Head coach of West Kelowna Warriors to join Vancouver Giants in WHL
Published 5:30 pm Monday, August 3, 2026
Longtime head coach of the West Kelowna Warriors Simon Ferguson will be saying his goodbyes to the organization.
On Monday, Aug. 4, it was announced that Ferguson will be ending his six-year-long tenure as head coach as he has taken a position as an assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL.
“I would like to thank everyone in the West Kelowna Warriors organization for making my time here so rewarding. A special thank you to John Murphy and Rod Hume for their trust, support, and belief in me throughout my time with the organization. They set an incredibly high standard as owners and I believe they are truly the very best anyone could hope to work for. I’m also incredibly grateful to our players, staff, billets, volunteers, sponsors, and fans who made this such a special place to coach. While I’m excited for the opportunity to join the Vancouver Giants, West Kelowna will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’ll be cheering for the continued success of the Warriors,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson was named as the interim-head coach of the Warriors in 2020. During the 2020-21 season, the interim label was removed from his position.
During his time as head coach, Ferguson managed the team through 270 games, and had a winning percentage of 0.648.
Under Ferguson, the West Kelowna Warriors set a franchise record for wins in the regular season – with 40 wins – and got a Ron Boileau trophy for finishing first in the regular standings in the 2025-26 season. The Warriors had also made a trip to the BCHL Conference Finals in the 2021-22 season. Ferguson was also named as the BCHL Coach of the Year last season.
“We want to thank Simon for his time with the Warriors. He joined us over six years ago and through strong leadership instilled a culture that is consistent with our mission to win consistently, develop players for the next level, and give back to our community. I enjoyed building a strong relationship with Simon. He is a great hockey coach, and, importantly, a person of high character. We wish Simon and his family all the best as they begin this next chapter,” said John Murphy, owner and governor of the West Kelowna Warriors.
The Warriors are already searching for a new head coach, hopefully before the team’s training camp being on Sept. 4. In the meantime all hockey operations will be handled by current assistant coach, Wyatt Head, and director of scouting, Liam Blackburn.