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Coaching Lineup and Bios Posted for Glenview Stars Spring 2017 Coaches

By Glenview Stars Staff, 02/22/17, 10:45PM CST

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Glenview Stars Spring 2017 Coaching Lineup

Squirt ’07 Elite Jim Philbin
Jim has been coaching with the Glenview Stars for 20 years and also has been the Head Coach and Hockey Director for the Glenbrook South Titan Hockey Club for 26 years. He has coached at Team Illinois and is currently the Squirt CSDHL major Head Coach for the Glenview Stars.  Jim has won State Championships as well as receiving honors for the AHAI Coach of the Year, the Scholastic Hockey League Coach of the Year and the Chicago Blackhawk Alumni Coach of the Year Award.  Jim loves teaching the game to his players as well as helping them advance to the next level.

Squirt ’08 Elite Stan Stiopkin
Returning to Stars this spring is Head Coach Stan Stiopkin. We are very excited to have Stan on board coaching at the Squirt level. Stan brings over 44 years of coaching experience to our organization. Over the duration of his career he has coached at the Chicago Steel in the USHL, Chicago Young Americans, Team Illinois, Chicago Mission at the Tier 1 AAA level. He has also coached at Chicago Blues and Leafs Hockey Club at the CSDHL level, directed and ran Stanimals Hockey School, worked at Turcotte Stickhandling School as a head instructor, coached the Olympic Reserve Club in Tallinn, Estonia (USSR) and coached at Stankostroitel Hockey Club in Ryazan, Russia. Stan has also won three Youth National Championships in three different countries (Russia, Estonia, and USA). 

Squirt 1 Tony Wendel/Nick Lavalle              
Tony has been with the Generals/Stars for over 10 years, his focus is always on fundamentals and instilling the love for the game.  His players have gone on the play at all levels of youth hockey and beyond.

Nick has been a youth hockey coach for 11 years and has coached Co-Ed and Girls’ Hockey teams from the Mite thru Bantam levels. Nick was the Assistant Coach on the 2012 Glenview Stars U12 National Champion team. He also continues to serve as the Girls’ Hockey Director of the Glenview Stars, during which time Stars’ Girls teams earned multiple State, NIHL, and President’s Cup Championships. His focus centers on developing young athletes as hockey players, teammates, and as individuals. Nick is also an NHL Off Ice Official responsible for tracking real time statistics during Chicago Blackhawks home games.
            
Squirt 2 — Jim Weides
As one of the senior members of the staff (in age) in the over 40 years of coaching Jim has coached Mites to Midget, house league to high school. Most recently he has been coaching the Stars Squirt Bronze team.  He is currently a Level IV coach with USA Hockey.  Over the years several of his teams have competed for league and state titles, but there have also been some not so great seasons. That said players on all those Stars teams have played on from Bronze to Elite levels the following season. Whether winning or losing the goal has always been to recognize improvement, challenge opponents and inspire players to strive to play their BEST, play and practice the game of Hockey having fun and recognize the reward. Let’s Play Hockey!

Squirt 3 — Stan Stiopkin
Returning to Stars this spring is Head Coach Stan Stiopkin. We are very excited to have Stan on board coaching at the Squirt level. Stan brings over 44 years of coaching experience to our organization. Over the duration of his career he has coached at the Chicago Steel in the USHL, Chicago Young Americans, Team Illinois, Chicago Mission at the Tier 1 AAA level. He has also coached at Chicago Blues and Leafs Hockey Club at the CSDHL level, directed and ran Stanimals Hockey School, worked at Turcotte Stickhandling School as a head instructor, coached the Olympic Reserve Club in Tallinn, Estonia (USSR) and coached at Stankostroitel Hockey Club in Ryazan, Russia. Stan has also won three Youth National Championships in three different countries (Russia, Estonia, and USA).

Peewee ’05 Elite — Tom Robaczewski/Nick Gualano
Tommy began coaching with the Stars in the 2014-2015 season. As a player, Tommy grew up playing within the Stars organization. He continued on to play for Team Illinois, Junior hockey in the NAHL and wrapped up his career at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Having worked for Turcotte Stickhandling, Nelly’s Powerskating, and Maximum Stride Hockey Camps, he has experience working with kids of all ages and skill levels – from Developmental through Midgets. As a coach, Tommy values a strong work ethic and positive attitude in his players - both on and off the ice.

