The Blackfalds Wranglers season came to an end with a 4-1 loss to the Airdrie Thunder in Game 4 of their second-round HJHL playoff series.

“I was proud of them. That’s two good teams .... we put in a good effort tonight,” said head coach Sean Neumeier. “They got a lot of firepower. Like I said going into the series, they can score goals.”

Neumeier also announced he would be stepping down as head coach to spend more time with his young family.

“It’s too much to be away. It’s a stressful job too. If anybody thinks they can do it, I encourage them to come give it a try. A lot of long hours and a lot of stress,” he said.

“I love this organization. For any young player, it’s a great place to play. I’ll miss it for sure.”

Second period action between the Wranglers and Thunder.

In more than five years behind the bench, the team has won a provincial championship and a bronze medal at the Keystone Cup.

But he said the job was about more than just commanding a group of 16 to 21 year olds on the ice.

“You’ve got to make these kids good people too. You have to hold them accountable, you have to praise them … it’s not just hockey. You can tell what a person’s like when they play the game. You can tell their character on their ice, what it’s going to be off the ice,” he said.

“I try to give them as much life experience and demand the most out of them as I can possibly get.”