At the Melfort Mustangs Annual General on Wednesday, Aug 26, President Chad Elliott stepped down from his role with the team. However, Elliott will stay on as a director with the club.
Elliott was first elected as President of the Melfort Mustangs ahead of the 2019/2020 SJHL season after previously being the Vice-President.
“The experience of being President was good,” said Elliott. “It had its battles from start to finish but I gained a lot of knowledge about the hockey world and the community. Also meeting a lot of great people throughout the position. But in the end, I enjoyed all the time spent and one of the big reasons I will be remaining with the board.”
While COVID-19 played a major role in Elliott’s term as President, he said the Board of Directors and staff involved made it easier to work through.
“COVID is one of the things you wouldn’t have like anyone to have to deal with,” he said. “But we can’t always choose the challenges we are faced with. I’m not going to lie it was tough on everyone involved. Long hours of not knowing and planning for something you didn’t what it was going to bring at you next. Just when you thought you might be on top of it, it kicked you down. But we had a great group of people trying fight this. which we didn’t get one of our goals (players playing hockey) but we did get this organization through it and into a good spot for the coming season.”
It wasn’t all negative and COVID-19 related though, as Eliott said there was lots to enjoy about the position.
“The people and building long lasting relationships with them,” Elliott said. “Also to see this community and team come together to allow the players to do what they love. It takes a huge amount of people to this to happen from year to year. It was fun sitting back watching the team grow and also watching the people support it.”
His two years as President were also a learning experience for Elliott as he said he learned a lot more about the ins and outs of the organization, among plenty other things.
“We have a great community full of awesome people willing to help this team move from one year to the next,” he said. “Biggest thing I learned is watching over the whole organization and seeing what it takes to make this organization tick. From the office to players to all the things at the board level.”
Jordan Lee will take over as President of the club, and he said Elliott did an incredible job of “stick-handling through the pandemic”.
“Working as the Vice President for the past two years it was incredible to watch the commitment and dedication that he showed to trying to get us back on the ice,” Lee said. “I hope that I can live up to the high expectations that he delivered day in and day out as President over the last couple years. I am also glad he has chosen to stay on as a director which will make my transition much easier.”
The Mustangs would like to thank Chad Elliott for his time as President of the club and are excited to have him remain on the Board of Directors.