Calgary Surge 2024 Season Preview Part I: Who's Running the Ship?

Nelson Terroba has left the Surge and Tyrell Vernon has taken over.

Will Rooney and Awet Abraha converse during the 2023 CEBL championship (photo by Ethan Bomhof)

Last summer, the Calgary Surge wrote their first chapter. It was perfect. Well, almost perfect.

They made it all the way to the CEBL championship final at Langley Events Centre, falling just shy of the ultimate prize and losing to the Scarborough Shooting Stars 82-70.

I’m sure Chairman Usman Tahir Jutt, President Jason Ribeiro, General Manager Shane James, former head coach Nelson Terroba and all the players have replayed Scarborough’s Kalif Young tipping in the game-winning bucket over and over. I surely have.

Nothing can change history; a new season is upon us and a lot has changed since August 13th’s championship. The Calgary Surge are calling their second campaign in the CEBL the “Encore.” However, this time hoping to end the season with a ring on their finger.

Just days away from the season tipping off, there is no time to waste on getting to know the 2024 Calgary Surge and what we can expect when the team hits the court at Scotiabank Saddledome on May 21. With 2023 in the rearview mirror, let’s get the 2024 season preview started! In part one of the preview, let’s take a look at who is coaching up our team this year.

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The coaches huddle for the first start of day one of Surge training camp (Photo via Jesse Tamayo / CalgarySurge on Instagram)

New face on the sideline

After a phenomenal first year, Nelson Terroba was rewarded with a contract extension on December 7. Unfortunately for Calgary, a new opportunity for Terroba was presented to him just a few months later and he couldn’t turn it down. The Austin, Texas native returned to his home state to become an assistant coach of the Rice University Owls men's basketball program. I can’t help but feel happy for Coach Terroba. He’s a great coach and an even better man; I wish him the best of luck with the Owls.

That’s the reality of this business. GM Shane James had to act fast to fill the vacancy. He turned to the team’s senior advisor Steve Konchalski for help and was directed to Tyrell Vernon. Vernon succeeded Konchalski as head coach for the St. FX X-Men men’s coach in 2021 and has done an exemplary job since then. Vernon was named Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the X-Men to the AUS championship. The X-Men also scored the U SPORTS silver medal, bringing the Carleton Ravens to overtime but ultimately fell defeated. In 2023-24, the X-Men finished first in the AUS regular standings; They ranked second last in offensive efficiency but first defensive efficiency. For most of the team stats, Vernon and St. FX were middle of the pack in the AUS but finished 12-8, perching them atop the conference standings. Given the statistical ambiguity, it is extremely difficult to assess Vernon’s recent performances. Nevertheless, the transition from Konchalski’s long-time standing as bench boss to handing the ropes to Vernon has gone very smoothly with the X-Men remaining a top program in the country.

Vernon and the X-Men fell to Dalhousie in the AUS championship this past season but that was no slight on Vernon’s resume. If Surge fans are concerned about the change of leadership, don’t be. Vernon, a product of Hamilton, Ont., is a winner. He knows the league and knows how to win. He was an assistant coach on the Scarborough Shooting Stars in 2023. Vernon is also bringing his assistant coach Tyrone Watson from Antigonish to the Surge’s coaching staff. I do not know much about Vernon and Watson, but I am familiar with U SPORTS basketball. They are no stranger to elite hoops. I, along with many Surge supporters, felt a little uneasy when Nelson Terroba departed and management had to quickly replace him. The hiring of Tyrell Vernon settled that anxiety and I am looking forward to how he orchestrates the 2024 edition of the team.

The rest of the basketball operations staff is almost the same as 2023, which is great news. 2022 CEBL champion Will Rooney returns as the lead assistant. University of Calgary assistant Kyle Landry is also back on the bench and will be a big impact for the team’s forwards.

The rest of the support system remains virtually the same with one exception. Calgary basketball icon and former Dino star David Kapinga has been named the Old’s College Broncos men's basketball head coach and will not be a part of the Surge’s staff this season. Congratulations David! I remember watching him as a member of the Dinos a few years ago. Had the Surge existed back then, Kapinga would’ve definitely been a key player for them.

Fear not! Another Calgary University basketball legend returns to the Surge staff. Awet Abraha is back with the Surge for the 2024 season. Abraha, a former player of the MRU Cougars and now assistant coach at Mount Royal, headed up video coaching and player development for the Surge last season. This year he received the title: “Assistant coach and Manager of team operations.” I don’t want to speak for Awet but that sounds like a promotion! Over the past year, I’ve witnessed Abraha’s excellence in coaching both with the Surge and MRU. He has a knack with being able to connect with the players while also asserting himself as a leader and teacher. I’m glad to see him back with Calgary’s CEBL team.

Filling out the of the staff are Dean Haidar and David Francis. Both are leaders in the basketball community. Haidar was an unofficial member of the staff with the Surge last season but was still a huge part of the team. This year, he is head of video and a part of player development. Alongside Haidar in player development is David Francis. The former SAIT assistant coach and current CYDC coach held the title “special assistant” last year with the Surge. In 2023, Francis was always staying late at practice, helping the players develop their game. He takes the title of “player development” this year.

Of course, leading the way are General Manager Shane James and Assistant General Manager Mike Girling; both returning from 2023. James and Girling built a near-championship squad in his first season as GM and AGM. Given the result, Surge fans have to have faith in the pair going into the 2024 campaign. Both are intelligent, thoughtful and hold an impressive background in Canadian basketball. This regime can no doubt lead the Surge to a title.

Despite the abrupt change in head coach, the Calgary Surge have no reason to not perform at the same level that they did in 2023. Shane James and Tyrell Vernon are both winners and can be trusted to push the Surge over the finish line to avenge the loss in 2023.

Now that we’ve run down who’s choreographing the show, we need to know who will be donning the red, black and white uniforms. Stay tuned for part two of the season preview to find out!

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