Nick began coaching for the Stars in the 2015-2016 season. He started his playing career for the Glenview Stars Dynamite program with Sylvain Turcotte. Nick continued to play with the Stars until he was a Bantam, and then made the decision to go and play for the Chicago Mission. From there, he went on to play Junior hockey in the CSHL and WSHL, and eventually finished his career playing at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.  Although Nick’s history of coaching is slim, he is very eager to help the Stars organization strive to be the best through the development of young hockey players. His coaching philosophy is simple; create an environment that encourages players to want to work hard to develop their skills not only on the ice, but off the ice as well. Nick believes that if any sport can develop a foundation for how to be successful in this life, it’s hockey.

Peewee ’06 Elite — Sylvain Turcotte/Steve Funteas
Sylvain has been the hockey director for the Glenview Park District since 1987 and is now also the hockey director for the Glenview Generals and the Glenview Stars.  He has also been a head instructor for the Turcotte Stickhandling Hockey School for over 30 years.  Sylvain has coached every level of youth hockey from mite bronze to midget AAA.  His teams have won many State Championships at the AAA and AA as well as international tournaments like Silverstick.  His Chicago Young American team also won one AAA National title.  Sylvain’s motto: “Hard work will always beat talent unless talent works hard”.

Steve coaches for the Glenview House League from 1990-99 and for the stars from 1990-2005.  From 1999-2005, he coached midget AA Major and minor teams, bantam A and squirt AA for the Glenview Stars.  From 1996-2003 he was the head coach for the Buffalo Grove Varsity hockey team.  Starting in 2005 he coached the Falcons’ bantam AA team and helped out with the bantam A and midget AA minor teams.  In the 2006-07 season he coached DePaul University’s mens’ hockey team in the ACHA.  He has a level 5 USA Hockey Master Coaching certification.  Recently he has coached the Stars bantam minor CSDHL team and for the last 2 years has worked with our peewee AA team.
    
PeeWee 1 — Alex Merkle
Alex began coaching with the Glenview Stars in the 2011-12 season as an assistant and took a head coaching role in 2013-14 season at the PeeWee level.   As a player, Alex grew up in the Chicago area playing for several youth teams including the Northern Express, CYA and Loyola Academy. He then played Club hockey at DePaul University. Alex has been involved with youth hockey since he graduated from DePaul University in 2010 with a degree in Business Administration.
 
Peewee 2 — Ted Ward
Ted grew up in Glenview playing for the Stars until his Peewee Major year when he went to AAA to play for the Chicago Chill. He returned to Glenview to play his 4 years at GBS under coach Jim Philbin followed by 4 years playing for the Purdue Boilermakers ACHA D2 club team, where he captained the team 3 of those years. After college, Ted began his coaching career and has coached every level from mites to high school. He has coached for the Northbrook Bluehawks, PREP High School, Loyola Academy, Ultimate Athlete, and Delaney Hockey and is entering his 8th season with the Glenview Stars. Ted is a licensed civil engineer who has had a hand in many of the local residential and commercial developments, and he recently became a new dad in August 2016.

Bantam ’03 Elite — Sylvain Turcotte/Arik Lebda
Sylvain has been the hockey director for the Glenview Park District since 1987 and is now also the hockey director for the Glenview Generals and the Glenview Stars.  He has also been a head instructor for the Turcotte Stickhandling Hockey School for over 30 years.  Sylvain has coached every level of youth hockey from mite bronze to midget AAA.  His teams have won many State Championships at the AAA and AA as well as international tournaments like Silverstick.  His Chicago Young American team also won one AAA National title.  Sylvain’s motto: “Hard work will always beat talent unless talent works hard”.

Arik played youth hockey at Glenview before moving on to Team Illinois AAA hockey.  He later played some minor pro hockey for a few years.  Arik has worked as an instructor for the Glenview Park District and for many years Turcotte Stickhandling Hockey School.  He has coached at the mite level and for the last 2 years bantam Central States.

