Jeff Angert
Jeff Angert has 18 years of hockey experience including two district playoff
appearances with the Mercer Chiefs Midget AA Team. Jeff played junior hockey for the
Jersey Wildcats of the CHA League, and was a player on the league all-star team that
won the league championship. His team made back-to-back appearances at the Junior
C USA Hockey national championships. He skated for the Richard Stockton College
ACHA D3 Team, and he was the team captain during his final two seasons. During this
time, he played in two all-star games. This is Jeff's third season with the New Jersey
Rockets. In 2009-10, he helped coach the NJ Rockets 1997 Peewee Major AAA Team
to an AYHL league championship, AAHA district championship and qualified for the
2010 USA hockey national championship. Last season, he assistant coached the 2000
Squirt Major team to a 2011 AYHL playoff appearance.
Kevin Angert
Kevin Angert is entering his third season with the NJ Rockets. As the assistant head
coach of the 1997 Peewee Major AAA team, they became the 2010 AYHL league and
AAHA district champions, and qualified for the USA Hockey Nationals. He played
hockey on travel, high school, and college club teams and, in 1998, earned the
advanced level 4 USA hockey certification. Kevin has more than 17 years of
experience and has coached over 2000 youth hockey games at every level, including
house league, travel club, juniors, and college club. He has numerous tournament
experiences, is a three time all-star team coach, four time Atlantic district playoff
qualifier, and has made three USA hockey national appearances. Kevin has a keen
understanding of player and parent needs concerning the sport of ice hockey.
George Bosak
Coach George Bosak enters his fifth consecutive season with the NJ Rockets, 7th
overall. Coach Bosak has been the Goaltending coach in all seven and begins his
second season co-coaching the '99 Rocketa program. George, along with the Rockets
organization, has been proud to develop accomplished goaltender, such as Geordan
Murphy (Bentley, DI), John Yanchek (Middlebury), Kevin Doyle (U-Mass Amherst,
Hockey East, full scholarship), Colin Brennan (Chicago Steel- USHL), and several
others. Coach Bosak has also helped develop several players that have progressed
onto the Rockets Junior program. Coach Bosak played his junior hockey with the
Philadelphia Little Flyers and Springfield Olympics, under the late Coach Garry Dineen.
He played college hockey for the University of Scranton, the ECAC West Div III. He set
the NCAA record for saves in a season for Div III in 1994 with 1,095. Coach Bosak then
played three seasons as a backup goalie in the Southern, Western Professional, and
East Coast Hockey leagues. Coach Bosak, along with the NJ Rockets, is committed to
providing the areas hockey players an excellent foundation to develop into the best
players they can become!
Rob Broderick
Rob Broderick begins his seventh season with the Rockets. Over the last three years,
his Rocket teams have averaged twenty wins per regular season in the very tough '96
Division, and his teams have made the playoffs for the past four years. Rob was
drafted by the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL and played there. He was captain of
his ECAC hockey team in his junior and senior years. Before he coached for the NJ
Rockets, Rob was the head coach of Team Carolina for four years, and that team was
the first in the organization's history to win the AAA Regionals. "We prepare, and play,
to win every time out, and that preparation is a big part of development. But at the end
of the day, it is about player development and more so about team development and
putting the team first. The goal is to have the team outgrow individual performances
and learn that the only way we can achieve true success is to put the team first. In the
end, success is not about statistics or wins, rather, they are the friendships, lessons and
maturing that are the result of effort, selfless commitment to the team and dedication to
personal betterment."
Dick Carlson
Dick Carlson, a native of Massachusetts, joined the NJ Rockets in 1998, and has over
thirty years of hockey experience as both player and coach. As a player, he was a two
time MVP, a captain of his high school team, and a captain and all star selectee for his
ECAC D-III champion college team. He began his coaching career with the NJ Rockets
as head coach of the Mite team. He successfully coached this team for seven years,
and several of his players moved on to become successful New Jersey high school,
New England prep school, NCAA Div-I and Div-III, and professional players. While
head coach, Dick's teams have qualified for the International Silver Stick finals
numerous times and have won several league and playoff championships, including a
bronze medal at USA Nationals in 2005. As an accomplished coach, Dick stresses the
fundamentals of hockey, team play and individual skill development. Before joining the
Rockets organization, he coached at the high school and collegiate level in
Massachusetts and was a skating instructor for a local youth hockey program.
Charlie Crispino
Charlie Crispino joins the NJ Rockets with a wealth of hockey experience. As head
coach of the Wagner College hockey team from 1999-2009, Charlie recruited high
school and junior hockey players throughout the country, scheduled games, coordinated
road trips and practices, and was responsible for fundraising and budgeting. His teams
won the coveted MCHC championships in 2001 and 02, MDHC in 2002, 03 and 04,
MACHA in 2004, 06, 07 and 08, and placed in Nationals in 04 and 06. In 2010, Charlie
was the New Jersey Devils Youth Bantam A head coach. He plans to utilize his
experience within a professional hockey organization to further develop his players.
