As a minor hockey player growing up in Saskatoon, Jason Becker was a wide-eyed student when he made the trek to Penticton to attend the renowned Okanagan Hockey School.
That time spent on the ice learning secrets from NHL pros obviously served him well. Becker went on to play five seasons as a WHL defenceman in Saskatoon, Red Deer, Kamloops and Swift Current and turned in a nine-year career playing pro hockey in Germany, the United Kingdom and the ECHL.
Playing the game that long also taught Becker how to coach and in 2012, three years after he retired as a player, he was hired as an assistant coach of the Prince George Cougars.
Now he's going back to school. Becker confirmed Wednesday he has left the Cougars after four-and-a-half seasons to return to Penticton as head coach of one of the Okanagan Hockey Academy's two midget prep teams.
"I'm looking forward to this opportunity, it's definitely sad to be leaving the Cougars and the city of Prince George but in terms of my development as a head coach it's time to move on and become a head coach somewhere," said Becker. "The Okanagan Hockey Academy was an opportunity I really couldn't pass up. This will only enhance my resume and hopefully one day in the near future I'm back in the Western League as a head coach."
The OHA began in Summerland in 1963 as the Okanagan Hockey School, founded by Larry Lund, who went on to play in the World Hockey Association for the Houston Aeros. The academy programs started in 2002, when it became known as the OHA, offering full-time hockey instruction and a residency program with billet families during the school year for players aged 13-18.
The academy now has seven full-time hockey programs - three midget under-18 teams, two bantam under-15 teams, an elite 15-year-old team and a female under 19 squad.
"It's about the kids being fully-engulfed in hockey, not just the on-ice and off-ice training but we're also looking at the mental training, and the nutrition part they get to learn," said Becker. "They work in co-ordination with [Penticton secondary school] to allow them to attain a level of education and get them the core courses they need but also get them proper time to train. Training is within normal school hours, not late at night.
"It gives them an idea what it might be like if they go on to junior hockey. I think every coach that's been there has been either a professional hockey player of a professional coach and they're willing to share their ideas with each other and help develop the kids to get them ready for their next step in the hockey world."
The 40-year-old Becker, who holds a degree in human geography from the University of Saskatchewan, served two seasons as an assistant under Mark Holick, who replaced Dean Clark as head coach in January 2012.
"The Western League is not only about developing players, it's about developing coaches," said Becker. "I've learned my trade as an assistant coach and now take the teachings I've had from Dean and Mark and apply them to my trade as a head coach in Penticton. Hopefully I'll have the success they've had in the Western League at one time."
Becker has been active in organizing the Cougars Alumni Association and will take part in the team's alumni tournament at Prince George Golf and Curling Club, July 18-19, his final official duty with the team before he leaves for Penticton.
Becker and his wife Jaime have a nine-year-old daughter, Bella, and a seven-year-old son, Braxton.
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