Former University of Maine assistant captain Dan Kerluke is the new Bangor High School hockey coach and he is already looking forward to the challenge of his first coaching job.

“It’s fantastic. I’m very excited about it. I’ve got practices already outlined,” said the 25-year-old Kerluke, who was nominated for the position by Bangor Superintendent of Schools Sandy Ervin and was approved by the Bangor School Committee on Tuesday night.

Forty-two-year-old Ted Taylor, who teaches earth science at Bangor High and has coached at the youth level for the past six years, was named his assistant.

Kerluke doesn’t know a lot about the Bangor program but is familiar with some of the players.

“I know they finished in the middle of the pack last year,” said Kerluke. “I saw some of the kids at [University of Maine hockey camp] this summer and I saw a lot of good things from them. They were hard workers and they had talent.

“I’ve been on a lot of winning teams and I want to keep that going. I want to bring the success we had at the University of Maine to the Bangor program,” added Kerluke. “I’ve been playing since I was 4 and I’ve had a lot of great coaches. [Late former Maine coach] Shawn Walsh was, by far, the best of them. He was a great mentor to have.”

“[Kerluke and Taylor will be] a great tandem,” said Ervin. “I like Dan’s attitude a great deal. He’s squared away when it comes to knowing how a hockey player should behave on and off the ice. He’s a respectful young man who will expect the same from his players.

“Ted is a superlative teacher who has proven his ability to be able to work with young people. He’s a wonderful individual,” added Irvin.

“I think our players will play very, very hard and Dan and Ted will be excellent role models. Our players are going to be challenged on and off the ice,” said Irvin.

He wasn’t concerned that Kerluke didn’t have any previous coaching experience.

“That won’t be a factor. He has tremendous hockey experience and great hockey sense. He knows his ‘Xs’ and ‘Os.’ The issue, if there is one, is he hasn’t worked with young people this age. On the other hand, he knows how the game is played and Ted has a great deal of experience,” said Irvin.

Kerluke is a native of Brampton, Ontario, and amassed 54 goals and 54 assists in 152 career games at Maine.

Maine was 95-41-20 in his four seasons, played in two Frozen Fours and won a national championship in 1999.

Kerluke graduated from Maine with a degree in new media two years ago and had 11 goals and 16 assists in 63 games for the Idaho Steelheads and Fresno Falcons in the West Coast Hockey League last season.

He won the WCHL title with Fresno.

Kerluke said he will spend a lot of time on defense and skill development and will instill the work ethic that has been the trademark of the program at Maine.

He will be a disciplinarian and said he doesn’t anticipate having any major problems because he will insist on establishing respect.

“You have to have disciplined players to make things work,” said Kerluke.