AP RAIDERS U14AAA (25/26) - COACH PROFILE & TEAM INFORMATION
HEAD COACH - DANNY MINNINGS
I am a NCCP Level 3 High Performance certified coach and former junior player; I am also a certified Personal Trainer with Canfitpro. I realized my passion for coaching hockey in 1995, spending the next 30 years honing that passion by taking on many different roles such as a Trainer, a Skills Coach, and both Assistant Coach and Head Coach positions in the GTHL and OMHA.
For the last 15 years I have been a Head Coach in the Raiders AAA Organization, taking on a second position as an Assistant Coach and Skills Instructor at Trinity College of the Canadian Prep School Alliance during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.
I have led my teams to multiple OMHA Championship tournaments and three OHL Cup appearances, while helping guide some of my players toward realizing their hockey dreams when drafted and/or moved on to play in various leagues such as the OJHL, USHL, NCAA, OHL, the NHL and across seas.
ASSISTANT COACHES
My teams Assistant Coaches both played for me on various teams, as well as coached alongside me in their past hockey journey’s; Mike Fleming, a goaltender in his playing days and Michael Minnings, a defenceman in his playing days, focus on developing those specific positions at practice and work together with the rest of the coaching staff to contribute to over-all player development and game strategies. All Assistant Coaches are non-parent coaches; none are in the hockey business.
The coaching staff is motivated by the love of the game, developing players and the love for teaching.
VALUES AND OBJECTIVES
I believe that a minor hockey coaches’ responsibility is to create a culture where the focus is on establishing a positive and structured environment for young players to continue to grow their love of the game, learn to be good teammates, people and leaders, while emphasizing the improvement of players overall athleticism, fundamental hockey skills and a better understanding of the game.
I believe in making AAA hockey as affordable as possible for families, without sacrificing player development, through the proper use of the resources and funding available. I have a proven reputation of properly utilizing inhouse qualified and experienced coaches for quality on-and-off-ice training, bringing in Power Skating Instructor Stephanie Rechsteiner for quality skating instruction, while fully utilizing the 3 to 4 practices a week the organization assigns to the team; I am known for carrying my teams and players through to successful U16 seasons. Set primetime practice and home game times while keeping out of town tournaments to a minimum keeps expenses down and schedules more manageable for families. Player development comes first for myself and the coaching staff.
AP RAIDERS ASSOCIATION
The APMHA has a dedicated Board of Directors and Executive that are all non-parent members, eliminating any perceived conflict of interest or favoritism; their dedication to our MHA is limitless, with no personal gain other than the success of our Association and its players/teams. We have a full administrative staff to support parents and players through all aspects of the season. The APMHA has a solid foundation of continuous and unwavering support for our Coaches, Players and AP Raiders families.