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Instructors and Coaches

Paul Manning

Started at St Jude in 1973 as a player. Played Hight School Hockey for Mt. Carmel – 3 state championships - and D3 college hockey for St. Norbert. Started coaching in 2007 with St Jude in Mite house, 2008 Mite Bronze, 2009 Mite Silver and, 2009/10 AHAI Coach of the Year, 2009/10 - NIHL Presidents and Wolves Cup Champions –. St. Jude Hockey Director – Mites and Squirts. ACE/ADM Director

2010 AHAI Coach of the Year.   
 
Paul Manning and the St. Jude coaching staff started a new program in 2010 at St. Jude called the "Little Knights ADM Program".  The program had 75 kids.  He also started the "Mt. Greenwood Minor Hawks Program" which was held at the outdoor facility in Mt. Greenwood.   Because of the hard and dedication of the coaching staff and hockey director at St. Jude the Chicago Blackhawks and AHIA presented St. Jude with the 2010/11 Minor Hawks Program of the Year.  
 
"With the hard work of many people at St. Jude we were able to receive this reward.  I appreciate the time and energy our coaches and parents donate and could not do this without them.  My main purpose as a hockey director is to get as many kids to enjoy the game I love so much."

Joe Keneipp

Instructor
Level 3 Coaching Certification

  • Learn to SkateBoard member & Head Instructor
  • Mite Travel bronze head coach (2009/2010);
  • Mite House Assistant coach;
  • Mite A2 Minor Head Coach;
  • Spring League Mite Green Head Coach - (2008/2009)

Joe has taken the Spring League Mite Green Team to the playoffs and his Summer Splash Tournament Team to the championship in his first year coaching at St. Jude. Joe will be making his head coaching debut with his 7 year old son Jacob beside him this year at the travel level. Joe will continue to instruct the Learn to Skate program where he continues to develop our young children into young hockey players.

Paul Marzano

Instructor

Player Development / Goaltending Instruction
Squirt 1 Travel Head Coach (2008/2009); Squirt and PeeWee travel assistant coach (2009/2010)

Paul has been playing or coaching the game of hockey since the age of 5. He has played travel hockey and then onto college hockey. Paul has been coaching for the past six years. He started out coaching squirts with the Elmhurst Chiefs as an assistant coach. He then assumed the position of assistant coach at Lincoln-Way East on Junior Varsity as well as the goaltending coach for the program. In 2006, he became an assistant coach for Providence Catholic and assisted the Varsity practices with the goalies. He is one of two goaltending instructors for St. Jude. His goals are to help make St. Jude a more skilled and stronger program and also to help build the reputation to a point where all kids in the area will want to come and play for the Knights.

Certification: USA Hockey Level 3 Coaching Certification

Mark Jakob

 Level 3 Coach

2010- St. Jude Spring Showcase Team Squirt Head Coach 
Second Place overall finish

2009-2010- St. Jude Assistant Coach Squirt Travel Silver
Won NIHL Championship
Second place in regular season

2008-2009- St. Jude Assistant Coach Mite Elite team
Won Big Bear Tournament (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Won Wisconsin Dells Tournament

2007-2008- St. Jude Assistant Coach Mite Bronze team
Won NIHL Championship
Second place in regular season
Won Vikings Thanksgiving Tournament

2006-2007- St. Jude Mite House Head Coach
Second place finish in SSHL

2005-2006- assisted Artie Kerr in St. Jude learn to skate program

Playing experience:
Over 25 years playing ice hockey

Currently playing for FOP Stars Chicago Police Hockey Club (2004-present)
Chicago Patriots Junior C (1992-1993)
Morgan Park High School – Northern Illiana Hockey League (1988-1991)
Chicago Hawks Squirt- Midget Travel (1984-1988)
 

Daniel Hach

Hockey Background

§  Hockey is in my roots, Father, John Hach, Chicago State Hockey Team, Can Am Hockey Instructor, former Marist High School Varsity Coach and President, St. Jude Coach, Head of Officiating in late 70’s for Illinois.

§  Spent adolescence playing organized hockey on teams within Illinois, California, Indiana and Florida. Won Florida State Championship in 1993 as a Peewee.  

§  Played at Marist High School, JV State Championship 1996, selected for League All Star Team in 1999.

§  Participated in Intercollegiate Roller Hockey Program at Purdue University and part of National Championship Team in 2004.

§  Still participate as a player and mentor for Gherrett Sargis, played the last 3 years at the Junior A Level on teams in NAHL, USHL, NORPAC and OPJHL.

 

Hockey Official

§  Official of over 3,368 games within a 7-year period. Assignments included age levels ranging from youth to adult. 

§  Selected by USA Hockey Inline to officiate regional and national tournaments 4 consecutive times from 1996-1999.

Chris VanEck

Little Knights ADM Instructor 

Played 4 years Varsity at St. Laurence 2001-2005.  Won white Division state title while a member of the team
 
Head Hockey Coach at St. Laurence
Coached the last 3 years as an assistant Varsity/JV coach - Hinsdale Central
One season as a Hawks Pee Wee Elite Coach

Craig Ferguson

 PeeWee AA Co-Coach

Craig Ferguson – Currently entering his 8th season as the head coach at St. Rita High School. His teams has won 4 consecutive Kennedy Cup Championships (2008-2011) & the 2010 Illinois State Championships. Prior to St. Rita, Craig was the head coach at Mt. Carmel for 6 years where his teams won 4 consecutive Kennedy Cup Championships (1997-2000) and placed 2nd in the 1998 Illinois State Championship. Coach Ferguson is a St. Jude Alum having played Mite thru Midgets before moving on to play for Mt. Carmel. He was a member of 2 State Championship teams with St. Jude, including the 1975
Bantam team which was St. Jude’s first State Champion.