CODP Ice Hockey Coach Named
October 20, 2006

The Greater Springfield Community Olympic Development Program (CODP) has selected St. Paul, Minn. native Archie Bifulk (Bi-Folk) for its head hockey coach position.

Bifulk most recently held the title of Assistant Coach and Head Coach for the Springfield Spirit hockey team, a member of the North American Hockey League, before the team's move to Alaska in 2005. Remaining in the community, Bifulk has volunteered his time at the Jordan Valley Ice Park, assisting with coaching duties in the first-ever high school hockey program in Springfield.

Previous to his tenure in Springfield, Bifulk held positions as the Assistant Coach with the American West Tupelo T-Rex team; Head coach for the Colorado Outlaws AAA Midget Major hockey program; did undergraduate coaching for St. Cloud State University Men's Hockey program; and played for both the American Frontier Hockey League and Division I Ice Hockey for St. Cloud State University. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education, with a minor in Coaching, from St. Cloud State University.

The instructional site for boys and girls hockey will be the Jordan Valley Ice Park, under the Springfield-Greene County Park Board network of facilities. The Ice Park's Ice Hockey Director Al Valdivia will be the program's venue manager.

Springfield joins Minneapolis, Minn., as one of two cities to offer ice hockey sanctioned under the CODP. Springfield is one of 10 cities across the United States chosen as a CODP site. The foundation of the program is to provide year-round, sports-specific training programs, and high-quality coaches. The City also participates in three other USOC-sanctioned sports - volleyball, tennis and weightlifting for both boys and girls.

For more information, contact: Linda Dollar, CODP Program Manager, 874-2174 or 766-4472; or Jeff Cumley, Ice Park General Manager, 866-7444.