Anthony Del Gaizo
Anthony Del Gaizo is an original Rocket; at that time, his team played at Ice World in
Totowa. During his Rocket career, his teams made numerous national appearances.
He then played hockey at Merrimack College. He was a two-time NJ all-state selection
in high school. Anthony has been coach of the NJ Rocket 1998 team for the past five
years. Anthony stresses skills, discipline and a strong work ethic with his teams to get
the most out of his players.
Eddie Deresky
Eddie Deresky is entering his twelfth year with the NJ Rockets. His experience includes
coaching our Mites, Squirts, Peewees and Bantams. His playing experience includes
Squirt, Peewee, Bantam, Midget, High School, Junior B and College hockey. Ed was
captain of the Livingston High School hockey team. He played all four years at Kean
College, and was the team's captain in his junior and senior years. He played for the
North Jersey Astros, and that team went to Nationals during his first year there. Eddie
continues to play hockey on a men's competitive travel team.
Randy Deresky
Randy Deresky returns for his twelfth year with the NJ Rockets, and has over 45 years
of experience as a head coach, assistant coach and player. Randy had played for the
NJ Rockets when it was a men's semi-pro team. At that time, he was coached by
former New York Ranger player and Hockey Hall of Famer Camille Henry. He played
Junior in the Metropolitan League and was selected to be on the First Team All-Stars.
Randy played varsity hockey for four years at Morris Hills High School and was the
team captain for two years. He is the only player to win the "Halvorsen Most Valuable
Player Award" for two consecutive years. In his senior year, he was recruited by the
Kitchener Rangers, the top team in the Ontario Junior League and directly associated
with the New York Rangers. In 2000, he was awarded a spot on the NJ Star Ledger's
"Team of the Century" as one of the top ten ice hockey players of the decade. On
March 28, 2010, Randy was awarded a place in the NJ High School Hockey Hall of
Fame, along with many prestigious players and coaches such as Jim Dowd and Derek
McGuire.
Marco Escalona
Marco Escalona has been coaching youth hockey players and goalies for ten years. He
is a Level 4 USA Hockey certified coach. During those years, he has been a head
coach, goalie coach, and assistant coach for the VSK Wings spring tournament team,
various youth organizations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and, most recently, the
NJ Rockets. In 2010, he joined the Rockets coaching staff as an assistant coach for the
16U AAA National team. He was also on the staff of the Bridgewater Bears 16U AA
team as an assistant coach and goalie coach. Marco spent five years as a head goalie
instructor for Floyd Hall Arena providing goaltending lessons to youths and adults of all
ages and skill levels. During that time, he also had the privilege of coaching some
children with learning disabilities, an experience from which he felt he gained as much
as he taught. Most recently, he has joined Fusion Goalie Development as one of the
company's leading goalie instructors. For the upcoming season, Marco will serve as
assistant coach of the Rockets 2000 Peewee Minor team.
Art Femenella
The NJ Rockets are thrilled that Art Femenella has returned to his early roots. Art is a
NJ Rocket alumni, who participated in the US National U18 teams from 1998-2000. He
played for the USHL Sioux City Musketeers 2000-2003, went on to play for Division One
University of Vermont from 2003-2007, and for the ECHL August Lynx in 2008. Art was
drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning team in 2001.
Fred Hedengren
Fred Hedengren has been involved with the NJ Rockets 1996 team for three seasons.
He brings extensive coaching experience serving as the Pingry School varsity assistant
coach from 2004 to the present, and the Pingry Middle School head coach from 200203. He has teamed with Coach Broderick with a goal to develop a strong group of 1996
Rockets. Coach Hedengren previously coached the NJ Colonials on the AAA and AA
levels.
Doug Holewa
Originally from Garden City, NY, Doug Holewa played youth hockey for the Long Island
Gulls organization. After graduating from Garden City High School, he attended
Connecticut College (NESCAC), where he played both hockey and lacrosse at the
NCAA D-III level. Upon commencement in 2006, he accepted a commission as an
officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served four years as an Infantry officer, and
completed a combat tour during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008. He left the Marine
Corps in January 2010. He joined the NJ Rocket Junior organization in April 2010.
Doug and his wife, Kelly, currently reside in New York City where he attends graduate
school at Columbia University.
Wayne Kircher
Wayne Kircher began his hockey career as a defenseman for the Long Island Gulls and
went on to play in the New England Prep League for Tabor Academy. After high
school, he was an alternate for the Northeastern University Hockey team and also
played for the Junior Bruins in Boston, MA. His coaching career began as a skating
instructor for Paul Vincent's Dynamic Skating in Boston, MA. He was an assistant
coach for both the NJ Penguins and Bridgewater Bears Mite teams. Most recently, he
completed the 2010-11 season as head coach of the NJ Rockets Mite team.
