TOBY O'BRIEN

Program Director ​

 

With over 25 years of pro hockey experience, Toby has served in roles ranging from president to head coach, general manager to scouting director and player personnel coordinator. A founding member of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, he was selected as the ECHL All-Star Head Coach while serving as head coach and GM of the Johnstown Chiefs, where he was also honored with the league's Outstanding Organization of the Year award. Toby has been involved with USA Hockey for many years, including coaching the under-17 team to a gold medal in the Five Nations Tournament. A former goaltender, Toby has been part of the scouting efforts for the New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres before serving as Scouting Director for the Florida Panthers.  As the Development Coach for Sweden’s Timrå IK, he was part of the Allsvenskan Championship team in 2017 and promotion to the SHL. Toby is a Master Level USA Hockey Coach and Coaching Education Program instructor.

 

MATT BERTANI

Associate Program Director 

 

Matt has 13 years of pro coaching experience, spending 10 of those years with the New York Islanders organization as an assistant coach and video coach with both the NHL team and their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. At the ECHL level, Matt served for three years as an assistant coach for the Johnstown Chiefs. Matt specializes in player development, focusing heavily on skating and skill enhancement. At the international level, he has been a member of the coaching staff of the Korean National Team at both the men’s and junior levels. In the 2020 World Junior Championships, Matt helped lead the group to a gold medal and promotion to Group 1A. At the collegiate level, Matt served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Penn State University. Matt is an expert in video analysis and coaching as well as a Master Level USA Hockey Coach and Coaching Education Program instructor.

 

JANINE WEBER

Eastern USA Co-Coordinator, Director of Women's Programs

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After serving as an assistant coach with HC Rhode Island, Janine is now a member of the coaching staff at Holy Cross. A perennial NWHL All-Star and former member of the Connecticut Whale, Janine was a founding player in the inaugural NWHL season with the NY Riveters. A member of the Austrian national and olympic teams, Janine competed in 10 World Championships. While earning her master's degree, Janine played NCAA Division I hockey at Providence College, where she trained with OverSpeed Hockey before becoming a coach. 

 

CHRIS SCHWARZ

Fitness Coordinator ​

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With over 25 years of experience coaching and rehabilitating elite professional and amateur athletes, Chris is one of the most sought after strength and conditioning coaches in Canada. Currently an NHL head strength and conditioning coach, Chris has also been a featured speaker with Hockey Canada’s coaching education program, been a presenter at sports performance symposiums across both North America and Europe, has 15 years of clinical experience, a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology from the University of Dalhousie, and authored several articles on athlete development. 

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TY NEWBERRY 

Coaching Coordinator 

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Ty is the former long-time executive director of Fort Dupont Ice Arena in Washington, D.C. Fort Dupont is a very unique program, located in the heart of one of the most underserved neighborhoods of the city. His not-for-profit organization provides more than 3,000 inner-city kids a chance to experience hockey and ice sports each year through its Kids On Ice program, where no child is turned away for inability to pay. Many athletes have gone on to great things from the program, including an Olympic short track speed skater. Ty also has served USA Hockey as a coaching education presenter since 1998 and served as the Coach-In-Chief for USA Hockey (southeast USA district) for 10 years, organizing and presenting coaching education programs throughout the US for all levels of coaches. Internationally, Ty has worked with the Lithuanian Hockey Federation and coached the Israeli men’s national team. 

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JOE BATTISTA

Organizational Coordinator ​

 

Joe Battista is a professional speaker, success coach, author, and owner of Pragmatic Passion consulting. He is also the vice president of business development and an executive coach for the National Athletic and Professional Success Academy. Joe has worked for two NHL organizations, getting his start as the director of amateur hockey development for the Pittsburgh Penguins and later in his career serving as the vice president of the Buffalo Sabres. In between, Joe dedicated much of his life to his alma mater, spending 26 years as Penn State University’s head hockey coach, director of major gifts, and associate athletic director. During his tenure at Penn State, he built a fully-endowed, national level men’s and women’s hockey program in a state-of-the-art facility, all through his ability to secure a $102 million donation from Terry and Kim Pegula (owners of Buffalo’s NHL and NFL teams). Joe has also served as a USA Hockey Coaching Education instructor for over 25 years, was the head coach of Team USA for the 2003 World University Games, and hosted/directed USA Hockey’s Mid-Am District player development camp. In 1991, he was a co-founder of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), which has grown to a membership of 530 universities and colleges in five divisions. 

 

TRENT WHITFIELD

Head Coach, Ocean State Elite Summer Hockey Development

 

Trent currently serves as assistant coach of the AHL's Providence Bruins. Trent moved into coaching following a 16-year NHL/pro career, where he served as a captain of several teams. A true teacher of the game, Trent is a key part of a Bruins coaching staff that's become known for player development.  

 

CHAD O'BRIEN

Western USA Coordinator, Skating & Fitness Coach

 

A former captain at the University of Southern Maine (NCAA) and European pro player, Chad is a certified hockey director through USA Hockey. For the past four years, he has served as hockey director/development director for Sun Valley Youth Hockey and Campion Ice House in Sun Valley, Idaho, holds a degree in exercise science, and interned under Mike Macchioni (Boston Bruins) and Doug McKenney (Buffalo Sabres/Indianapolis Colts). 

 

FREDRIK ANDERSSON

European Coordinator​

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Currently serving as the head coach of Vålerenga Ishockey in Oslo, Fredrik has had great success as a player, scout, and coach. In 2018, he led Sweden's Timrå IK to an Allsvenskan championship and SHL promotion. His playing days included a long career in both Modo (where he later coached and served as general manager) and Timrå as well as international stops in Austria and Germany.  Fredrik also was a member of several IIHF/Olympic competitions with the Swedish National Team.  Toby and Fredrik formed a strong relationship over the years and have worked together with both the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres and later with Timrå IK. Fredrik has continued to contribute at all levels of the game, coaching at the youth and junior levels throughout his hockey journey, and winning a Swedish national U-20 championship while coaching Modo in 2017.

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CELESTE BROWN

Head Women’s Coach

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Celeste became the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I hockey in the summer of 2020 when she was named head coach of the RIT women's program. A Montana native, Celeste is a former assistant coach with Penn State University and Connecticut College, and served as captain of her college team at RIT before playing in the inaugural NWHL season with the NY Riveters. 

 

JAMES MELLO

Goaltending Consultant

 

As co-owner of RI Hockey Academy, James specializes in goaltending instruction and one-on-one skill development. James is also the head coach of HC Rhode Island. During his playing days, James starred as a Rhode Island high school goaltender at LaSalle Academy before heading to Dartmouth, where he is a member of the college's Athletic Hall of Fame. James also serves as coordinator of the LaSalle Academy hockey program and led the boys team to a Rhode Island state championship.

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Additional coaching staff: 

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MATT PLANTE

Associate Coach, Brown University ​

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JON JOHNSON 

Head Coach, American Hockey Academy  ​

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MATT GOETHALS

Head Coach, Pomfret School ​

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MEREDITH ROTH

Associate Head Coach, Harvard University ​

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SCOTT ALLEN

Assistant Coach, Washington Capitals

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