2024 CAC Coaches

Jeff has been coaching hockey in the Edmonton area for the past 12 years.  His role as Vice President of Hockey Operations for many years has given him extensive experience in developing season long high performance plans with the goal of enhancing a player's personal skills, understanding, and love for the game of hockey.  This is Jeff's first season coaching with the Canadian Athletic Club and he couldn't be more excited to share his passion with the team.  As a student of the game who believes that there is always more to learn, and that there is more than one way to reach a shared goal, Jeff is always looking to share and implement cutting edge techniques and philosophies learnt along his coaching journey.

 

Utilizing a plan that incorporates technology, off ice conditioning, off ice learning, mental preparedness, and extensive on ice development, our players will follow an individually developed curriculum based upon their own specific areas of strengths, and areas of possible improvement, that will correspond alongside their role within the team.  When an understanding that everyone contributes in one way or another to the overall success of a team, along with a tracked and measurable improvement in each player's skill level, players will undoubtably feel a high level of accomplishment at the end of the season.  Through accountability, work ethic, enjoyment, and learning, our teammates will be pushed to be as complete of a young athlete as possible.

 

When not at the rink during the off season, Jeff enjoys his summers on the diamonds coaching baseball and spending time with his family travelling.

 

This is Jason's second year as a coach for the Canadian Athletic Club at the U13 Division.  Coach Jason was born in Morinville where he played the majority of his minor hockey as well as Midget AAA in St Albert.  Jason went on to play in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers where he won 2 Memorial Cups and a World Junior Gold Medal.  He was drafted 38th overall by the NY Islanders.  He went on to play over 16 years professionally for teams like the LA Kings, Buffalo Sabres, and NYI.  American Hocley League, DEL(German Hocley League)  Jason also played for the German National Team in the 2008 World Championships.  Jason has 5 years of coaching in Minor Hockey.

Jason's Coaching philosophy "I am a big believer in making every player on the team feel valued.  Creating positive memories where life skills are learned like perseverance, work ethic, self-confidence, and accountability.  Increasing their hockey knowledge while learning how to work as a group to accomplish something bigger.  I believe in goal setting (team and personal) which for some players can be a new topic.  Identifying their own strengths and skills they want to improve on and through positive reinforcement, supporting players achieve these goals. 

Jason's goal is to have players take more than just skill development on to the next step on their hockey journey.  Hockey is an amazing sport and there is no better environment to develop young players life skills and create great friendships.

Tim has had the privilege and passion to coach for the past 40+ years in and around the Edmonton area with 25 of those at the Elite level. His coaching career has allowed him to experience every level from U15AA to U18AAA to last year's PAC U17AAA team where we had an incredible run. Beyond his coaching success 15 years as a scout in the AJHL  & BCJHL, Player consulting, numerous years as a hockey school instructor, and giving back through community service events. Like any coach, some accomplishments will always be memorable from attaining his HP1 certification to having the pleasure and incredible experience of coaching against Team Canada’s Women’s Team in 2014 as they prepared for the Olympics…. Winning 3-2.

Every coach has their own philosophy and ideas for their teams and players which is fantastic and each year every player moving up should bring 2-3 positive things they’ve been taught. This will help them personally develop each year building on the knowledge they’ve been given, lessons learned, and experiences whether good or bad….. we should never stop learning. From our staff’s standpoint and for this year's team, we believe in developing basic skills, advanced skills, and personal skills within a structured team-first concept and teaching today’s athletes valuable life lessons through communication and accountability that’s required beyond the hockey world. Every player will be exposed to high-level drills, AAA expectations, a Jr A type atmosphere, and be expected to act professional and classy on and off the ice. Even more important is how to connect with players which is his strongest asset whether it’s at the amateur level or the Pro level. If you don’t have the connection, respect, or confidence from your players you’ll never have true success. Lastly, he believes winning isn’t everything or a gauge for success it’s about personal, team, and club development to prepare players for the next level of hockey and becoming a stronger young person.

Tim is excited and honored to be back at CAC, it was an easy decision as they are a Club that truly believes in the player, team and personal development is and should be the main focus. He feels with this many years at the Elite hockey level he has a true understanding of what it takes to develop players, and he brings a staff that will be a huge asset in our team's overall success.

Coach Neil grew up in Southern Alberta. Neil has 13 years coaching experience, ranging from U9 to U18, including the last six years at the U16AA and U15AA levels; this will be his second season at CAC. He has been an instructor at various summer hockey schools in Calgary and Edmonton. Neil is Hockey Canada High Performance 1 certified, and, as a life-long learner, has
taken a range of coaching-based continuing education courses and seminars. As such, he brings a modern approach to coaching for complete player development.

