stated spreads throughout the organization.

“It can also be just subtle changes in terms of structure, process, buy-in, attitude and all of those key changes that really hone-in on the team,” Gale said.

The Bucs coaching staff includes mentor and skills development coach Tyler Gow, who helps run practices.

Brody Lindal & Kenneth Boychuk
A high-end recruit who’s leading the team in scoring with 11 points in eight games, 19-year-old forward Brody Lindal had plenty of other options besides advancing his career with the Buccaneers.

He was sold on Bestwick’s recruiting pitch, who vowed that the Buccaneers program was destined for better days.

“We’ve really switched the culture from the one-win to a team that’s sitting top three in our division. It’s just a mindset switch and it comes from Bill Bestwick,” Lindal said.

Brody Lindal has infused an offensive spark to lead the Bucs in points so far this season. (Damon James/Island Images Photography)

Lindal, who grew up in Victoria and spent the last several years in Melbourne, Australia, said the coaching staff drills home the importance of doing everything the right way.

“If they say you have to have something done a certain you have to do it because once you hit the real world it’s not going to fly not doing it correctly.”

Forward Kenneth Boychuk played for the Buccaneers for parts of the previous two seasons.

He said differences between the Buccaneers’ past and present are night and day.

“We have more staff, we have a known winning coach, our assistant coaches were high level players,” Boychuk said. “When you’re at the rink you feel like a pro, it’s a professional environment.”

Darian Feser
In his last year of junior hockey eligibility, goaltender Darian Feser fully admitted his confidence has been tested playing the past two seasons tending the Buccaneers crease.

The 6’4” netminder playing in his hometown was used to facing a constant barrage of high-end scoring chances with little defensive support.

“My job has been made so much more simple,” Feser said. “I can only think of one turnover in our zone. It really does make a difference.”

Veteran goaltender Darian Feser has been instrumental to the Bucs success this season. (Damon James/Island Images Photography)

Feser has a 6-2 record with two shutouts.

“It’s incredible, it just feels so good. Especially this being my last year…We can compete with anyone if we show up. I truly believe we can win a championship this year, that would be the long goal,” Feser said.

Phil and Brenda Levesque
The Buccaneers exist in the Harbour City because of Phil and Brenda Levesque, who tirelessly advocated to land an expansion franchise for the 2012/13 season.

Despite legitimate concerns about limited arena ice availability in Nanaimo, the Buccaneers were an immediate hit in the first year, winning the league’s North Division regular season title.

After six seasons of establishing the Buccaneers as one of the benchmark VIJHL franchises, the Levesques opted to sell the team.

The organization would change hands two more times in subsequent years.

The Bucs spiraled down the standings, pushing the team to last place finishes each of the last five seasons.

Phil said they have been to very few games in recent years.

He occasionally checked in on the team’s webcast feed.

“I had to shut it off, I couldn’t watch it anymore.”

He called Brandenburg an exceptionally kind, hard-working person, who’s committed to charting a positive path forward for the team.

“She’s got the right people now and when you’re with Bill Bestwick and those boys, there’s no second fiddle, it’ll be their way and they’re going to start winning…I might even go to a few games myself and yell at the refs haha.”

Under the Levesque’s watch, the team compiled a regular season record of 142-100-24 over six seasons (2012/13 – 2017/18) culminating within one win of reaching the league championship series in 2018. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

The Bucs’ woes in recent years wore on Brenda Levesque.

She said it had been been painful watching an organization they worked so hard to build up and nurture falter so badly.

“We spent two years convincing the City and BC Hockey to let us have a team in Nanaimo and to turn around and see the team struggle, it was difficult.”

Brenda said the Buccaneers revival is exciting for the team and local hockey community.

The Nanaimo Buccaneers play home games primarily on Thursday nights at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Next up for the Bucs is a Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 14 matchup against the visiting Comox Valley Glacier Kings at 12:30 p.m.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes

by Ian Holmes

Culture of accountability triggers Nanaimo Buccaneers’ dramatic turnaround

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