Joliet Jaguar Hockey Club in Joliet, IL

Steve Maltais – Powerskates and Midget Travel
Steve Maltais joins the Jaguars as Powerskate Coach and coach of the Midget Major team. Coach Maltais moved to Toronto to play for the Wexford Hawks in 1985-86. This was followed by three fine seasons in the OHL with the Cornwall Royals. After scoring 53 goals in 1988-89, he was named to the league's second all-star team and selected 57th overall by the Washington Capitals in 1987.

Coach Maltais played in the National Hockey League with the Capitals, Minnesota North Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, and Columbus Blue Jackets. In addition, he also played for a large part of his career (11 years) for the Chicago Wolves while they were in the International Hockey League and American Hockey League. He led the IHL in goal scoring five times in six seasons during the 1990s and is the Wolves leading scorer in team history. His #11 was retired by the club in a ceremony on April 15, 2006.

Kage Sports / Midwest Goalie School – Goalie Coaches
Kage Sports and Midwest Goalie School have announced an agreement to work with the goalies for the Jaguar Hockey Club on a regular basis. Kage Sports is a sports training company founded by Kelly Gee that specializes in goalie on and off ice training. Gee, long-time assistant director to Chico Adrahtas at Midwest Goalie School, is recognized as one of the top instructors in the midwest. He, along with instructor Rick Cazares will oversee the Joliet goalie program.

"We're delighted to be working with Joliet," said Adrahtas. "Mike Breslin is a terrific hockey figure, and we were very happy that he approached us about working with the Jaguars."

Kelly Gee has spent the last 6 years instructing goalies in the Chicagoland area, serving as assistant director at Midwest Goalie School, and working with several organizations including the AAA Chicago Mission. A native of Kenai, Alaska, Kelly's Junior A playing career with the Danville Wings was cut short due to a series of serious leg injuries, but he immediately channeled his enthusiasm and knowledge of the position into teaching.

Rick Cazares recently concluded his collegiate playing career with Michigan Tech and Fredonia State. The San Jose, California native played locally here for Team Illinois before moving on to the Danville Wings where he earned a Div I scholarship to Michigan Tech University. He transferred to Fredonia State for his final two years of play, starring for the Blue Devils, and spent last season coaching their goalies. Rick has been an instructor at Midwest Goalie School for 6 years.
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Hockey Director Mike Breslin and Peewee Travel
Coach Breslin comes to the Jaguars from Geneva High School where he served as Hockey Director and Varsity Head Coach. While at the school, he was selected as the Varsity All-Star Head Coach of the Metro West area. Coach Breslin has also coached at Fenwick High School where he led the team to State Championship in 2002 and 2003.

Coach Breslin has also played hockey at many different levels including Team Illinois Midgets where he won a National Championship, Fr. Henry Carr Crusaders (OHA Metro Jr. B), and the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL). Coach Breslin was also drafted by the Montreal Canadians (NHL).

Coach Breslin's personal mission is to "give back to others what I have experienced in my hockey career. To share and demonstrate with the players, the coaching staff and the parents the importance of hard work, honesty, dedication and commitment, which will enhance the lives of all on and off the ice."

Derek Knapp – Squirt Travel
Coach Knapp has been part of the Jaguar Hockey Coaching Staff for the last eleven years. From Mite to Bantam and House to Elite levels, Coach Derek has been head coach or assistant coach for a wide range of hockey teams. Coach Derek led the 2000 Jaguar House Squirt Team to a SSHL Championship and 2nd place in consecutive years. Coach Derek began his youth hockey career with the Jaguars skating at the Mite through Bantam levels. He then joined the Darien Huskies at the Midget level finishing 2nd and 3rd in AA State. He also played high school hockey at Joliet Catholic Academy and Joliet Township West High School.

Kevin Coyne - Mite Travel
Coach Coyne joins the Jaguar Hockey Coaching Staff this season as our Mite White coach from the Chicago Force Jr. A team. Coach Coyne's hockey accomplishments include numerous Regional and State Championships with the Chicago Chill (AAA), Team Illinois (AAA), Wisconsin (AAA), and the El Paso Rhinos Jr. A. Coach Coyne was also the leading scorer for Chicago Chill AAA at 2003-04 National Championships. Coach Coyne has also been an European Elite Hockey Instructor and a Robby Glantz Hockey Instructor.

Additional Coaching Staff

Tami House – Pre-Hockey
Coach House bleeds Jaguar blood! Coach House began skating with the Jaguars in 1978 and has continued her involvement in the Jaguar Club ever since. Coach House is head of the Jaguar’s Pre-Hockey program and has coached hockey from instructional to midget. She has been coaching youth sports (hockey, softball, and soccer) for the past 27 years. Coach House believes in teaching the fundamentals, involving families, and having fun. She also wants the kids to love the sport as much as she does. Coach House is active in women’s/girls’ hockey and skated on Illinois’ 2nd all Women’s Hockey Team.

