June 10, 2010

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL today announced that Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Larry Courville has been signed to a contract extension with the organization. Per team rules, terms of the contract extension were not released. This past season, Courville led the Royals to a team-record forty-seven total wins in his first full season as a head coach. The team, which advanced to the American Conference Finals before being eliminated by the eventual Kelly Cup Champion Cincinnati Cyclones, won more playoff games (10) than any team in the nine year history of the Royals.

“We’re extremely pleased to have Larry returning as our head coach,” said Gordon Kaye, the Royals’ General Manager. “Last season, the team made the single best turnaround from year-to-year ever, and it goes without saying that Larry’s leadership was a substantial element in our team’s success. At the same time, I know Larry feels that there is unfinished business from last season, and he has earned the opportunity to complete that challenge.”

“I’m excited to be returning to the Royals,” said Courville. “To say the least, last season was an eventful year and a tremendous learning experience. Although no one was pleased with the way the season ended, I was extremely proud of the way our club came together at the end of the season to earn a playoff spot and put together an extended post-season run. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our fans for all of their support, and I look forward to the challenge of bringing our town the championship it deserves.”

Courville, who took over the reigns of the Royals mid-way into the 2008-09 season, has compiled a record of 52-48-4-6 (.518) in 110 regular season games as the team’s head coach. He is the sixth head coach in the nine year history of the team. Only Karl Taylor (216) and Derek Clancey (144) have coached more regular season games for the Royals than Courville.

A third round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 1995, Courville played in more than 600 pro hockey games, including 33 in the National Hockey League with the Canucks. During his pro playing career, Courville, who served as team captain in six of his nine full-time playing seasons, racked up over three hundred points and a thousand penalty minutes. Prior to turning pro, Courville, who was born in Timmins, Ontario, was twice a member of Team Canada Gold Medal championships in international play, including the 1995 World Junior U-20 Championship, during which he played an integral role on his home country’s team that went undefeated during the world’s premiere amateur tournament.

Courville played all or parts of five different seasons with the Royals, starting with a short stint during the team’s inaugural year (2001-02) and culminating with ten games played on an ‘as-needed’ basis during the 2007-08 season. In addition to earning the respect of his teammates and the admiration of the fans in Reading for his gritty and relentless style of play, Courville also received the Royals’ Unsung Hero Award at the conclusion of the 2004-05 season and the team’s Heart Award in 2005-06. On October 22, 2006, Courville became the first person ever inducted into the Reading Eagle Wall of Honor at the Sovereign Center, which honors members of the Royals’ organization who have made distinctive contributions to the success of the team. Larry and his wife, Shannon, and their two young daughters and infant son, currently reside in Palmyra, Pennsylvania.

Season Tickets for the 2010-11 season are now available. To become a part of Royals hockey, call 610-898-PUCK or log onto www.royalshockey.com.