Interview with Greg Walters, New Head Coach of the Spitfires, Part 1 of 2
Editor’s note: John Humphrey, In Play! Magazine’s Ontario Hockey League editor, is back to cover both the OHL and the Windsor Spitfires for the 2024-2025 OHL season. This is the first installment of a two-part interview with Greg Walters, the new head coach of the Spitfires. Humphrey spoke to Walters following the Spits’ 12-2 romp over the Kitchener Rangers in Windsor’s home opener and before the team’s second home game against the Soo Greyhounds on October 3.
Greg Walters in the new head coach of the Windsor Spitfires, having been named to the post in July of this year. The 48-year-old Calgary-born Walters brings plenty of experience to Windsor, having served as an assistant coach of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting and the head coach of both the Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack
Prior to launching his coaching career, Walters patrolled left-wing for three seasons, starting in 1987-88, with the OHL’s Ottawa 67s. He was drafted in the 4th round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft before embarking on a 17-season minor pro hockey career as a player.In Play! Magazine – “Why were theWindsor Spitfires a good fit for you to join as a head coach? Or why was this a good time for you to join the windsor spitfires as head coach?”
Greg Walters – “I’ve known (Spitfires general manager) Bill Bowler for years and also know what a great franchise and tremendous hockey city that Windsor is. When the Spits’ head coach position opened up, I called Billy to express my interest and I went through the interview process. I was thrilled to be offered the job and look forward to helping this franchise and this team grow and get back to being a chanpionship contender again.
“I knew coming in that there is some rebuilding that has to be done but the team is definitely headed in the right direction. Take a look at the tremendous job that Billy and (Spits Director of Scouting and Hockey Operations) did in acquiring players through the 2024 OHL Priority Selection and add the players we have returning and you quickly realize that we are going to get better quickly.
“We have a young team this season but we will be better and we are going to be even better in the seasons to come.
In Play! Magazine – “What characteristics, or what style of play, can we expect from a Windsor Spitfire team coached by Greg Walters?”
Greg Walters – “I think that teams that I coach start out with being well-structured and we’re going to be a hard-working Spitfire team. I like my team to be solid when it comes to following sytems and I like to be defensively- responsible and not give up too many odd-man rushes.
“This is going to be a Windsor Spitfire team that plays with a physical edge in all areas of the ice. There are always two games within a game – one is when we have the puck and the other is when we don’t have the puck. We will be physically-involved during all games.
“Our team is not going to be out-worked very often either.”
In Play! Magazine – “In light of the team’s initial success so far this season, is it difficult to restrain the excitement and optimism not only of Windsor hockey fans but of Spitfire management and players as well?”
Greg Walters – “We had some success in the pre-season (the Spitfires went undefeated in five games) and we’ve carried that over into the first three games (2-0-1) of the regular season and we’ve done it without a full lineup so far. And yes, we’ve done well up to this point but it is just the beginning of the process of learning how to improve and win.
“You have to take not only losing, but also winning in stride. Our players are doing well in adapting to new systems being implemented and a new head coach too.
“Our leadership group (team captain Liam Greentree and assistant captains Ryan Abraham, Anthony Cristofaro and AJ Spellacy (who will be making his season debut against the Soo Greyhounds on October 3) have been outstanding in helping the younger guys adapt to the OHL so quickly and these kids already at home so much already.
“That also contributes to our solid play so far.”
In Play! Magazine – “Are there areas of the teams’ overall play that still need improvement?”
Greg Walters “We have to have our five players who are out on the ice be on the same page defensively at all times whether that is our rush coverage or clearing the zone or getting above the puck in the offensive zone.
“There is always going to be room for improvement and we’re always working to get better in all areas of the game.
“We are going to score a lot of goals this season and we have to make sure that we also responsible defensively.”
In the second installment of SPITFIRE SPOTLIGHT with Greg Walters, the team’s new bench boss will recall his decades of memories from both playing and coaching against the Spitfires at the venerable Windsor Arena in addition to coaching against Windsor’s Memorial Cup-winning teams at the WFCU Centre.
Part 2 of 2 of this interview can be found HERE.