Midwestern

Former Cyclones Trainer Joins OHL Rangers

A Listowel native is moving up the junior hockey ladder.

Trainer and athletic therapist Cory Birk, longtime member of the Listowel Cyclones, has taken on a full-time roll with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers. Birk says joining such a prestigious franchise is a dream come true.

"To do this with the Rangers, you know, I'm a Listowel boy, and the Kitchener Rangers were kind of my hometown team in terms of the OHL, I always used to watch them, and to now be a part of that is pretty surreal."

Birk has been with the Cyclones for 9 seasons, and says he will always be a lifelong Cyclones fan. He was named the OHA Trainer of the Year after the Cyclones won the Cherrey and Sutherland Cup last season. Birk says his 9 seasons with Listowel were invaluable in terms of getting him to this level, and he'll cherish all the success he enjoyed with the Cyclones.

"Back-to-back Cherrey Cups, and the Sutherland Cup last year, to be a part of that, from a trainer perspective and watch some of those kids that were there for 4, some even 5 years, and see them lift that trophy, you know that put a smile on my face to be a part of that, as well."

Birk will retain his full-time job at New Horizons Rehab Services in Listowel while taking on his new role with the Rangers. He says it's an exciting challenge, but he'll be helped by Rangers legendary trainer of 30 years, Dan Lebold.

"To now do that on essentially the next level and do it in Kitchener, I'll have a great mentor in Dan Lebold, who's been there over 20 plus years, and he's staying on in an equipment capacity. To have that mentor-ship from him, and have him pass on his knowledge from all those years of experience, that's something I need to take full advantage of for sure."

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