Archive for March 2019
Derek Crouch
Director of Power Skating
Coach Crouch has studied with some of the best skating coaches out there. He has been coaching all levels of youth hockey including AAA for the past 15 years. He also has served as a mentor / trainer / power skating instructor the past 15 years including his own renown Alpha Hockey program in Cincinnati OH. Coach Crouch has also been the weekday skills and conditioning coach in Cincy for the Spartans since its inception 6yrs ago.
Ryan Gayso
Director of Goaltending
Ryan Gayso is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. He graduated from Robert Morris University with a bachelor’s degree in TV/Video Production and a Minor in Photography. Gayso was a goaltender on both RMU's NCAA and AHCA Division I teams. He has coached hockey since 2009 and has experience at the junior level as an assistant coach with the Evansville Thunderbolts and Point Mallard Ducks of the NA3HL, where he presently coaches.
Frank Banham – 10U Head Coach
10U Spartans Team Head Coach
Frank has 20 years of professional hockey including NHL and 4 years Canadian Major Junior in the Western Hockey League. He was drafted 147th by the Washington Capitals and played 1000+ pro games played including NHL/AHL/ Top European Leagues. Frank had multiple league all-star selections including CHL / Team Canada Spangler Cup and played in the World Hockey Championships on 2 occasions. He has been coaching / mentoring/ training/ advising youth players for the past 15 years through development camps and most recently in NKYA. He was also player / assistant coach of several top European teams
Colin Miller – 11U Associate Coach
11U Spartans Team Associate Coach
Colin played 4 years Canadian Major Junior hockey (OHL), scoring over 300 points with the Niagara Falls Thunder and Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds. He played in 2 consecutive CHL Memorial cups with 1 MC All-star selection and had over 500 professional games in IHL / ECHL, amassing over 400 points. He also won a Turner Cup in 93-94 with the IHL’s Atlanta Knights. Colin was the Assistant Coach for Dayton Bombers ECHL 97-98, 05-06. He has been a youth Coach/ Trainer/ Mentor past 10 years.
Ron Leef – 12U Head Coach
12U Spartans Team Head Coach
Ron Leef was born in Orillia Ontario Canada. Lives in Fort Wayne, IN with his wife Nancy and daughters Kristen and Alyssa Son Jackson. Played 2 years in OHL, tryout with Vancouver Canucks 1981, played 6 years in IHL with Fort Wayne Komets. He was inducted into FW Komets Hall of Fame. Ron has 18 years coaching youth hockey Mite thru U16 AAA, 6 years coaching High School hockey, 6 years coaching College hockey. He is owner and instructor of Synthetic training Facility in Fort Wayne. His son Jackson Leef plays for the Brampton Beast of the ECHL.
Jarrett Deuling – 13U & 11U Associate Coach
13U Spartans Team Associate Coach
11U Spartans Team Associate Coach
Jarrett Deuling played four years in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers, winning two Memorial Cups. He was drafted in the third round, 56th overall by New York Islanders in 1992 draft. He played seven years professionally in the AHL, IHL and NHL.
Iain Fraser – 13U Head Coach
Director of Hockey Operations
13U Spartans Team Head Coach
Iain Fraser serves as Director of Hockey for Tri-State Spartans AAA and has played over 17 years professionally accumulating over 1000 games played. He was the Captain of the OHL Oshawa Generals for a Memorial Cup win earning MVP honors before progressing through the AHL and on to the NHL where he was drafted by the NY Islanders in 1989. During his NHL experience, Fraser appeared with the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, and San Jose Sharks. Coach Fraser was a NHL all-rookie team selection, second Team AHL All Star, OHL player of the year and won a Bronze Medal with Team Canada at the ‘95 World Championships in Stockholm Sweden.
Chris Lipsett – 14U Head Coach
Executive Director
14U Spartans Team Head Coach
Chris Lipsett, Hockey Director of the CKHA, graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in Engineering, where he also played NCAA Div I hockey. Lipsett has played in a total of 869 pro games in the AHL, IHL, ECHL, CHL, and Europe. He has over 20 years of professional coaching and instructional experience with hockey schools and camps.
Roman Marakhovski – 15U Head Coach
15U Spartans Team Head Coach
Marakhovski has over 10 years of professional hockey experience and over 475 professional games across the U.S. and Europe. Marakhovski has played and trained with professional hockey teams in the former Soviet Union and attended training camps and played in exhibition games with the Ukrainian National Team.
During his professional playing days, Marakhovski had stops in Russia, France, Greensboro, Corpus Christi, Augusta, Louisiana, Johnstown Pennsylvania, Columbus Georgia and finished up his career in Atlanta with the Gladiators.
Following his professional career, Marakhovski served as the head coach for two seasons with the 18U Thunder AAA Hockey Club, several years coaching various AAA TPH Thunder teams, and seven years as the skills coach for the Atlanta Gladiators.
Damian Surma – 16U Head Coach
16U Spartans Team Head Coach
Michigan native who graduated from St. Frances Cabrini in Allen Park, MI. Played 4 seasons in the OHL for the Plymouth Whalers. Played 13 years of professional hockey, which included a stint with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. Played 3 seasons overseas in Italy. Coached two years of ‘AAA’ hockey with the Compuware and Victory Honda organizations. Comes from a big, close-knit family, with upwards of 100 family members.