Dan LaGioia – Mega Mite Program

Jeff Burns - Mega-Mite
Jeff Burns is a level 3 USAH certified coach who has been with the Jaguars for 5 years. In those 5 years Coach Jeff has assisted with various programs and has assisted on numerous teams. He has assisted two Mega-mite teams resulting in two First place finishes in SSHL. He has assisted on three mite travel teams. Each of these teams has won a flag: Second place, Third place, and most recently a First place flag and President's Cup flag. Coach Jeff looks forward to many more successful seasons with the Jaguars!

Matt Hornbuckle – Peewee
Coach Hornbuckle began playing for the Jaguars in the '80s and continued through Midgets. He is a founding member of Plainfield High School Hockey Club and the first captain in Plainfield High School history. In the early 1990's, Coach Hornbuckle was an assistant coach with Plainfield High School. Coach Hornbuck is a USAH level 3 coach.

Scott Coash - Peewee
Coach Coash have been an assistant coach for the Joliet Jaguar Club since 2002 from Pre Hockey to now PeeWee level. He has also helped out with Power Skate for the Jaguar Club. Coach Coash started playing hockey when he was 12 years old in Oak Park. He played 4 years for the Oak Park-River Forest (OPRF) High School Hockey Club as a starting Defenseman. He continues to play in men's leagues for the love of the game. Coach Coash looks forward to coaching the kids this Fall 2007-2008 Jaguar Hockey Season.

Rick Chobar - Peewee

Coach Mike Janda (Jaguar Summer Camp)
Coach Janda joins the Jaguar Coach Staff as co-coach of the Jaguar Summer Camp with Hockey Director Mike Breslin. Coach Janda has signed with the Rochester Institute of Technology (Division I) for the 2007-2008 Season. Coach Janda signed as a free agent in the summer of 2005 and played with the Chicago Steel (USHL - 2005 to 2007). During the 2004-2005 Season, Coach Janda played in the NAHL for the Springfield Spirit.

Coach Janda attended Fenwick High School where he list of accomplishments include: 2001, 2003 League Leading Scorer; 2003, 2004 All-State; 2003, 2004 Chicago Showcase team member; 2003, 2004 Chicago Catholic League All-Conference Team; 2003, 2004 Captain of Team and State Champions; and 2004 State Championship MVP.

Mike Kelly - Bantam House

Coach Mike Carouchi – Peewee House
During the mid 1980's Mike Carouchi was a program instructor for adult hockey and Head Coach/Squirt Level for Skokie Flyers at Skokie Skatium. In the late 1980's Coach Carouchi worked at the "original" Gunzos in River Forest. He worked with hockey players and families ensuring proper fit of all playing equipment and also did skate/equipment repairs. He enjoyed working alongside Wally "Gunzo" Humenick. During this time, Coach Carouchi also worked for the Chicago Blackhawks as assistant equipment manager ensuring that the player’s equipment was to their standards and that it was all in good condition and repair. He has also taught/coached at Stan Mikita's AHIHA summer camp for hearing impaired players and at Dave Gomez's SPIRIT Hockey Camp. In the 1990's, Coach Carouchi mostly just played hockey for enjoyment and played a lot of scrimmages or late night men's leagues purely for the love of the game. He also won numerous scoring titles and many Men's League Championships.

In 2004, his two sons expressed an interest in hockey and Coach Carouchi decided to get more involved. With the Jaguars Coach Carouchi has coached the last two full seasons as a Head Coach at the Squirt House Level and Head/Assistant Coach at the Bantam House and Travel Level.

Dave Young - Squirt House
Coach Young started skating in High school, and played on the first ever Morton West High School club team for one year. The next year, he played in a house league for the Franklin Park ice arena. From there he played in various organized mens floor hockey leagues for 13 years straight. Coach Young has organized and ran the team for the last six years. He has also played goalie in 2 mens roller hockey leagues at USA skate center in Bolingbrook. He still play mens pickup games on the ice whenever possible and truely enjoy the game. His son is beginning his fourth year involved in the Jaguar house program. During the last 2 years, Coach Young have served as an assistant coach, at the Mite level, and first year Squirt level. Coach Young is currently a level 2 USAH coach and is extremely excited to be a head coach and hope to help our kids work up to the next level of play.

The Jaguar Hockey Club reserves the right to change coaching positions, team counts and/or levels.

“The Power of Quality Hockey”