Skylands adds McCreary to coaching staff
July 13, 2016
The Skylands Junior Kings of the NA3HL are pleased to announce that they have added Bill McCreary III to the General Manager/Recruiting and Coaching roster of the NA3HL Team.
McCreary's duties will be on and off the ice as he heads up the Junior Organization from an Administrative and Coaching perspective.
"Billy is a great addition to our current staff," said Rita Mitchell, Skylands General Manager. "The experience and professionalism he brings to the Kings will not go unnoticed. He is well connected for recruiting and placing players and will no doubt add to the strength and success of what we already have going on at Skylands. I'm very excited for him to jump in and get us ready for our second season."
"I enjoy recruiting players from the Northeast corners of the United Stated and Canada. One of my responsibilities is taking these elite players and teaching them high-level hockey concepts within a team system. We then take these players and showcase their talents at some of the best and most highly scouted events in the World,” said McCreary.
McCreary, who is originally from Southampton, Ontario, is a former professional ice hockey defenseman. McCreary played junior hockey for the Texas Tornado of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). In the two seasons with the Tornado (2001-02 & 2002-03) he amassed 45 goals and 71 assists in 98 games.
McCreary then played college hockey for the Providence College Friars and Curry College Colonels both in the NCAA. His professional play includes time with the Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), as well as, the New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League (CHL).
McCreary won the SPHL Championship, as an assistant captain with the Huntsville Havoc in 2009-2010 when he had a scoring line of 2 goals and 30 assists with a team high 144 PIMS. The following season, Head Coach Randy Murphy, named Bill the Player/Assistant coach of the Huntsville Havoc. He retired in 2012 after a championship season with the New Jersey Outlaws in the Federal Hockey League. He was recalled by the Trenton Titans in the ECHL and played in 10 games there.
McCreary has a family history of hockey players starting with his Grandfather Bill McCreary Sr., Great Uncle Keith McCreary (Bill McCreary Sr.'s younger brother) and Father Bill McCreary Jr. who had both played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Also another Bill McCreary, Bill McCreary Sr. nephew, is a referee in the NHL as well as his son Mike McCreary who referees minor league hockey. He is also related to father and son Ron Attwell and Bob Attwell who both also played in the NHL.
His coaching career since retirement spans many teams including: Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), East Coast Selects, Portland Junior Pirates (USPHL- Elite), New Jersey Avalanche, Watchung Regional High School and much more.
