BARRE, Vt. (WCAX) – It has been almost 14 years since the Barre Aud last hosted an ABA game, but the wait is almost over.
On Tuesday, the Vermont Coyotes held a press conference at the old barn to introduce themselves to the Central Vermont community. Vermont native and former pro basketball player and trainer Anthony Marques owns the new club. He officially announced the team’s hires at GM and head coach on Tuesday.
U-32 grad and Twinfield-Cabot coach Kris Bador will take the reins as general manager and longtime youth and AAU coach in the Northeast Kingdom, Jesse Palmer, will serve as the bench boss for the Coyotes.
They say they’re looking forward to the opportunity to bring high level hoops back to the Aud.
“We wanna bring things to the community that will help the community thrive,” Bador said. “It’s gonna be a great opportunity for the community. It’s a great opportunity for my family, a great opportunity to extend my basketball knowledge and my love of the game.”
“It’s gonna be a change because the caliber of play is a lot stronger and tougher,” Palmer added. “But my philosophy has always been you build a team by building a family first.”
“I had the opportunity to play at a very high level,” Marques said. “I’ve played in the American Basketball Association. So for me it was just an opportunity to bring high level basketball, but not only high level basketball, but entertainment to a city that desperately needs it.”
The Coyotes will spend the next year building out a roster before playing their first game next Fall.