Keith Knightly
Keith Knightly is a proud NJ Rockets alumni, who played high school hockey at
Morristown Beard and the Berkshire School, and then went on to play college hockey at
the University of Dayton. He served as an assistant coach for Morristown Beard from
1990-1994 and also organized the Basking Ridge Youth Hockey Program. Keith has
coached with the Rockets organization for the past four years.
Paul Losik
Paul Losik is a Level-5 Master USA Hockey certified coach. Paul has coached youth
hockey for the last twelve years at all levels from Mite to Midget. He attended Roger
Neilson's coaching symposiums in Windsor, Ontario, in 2007, 08 and 09. Currently,
Coach Losik runs the day-to-day operations of the ice arena in Woodbridge, NJ, and
manages the Hockey Essentials summer select teams and camps. A graduate of
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Paul played four years on the IUP ACHA Hockey
team which included an appearance at Nationals in 2001. In his first year with the NJ
Rockets, he was the head coach of the 1997 Peewee Major team that went on to
accomplish three goals: Atlantic Youth League championship, AAHA District
championship, and qualifier for USA Hockey Nationals 2010 in Buffalo, NY. Before
joining the NJ Rockets, Paul lead three teams to the Atlantic District championships and
to four first place finishes in the NJYHL, including a Mite team undefeated season and
league championship in 2008. Coach Losik’s philosophy involves teamwork, skill
development, and character development of the player, both on and off ice.
Victor Masanko
Vic Masanko will be entering his third season with the NJ Rockets. A former hockey
player, Vic skated in the Metropolitan Hockey League while in college. He coached the
Morris Knolls High School, winning a state championship during the 2004-05 season.
Under his coaching expertise, his midget team advanced to Nationals in 2004.
Tony Samms
Tony Samms honed his hockey skills as a NJ Rockets youth team player. In high
school, he earned the Gordon Cup championship freshman year, a state championship
during sophomore year, and was captain of his high school team in junior and senior
years, as well as an all-state selectee. After high school, he skated for Northeastern
and earned a business degree from the university. Tony is a USA Hockey Level 4
certified coach and will return for his sixth season with the Rockets organization. He will
coach and instruct junior players and will direct his efforts and knowledge toward office/on-ice conditioning as well as defensive player development.
Sean Saunders
Sean Saunders played for four seasons with the NJ Rockets and on the Atlantic District
Festival team. He competed at the USA Hockey Festival in St. Cloud, MN, and was one
of the top one hundred fifty players in the nation for the 1986 birth year level. Sean also
played junior hockey on a local New Jersey team. Unfortunately, an injury did not afford
the opportunity to play college hockey although he had been accepted at Clarkson
University, St. Lawrence College, SUNY Cortland and Utica College. Sean has three
years of coaching experience and was the assistant coach of the NJ Rockets 1997
Bantam Minor team in 2010-11.
Bob Thornton
Bob Thornton is entering his seventh year with the NJ Rockets Junior program as
director and head coach of the Junior A and B teams. He was an assistant coach of
Roanoke Express (ECHL), and played in the USHL, OHL and ECHL throughout his ten
year career as a hockey player. Bob is also the manager of the USHL Combines and
Player Development program.
New Jersey Rockets Girls Program
2011-2012
Mark Hurle - 17 years of coaching. Boys/Girls NJ Rockets, Boston Icemen, Team Aeroflex
AAA, Snapple Express, NJ Mid-Selects. U19T1, U16T1
Steve Adamo - 2nd year with NJ Rockets, Mount St Charles Academy, RI. U14T1
Larry Baum - 5 years of coaching. Boys/Girls NJ Rockets, Ramapo Saints. U19T2, U16T1
Mark Connoly - 10th year of coaching. NJ Rockets, NJ Selects. U19T2
Tai DeNunzio - 15 years of coaching. Boys/Girls NJ Rockets, Ramapo Saints Junior Program.
U19T1
Mike Rossi - 9 years of coaching. Boys/Girls NJ Rockets, Woodbridge, Wolf Pack. U14T1
Tibor Petrisin - 10 years of coaching. Boys/Girls NJ Rockets, Penguins. Slovakian National
Team. U12
Phoebe Turner - Assisted at Wisconsin with Mark Johnson. Three-time NCAA Wisconsin Div
1 National Champion. U12 Coach and U16 Assistant Coach /Program Skills Coach
Abbey Strong - Abbey Strong is a former Division I student-athlete who played with the North
Dakota Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey program from 2002-2004. Strong, a defenseman, was
a national scholar-athlete while at North Dakota, and finished her career there as the highestscoring defenseman in the history of the program. Abbey will bring her passion for the game to
the U16s and also will serve as the Defensive Skills coach for the Rocket girls' program