Hockey: Nationals name new coach

WHITEFISH — The Glacier Nationals hockey team announced Kyle Bailey as its new head coach on Thursday, replacing Joakim Falt to become the second head coach in team history. He will head the team as it transitions from the former America West Hockey League to the North American Tier III Hockey League (NA3HL) in 2014-15.

Bailey was an assistant with the Bozeman Ice Dogs last season and was with the Kenai River (Alaska) Brown Bears of the NAHL, the parent organization of the NA3HL, from 2011-13. An Anchorage, Alaska native, Bailey played two seasons with Bozeman before advancing to Lindenwood (Mo.) University, where he won two ACHA national championships in 2009-10. He moved back to Alaska after graduation to begin his coaching career with the Brown Bears.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity,” Bailey said. “I’m excited to get there and get the ball rolling.”

Nationals owner and general manager Butch Kowalka said Bailey’s experience coaching, recruiting and playing in the NAHL was a key to the hire.

“With Kyle's experiences as both a player and a coach in the NAHL and the USHL, he is a natural choice to lead the team as we join the NA3HL” Kowalka said.

“It is our stated goal to create a seamless network for our players to be developed for the NAHL as well as recruit from the NAHL. Kyle brings that know-how and those relationships to the Nationals. That is a huge advantage for our players.”

The Nationals were 19-28-1 last season in their first full year in the AWHL. The AWHL was absorbed by the NA3HL in March and will constitute the Frontier Division of the 28-team conference in 2014-15.