By TRT Staff with notes from sixnationschiefs.blogspot.com
SIX NATIONS — As announced on March 13, John Tavares is leading the Six Nations Chiefs.
Chiefs president and general manager Duane Jacobs named Tavares head coach after he stepped down as the Major Series Lacrosse team’s head coach, heading into the 2023 season.
“We are pleased to announce that John Tavares will be our next head coach,” Jacobs said. “JT has been with us since 2018 and I felt he was the obvious choice to coach our team.”
After Rich Kilgour stepped down as the bench boss in January of 2020, Jacobs assumed the role while he searched for a more permanent head coach.
“We took our time in our search but it always came back JT,” Jacobs said. “I never intended to be the teams full-time head coach out of the pandemic, although I enjoyed doing it. My focus will be on GM and the operation side of things. Being GM and our coach for the last 20 years has been been a privilege, but I’m stepping back from my duties. I want do others things.”
Jacobs said over the years as a coach, Tavares has been very engaging with the players, communicates well and has their respect.
“JT is familiar with our organization, our players and our community and enjoys coaching our Six Nations style of play,” Jacobs said. “JT is a great competitor and that competitiveness has transcended behind the bench. He loves winning and that’s the bar our organization has established and all I want is for that to continue.”
Currently, Tavares is the head coach of the National Lacrosse League’s Buffalo Bandits. Last season he was a finalist for the Les Bartley Award, for NLL Coach of the Year.