Neil’s philosophy is to use his passion and knowledge of the game of hockey to create a safe and enjoyable environment in which the athlete can develop skills and enthusiasm for the game that will last for a lifetime. He believes sport goes beyond the athletic event, in that it provides the opportunity for youth to develop character, confidence and a sense of accomplishment. On ice players can expect to be pushed to their limits and challenged to improve physically and mentally. Off ice, Neil’s teams have a strong emphasis on giving back to the community through multiple social engagement activities throughout the course of the season.

Ryan is from Spruce Grove, Alberta. Coaching has always been a passion of his as he enjoys working with young athletes and helping them achieve their dreams/goals. He enjoys watching them grow on the ice as players and off the ice as people. Ryan has been coaching for 4 years now with Parkland Athletic Club as an assistant coach and head coach at the U16AA, U15AA and U15AAA levels. He has also worked with ATC Goaltending for the past 6 years and as an instructor at Next Level Athlete for 1 year. He played all his minor hockey within Spruce Grove where he was fortunate enough to win two provincial championships U13AA and U18AA.

He believes “Every team and every player are different. Every player needs a different plan that fits them best as a player. However, at the end of the day, they must buy into the team structure and be accountable for it. Therefore, for a team to be successful, a coach must coach individuals and the team. Most importantly, coaching is about developing these young players not only as hockey players but also assisting them in becoming good people and citizens”. Ryan takes great pride in creating an environment where everyone is family and respectful. On the ice, he enjoys building an identity of being the hardest working team along with being disciplined.

Ryan is currently finishing up his business marketing diploma at NAIT. Away from the rink, Ryan enjoys spending time on the golf course, staying physically active and spending time with family/friends.

Ryan is excited about the new opportunity to coach with CAC and is looking forward to building a successful team this upcoming season.

Derek is a former NAIT Ook and forward-thinking coach known for creating environments where elite athletes thrive. With a wealth of experience in developing top-tier talent, he recognizes the importance of forging personal connections with each athlete to craft tailored, long-term athletic development plans. Having coached various levels, including U13 AA, U15 AA, and the Junior Canadians development program at CAC, Derek now seeks to elevate his coaching career to new heights. Currently enrolled in Hockey Canada's prestigious High Performance Coaching Program, he aims to achieve certified status by 2024.

Derek's commitment to excellence is evident in his approach to coaching, where he meticulously designs programs to maximize his athletes' potential. He remains at the forefront of the sport by continually integrating the latest techniques and innovations into his training methods. Moreover, Derek has honed his coaching skills through his involvement with Hockey Alberta at the esteemed 2023 Prospects Cup, where he mentored top young talent on a provincial level.

Beyond the rink, Derek leads a diverse and fulfilling life. He finds both solace and challenge on the golf course, excels in his role as an international IT director, and wholeheartedly supports his three children in their various activities.

James is looking forward to creating a culture with trust and accountability while having fun and working with the athletes, recognizing and appreciating they are all still learning to play the game “the right way” and strive for excellence. All players need ice time and at the same time align athletes for success by creating roles and ensuring everyone contributes and brings value to the team. Implementation and participation in a framework that focuses on the development of hockey skills, utilize our core values and principles to improve personal growth and leadership will create success through team play, compete level, and commitment to each other.

James has been actively involved in a coaching capacity for several years in the Edmonton area including U18AAA, U17AAA and recently spent 4 years as head scout in the AJHL. Having completed the Hockey Canada HP1 certification and coached through the Hockey Alberta U17 Program of Excellence and Jr A, has also facilitated coach certification courses for the past 10 years. James has an excellent understanding of player assessment and development needs for today’s athletes through many years as
an on ice skill development instructor through spring and summer.

James spends much of his time with his kid Stanley, a 2 year old Goldendoodle, outdoors in the river valley, the lake, mountain biking, and golfing and prefers to travel not vacation.

Dante, originally from Edmonton, Alberta, brings a wealth of hockey experience to his coaching endeavors. With a background that spans all ranks of the game, including Junior and College levels, Dante's passion for hockey is palpable. Transitioning into coaching during the COVID-19 pause, he quickly found his calling with CAC, where he has since served as an assistant coach for U15AA and U16AA age groups.

His coaching philosophy is rooted in the desire to pass on his hockey knowledge to the next generation of players. Dante aims to give back to the hockey community that played a pivotal role in shaping him into the person he is today. Central to his approach is the belief in open lines of communication as the cornerstone of success. Creating a trusting and safe environment between coaches and players is paramount to Dante, fostering growth both on and off the ice.

Beyond the game itself, Dante emphasizes the importance of developing his players into well-rounded individuals. While he strives to help them achieve their goals on the ice, he equally values their personal growth outside the rink. Through mentorship and guidance, Dante is committed to molding his players into not only skilled athletes but also better people overall.