After 17 years behind the bench for the Moose Jaw Generals, head coach and General Manager Ray Wareham announced that he will be stepping down as head coach and focusing more on a managerial role.

Wareham says that although he's stepping down as head coach, he's not leaving the organization.

"I think I'm going to step down from coaching and hopefully just manage the team and get fresh faces in here and see what happens. I've got some other irons in the fire, it's been a long time here. I'm looking forward to the new adventures ahead. My plan is to stay on as manager and to help the new guys that come in the next couple of years and then go from there."

The Moose Jaw Generals finished the regular season with a 17-24-2-1 record, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. Although this past season didn't go the way Wareham would have liked, he still has lots of people to thank.

"I'd like to thank all the staff who have been here with me through the 17 years here in Moose Jaw. They've been tremendous obviously and I couldn't have done it without them. Personally, I'd just like to thank all of them, some of them have been with me since day 1."

We asked Wareham about some of his favourite memories over his time as head coach.

"The little run we had in the playoffs a couple years ago when nobody expected us to do anything, we got to the semifinals, game 5 and just missed out losing by a goal. The tournaments at the Prince Albert Ice Mania way back early in the days, and the two we won out in Richmond."