12:22pm Thursday 20th July 2006
By Guardian-series
AIMING for success this season will be the Lee Valley Lions ice hockey team, who have just appointed former European player Sergey Smolenko as head coach.
Ukrainian Smolenko, 41, is an experienced netminder and has previously coached the Eastern Stars ice hockey side.
He steps into the shoes of Lee Valley veteran Eddie Joseph, who will now be concentrating on coaching the junior lions.
Smolenko was able to see at first hand the array of promising youngsters the Lee Valley club have on their books, when the club held their first trials during the past fortnight.
Many of the rising stars of last term have returned, including Nicky Braithwaite and Paul O'Neill.
Last season's top scorer Scott Beeson is also back and there is a welcome for former Chelmsford U19 star Mark Saunders.
The club are to hold further trials on Tuesday July 25 and August 1, both starting at 7.30pm.
Anyone interested or for more information, visit the club's website on www.
leevalleylions.co.uk
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