Bantam ’04 Elite — Paul Kokuzian/Steve Funteas
This will be Coach Paul Kokuzian’s 8th year coaching with the Glenview Stars. Coach Paul grew up playing for the Glenview Stars and went on to play for the Chicago Young Americans at the AAA level. He continued his hockey career playing in college at DePaul University. Coach Paul enjoys giving back to the organization that he played for when he was younger and passing on the love of the game to his athletes. Seeing his athletes improve and eventually play at higher levels of hockey is his ultimate satisfaction.

Steve coaches for the Glenview House League from 1990-99 and for the stars from 1990-2005.  From 1999-2005, he coached midget AA Major and minor teams, bantam A and squirt AA for the Glenview Stars.  From 1996-2003 he was the head coach for the Buffalo Grove Varsity hockey team.  Starting in 2005 he coached the Falcons’ bantam AA team and helped out with the bantam A and midget AA minor teams.  In the 2006-07 season he coached DePaul University’s mens’ hockey team in the ACHA.  He has a level 5 USA Hockey Master Coaching certification.  Recently he has coached the Stars bantam minor CSDHL team and for the last 2 years has worked with our PeeWee AA team.

Bantam 1 — Norm Janis
Returning to the Stars three years ago, Norm has 30 years of coaching experience. Over his career he has coached for Wilmette Braves, Deerfield Falcons, Chicago Young Americans, Glenview Stars, and the Hoffman Estate Wolfpack. He has won numerous NIHL and State banners along with regional and final Silver Stick championships. Norm has coached levels from Mite silver to Bantam AAA. Always trying to challenge the players and take them out of their comfort zone.
            
Bantam 2 — John Harris
John played on first ever Glenview All-Star (now the Glenview Stars) team in 1973. He also played for the Lake Forest Vikings, the Arlington Rangers, and 2 years of Varsity hockey at GBS. In 1979 he was 1 of 4 players picked from Illinois to represent the Central District at the US Olympic Training Camp.  He began coaching at Glenview in 1981. He has coached every level from learn to skate to Varsity Highway School. His teams have won States Championships and Central States and Silver Stick Regional Championships. He has coached many teams to top 4 finishes in both State and NIHL.

Girls U10 — Nick Lavalle
Nick has been a youth hockey coach for 11 years and has coached Co-Ed and Girls’ Hockey teams from the Mite thru Bantam levels. Nick was the Assistant Coach on the 2012 Glenview Stars U12 National Champion team. He also continues to serve as the Girls’ Hockey Director of the Glenview Stars, during which time Stars’ Girls teams earned multiple State, NIHL, and President’s Cup Championships. His focus centers on developing young athletes as hockey players, teammates, and as individuals. Nick is also an NHL Off Ice Official responsible for tracking real time statistics during Chicago Blackhawks home games.

Girls U12 — Nick Lavalle
Nick has been a youth hockey coach for 11 years and has coached Co-Ed and Girls’ Hockey teams from the Mite thru Bantam levels. Nick was the Assistant Coach on the 2012 Glenview Stars U12 National Champion team. He also continues to serve as the Girls’ Hockey Director of the Glenview Stars, during which time Stars’ Girls teams earned multiple State, NIHL, and President’s Cup Championships. His focus centers on developing young athletes as hockey players, teammates, and as individuals. Nick is also an NHL Off Ice Official responsible for tracking real time statistics during Chicago Blackhawks home games.

Girls U14 — Rob Messner
Rob will be entering his 9th season as a Head Coach with the Glenview Stars and Generals and his 12th season coaching youth hockey in the area. He is also an Assistant Coach on the JV and Varsity teams at Glenbrook South High School. He has coached every level of youth hockey as well as entry level learn to skate classes with the Glenview Park District. Rob is the owner and head instructor of Messner Hockey and is also a head instructor with the Turcotte Stick Handling School. He stresses sound fundamentals of skating as the base for all future development in the game and also believes that no matter the skill level or level of play, all players are developing their skill sets throughout their entire playing career.

Girls U16 — Don Cichanski/Gina Guzzi
Don has his USA Hockey level 5 certification with 40 years of experience at Junior, ACHA College, AAA and Central States.

Gina has been playing for 16 years and coaching for 4.  She coached 2 years at Franklin Park coaching their girls’ teams and the mite silver team.  She has been at Glenview as the U12 & U14 coach for the last 2 years.   She has also run schools out summer hockey camp and learn to skate for 3 years at Franklin Park.