The Fargo Force Have Announced Chad Demers As Associate Head Coach

     After a one year stint coaching D1 College hockey, Chad Demers is returning to Fargo. He previously served as Assistant Coach, Director of Scouting, and Associate Head Coach for the Force. In his first go-around in Fargo, Demers helped guide the franchise to a 57-36-7-2 record that included a Western Conference Championship title and Clark Cup finals appearance in the 2020-21 season.

     Demers served as the Director of Hockey for the Air Force Academy in the 2021-22 season. The Falcons finished their season with a 16-17-3 overall record and an 11-12-3 conference record. AFA earned a first round bye then swept third-seeded Army in the quarterfinals. The Falcons also beat fourth-seeded RIT 4-3 in the semifinals, before losing to top-seeded AIC in the conference championship game.

     Fargo Force President Jon Kram had high praise for Demers saying, “Chad was a skilled player and strong leader for both the Force and Air Force. His knowledge and passion for the game is apparent, and he was beloved by both players and staff during his time here in Fargo. It’s a pretty unique opportunity to have two alumni who played together serving as Head and Associate Head Coach, we are very excited to see what the future holds.”

     Demers is a Grafton, N.D., native who played for the Force from 2008-2011. He served as the team Captain during the 2010-11 season. While with the Force he played in 117 total games, racking up 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 total points. Demers played a pivotal role in helping the franchise to its first two Western Conference Championships and Clark Cup Finals appearances. After his time playing in Fargo, Demers went on to play four years of D1 College Hockey at the Air Force Academy.

     After the announcement, Demers voiced his pleasure in returning to Fargo to be the Force’s Associate Head Coach saying, “My family and I are thrilled to be returning to the Fargo-Moorhead Area. This organization has been a major part of my life in hockey both as a player and as a coach, and this community is a special place to be a part of. The opportunity to coach alongside my good friend and former Force teammate, Nick Oliver, is something that doesn’t come along very often in this business. I’m grateful to the entire Force organization for their support and I cannot wait to get started on this new challenge.”

     While playing at the Air Force Academy, Demers tied the school record with 156 consecutive games played. He tallied 48 goals and 78 assists for 126 total points for the Falcons. A two-time academic all-conference selection, he also served as the AFA team captain in his senior season. Demers earned the Jim Bowman Award that same season as the team’s top scholar athlete and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award which recognizes excellence in the classroom, community, character, and competition.