spring hockey for north okanagan players

Max has spent 4 seasons as Head Coach of the U15 AAA Okanagan Rockets, is in his seventh season as Head Skills Instructor/Assistant Director at OTE Hockey Academy, and his 4th season as OTE Outlaws Head Skills Instructor. In 2022/23 Max was named Coach of the Year by BC Hockey for the U15 AAA division (BCEHL). Prior to being named U15 AAA Head Coach, Max served as Assistant Coach for the U15 AAA (2019/20) and U18 AAA (2020/2021) BCEHL Championship teams. His one year as Head Coach with the North Zone U15AA Kings in 2024/25 lead to a Bronze medal performance at the BC provincial championships. Max earned his HP1 in 2023 which is an intensive program offered by Hockey Canada’s High Performance Coaching Stream. He has also been a coach and evaluator for BC Hockey’s Program of Excellence U15/U16 Regional Camps. An ardent student of the game, Max prides himself on staying on the leading edge of skills development and works hard to ensure his programming keeps today’s players in touch with tomorrow’s game. In his playing days, Max was a smooth-skating offensive defenseman who led all U18 AAA Defencemen in the BCMML in points in his second year. He also took home league first team all-star recognition as well as Team MVP and Rookie of the Year honours. He went on to play for the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL and the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL. The Vipers team won the Doyle Cup and were finalists at the RBC Cup. After his four year junior career, he went on to spend a season with the Calgary Dinos of USport West before retiring from competition.

Gerald brings a wealth of experience and a genuine passion for player development to the OTE Outlaws Spring Practice Team Program. Known for his sharp eye to detail and ability to elevate athletes at every skill level, Gerald blends technical instruction with a positive, high-energy approach that keeps players engaged and improving every session. With years of coaching experience across minor and competitive hockey programs, Gerald specializes in developing strong fundamentals, smart decision-making, and confident puck skills. His commitment to helping young athletes grow—both as players and as people—has earned him the respect of players, parents, and fellow coaches alike. Gerald helps create an environment where athletes work hard, build their skills, and truly love the game.

Nic has spent the last two years as an Assistant Coach at the U15 AAA and U15 AA levels. With several years of summer camp coaching under his belt before that. Nic aims to teach skills and fundamentals that are essential to the game at any level. His positive approach aims to not only teach, but keep it fun and engaging for kids. Before transitioning to coaching, Nic had a long playing career with a variety of teams. Spending time with the Thompson Blazers and Okanagan Rockets of the BCMML and a year with the North Okanagan Knights of the KIJHL before finishing his junior career with a trip to the 2022 Centennial Cup with the Red Lake Miners of the SIJHL. He continued to play for two years for the Okanagan Lakers University program before switching his focus to coaching.