Aaron Fox learning fast as Sheffield Steelers jostle for Elite League pole position

As the five-time champions approach the halfway mark of the 2019-20 Elite League campaign sitting top of the regular season standings, you could argue the 43-year-old American has learned fast since arriving in the UK last April.

Fox said he always regarded the EIHL as a quality league, partly prompting his decision to make the switch to the UK after six hears as sporting director and coach at Croatian club Medvescak Zagreb.

But despite his team’s lofty position, Fox acknowledges that there will be plenty more learning to be done between now and when the regular season concludes in March.

“It’s been a little bit of a learning curve for me too, over here,” said Fox. “I’ve made some mistakes along the way, but I’m trying to learn on the job with this league, too – what kind of players have success over here, what kind of players haven’t had a ton of success.”

Fox’s team take a 5-2 lead into tomorrow night’s Challenge Cup quarter-final, second leg against Manchester Storm at Altrincham, the first of nine games in a hectic 18-day spell across the festive period and into 2020.

“I like where we’re at right now, I like the direction that we’re heading in,” added Fox. “We’ve had a nice little run here, winning five from seven and that’s with playing Belfast three times and Cardiff and Nottingham twice.

“This has been the toughest part of our schedule and we have navigated it well and as long as we can stay healthy and continue this grind I like our chances.