Oakville Rangers Announce the following AAA Coaches for the 2024-2025!, News (Oakville Rangers Hockey Club)

The Oakville Rangers Hockey Club (ORHC) is pleased and excited to announce these U13 to U10 AAA coaching selections for the 2024-2025 season.

 

The Oakville Rangers Hockey Club (ORHC) is pleased and excited to announce these U13 to U10 AAA coaching selections for the 2024-2025 season.

These selections will support continued growth in the ORHC's collective bench strength that was established several years ago when the organization made a commitment to find and select the highest quality coaches. Since then, this focus on coach selection has been a key element of our improving development system which has led to a consistent improvement of our players and teams overall.

We believe that this announcement reflects another extremely strong coaching group who are the foundation, along with the support of our deep organizational resources, to continuing to build a "Best in Class AAA Hockey Program".

Congratulations to the successful applicants and thanks to all those who applied. It all starts with coaching.  

Joey Simon – Under-13 - (U13)

Email:  [email protected]   Phone: (416) 737-8771

Joey Simon looks forward to sharing his considerable experience with the Oakville Rangers Hockey Club.  Joey grew up in Toronto, Ontario.  He played minor hockey in the GTHL for the Toronto Nationals, Toronto Marlboros and Don Mills Flyers AAA. Joey wore the “C” on most of his teams. He was drafted into the OHL as an underage pick 63^rd  overall by the Hamilton Steelhawks.  He went on to play 4 years in the OHL which led to a 6 year professional career in North America and Europe.

Joey started his coaching career with the Toronto Redwings AAA organization where he took 3 different age groups from U14-U16 to their OHL draft year.  In 2008/09 Joey’s Toronto Redwings team won the OHF All Ontario Provincial Championship in Thunder Bay, ON.  13 players from this team went on to be drafted into the OHL.  During his time with the Toronto Redwings, Joey was also the Regional Scout for the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL.  For 6 years he was responsible for the GTA & Niagara region. After 11 years with the Redwings, Joey moved to the OJHL where he was the Head Coach of the Streetsville Derbys and Head Coach, AGM & Director of Player Personnel for the Milton Icehawks.

Joey was chosen to be the Head Coach and Associate Coach for Team GTHL in the U16 OHF/OHL Gold Cup Program of Excellence Tournament 3 times from 2014-2016.  His team GTHL Blue won the U16 OHF/OHL Gold Cup Tournament in 2015.

For the last 23 years Joey has been Owner/Director of Powerhouse Performance Hockey Academy.  He has helped develop and coached over 200 players that have gone onto the OHL, NCAA and NHL.  A few of the players he has trained include Ryan Ellis, Peter Holland, Jesse Blacker, Owen Tippett, Darnell Nurse and Brennan Othmann.  

Joey anticipates an exciting, fun and enthusiastic experience coaching the Oakville Rangers U13 team.  He looks forward to using his vast knowledge and attention to detail to help guide these players towards further success.  

Joey and his family have lived in Oakville for the last 24 years.  

Congratulations to Joey on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-13 - (U13) AAA team for the 2024-25 season.

Mike DeRenzis– Under-12 (U12)

Email : [email protected]    Phone:  905-464-4488

 

Mike played his minor hockey at the AAA level ever year. He started with the Oakville Rangers, then moved to the Mississauga Senators, and was proud to be named the captain of his team every year from Minor Atom (U10) to Minor Midget (U16). He then made the jump to Jr. A, as he was the only 16-year-old skater selected to the team straight from Minor Midget. His 2nd season in junior he was named Assistant Captain, and then became Captain the following season. Unfortunately, only 5 games into that season while obtaining an NCAA division 1 scholarship, Mike’s playing career was cut short due to being diagnosed with a heart-condition.

 

This opened the gate into coaching and instructing, as only a few weeks later Mike joined on as an Assistant Coach with both the U11 Rangers and the Streetsville Derby’s Jr. A team, which also led into beginning his own hockey school called First Star Hockey.

 

Mike has now been running his hockey school and coaching rep hockey for over 13 years, with the last 8 years occurring here with the Rangers at the AAA level, having coached through the OHL Draft multiple times. Currently, Mike coaches the U16 AAA’s, who are 26-1-1-1 now, sitting 1^st place in the OMHA West and are ranked 5^th in the Ontario rankings and 4^th for the OHL Cup Rankings. This is his 6^th and final year coaching these 2008’s, who have continuously improved each season, finishing 17^th in Ontario in their first season at U11, then 7^th in U12, (covid U13), 4^th in U14 and 3^rd in U15. With their 1 and only regulation loss this season, it was the 1^st time Mike’s 2008’s had lost in OMHA West/SCTA regular season play in 2.5 seasons, as they had a record of 23-0-2 in U14 and 32-0 last year in U15. Along with an undefeated regular season, Mike’s 2008’s have achieved many successful accomplishments: 1 Bronze and 2 Silver Medals in their 3 OMHA Championships attended (no OMHA’s in U12 or 13 due to covid), Champions of the Shanahan Classic (U12), Toronto Red Wings Early Bird (U15), Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic (U15), Oakville Rangers Winter Classic (U15), and the Steve Richey Peterborough Tournament (U16), with hopefully more to come throughout the remainder of their U16 season.

 

Mike brings the ability to teach players individual skills, as well as how to think and play the game at an elite level, to prepare them for the next level after minor hockey. He takes pride in his ability to connect with his players, create a fun learning environment, and instill in them a passion for the game and a love for coming to the rink. He is excited to start another successful minor hockey journey, now with the 2013 age group.

Congratulations to Mike on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-12 (U12) AAA team for the 2024-25 season.

Matt Perry – Under-11 (U11)

Email:  [email protected]  Phone: 519-619-4646

Matt was born in Toronto and raised in Mississauga and played minor hockey in the MTHL growing up. He attended the University of Western Ontario where he ended up staying in London and started his coaching career back in 2009.

Matt comes to Oakville with over 15 years of coaching experience at the AAA level with most of his coaching in the Alliance with the Jr. Knights and Elgin Middlesex Chiefs where he won 2 Alliance championships, made an OHF final and a trip to the OHL Cup and has twice been selected to the U15 coaching program of excellence. Matt is entering his 4th season coaching with the Oakville Rangers having been the head coach of the U16 2006 AAA team, an assistant on the U16 AAA 2007 team and most recently the head coach of the U13 AAA-2 team.

Matt’s hockey philosophy is about creating an environment where kids want to learn and grow as both players and as people; putting team before self; extracting the life lessons out of the sport; and preparing the player for the next level.

Congratulations to Matt on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-11 (U11) AAA team for the 2024-25 season.

Shawn Shewchuk – Under 10 (U10)

Email:  [email protected]  Phone:  647-330-3471

Shawn Shewchuk grew up in Northern Alberta and played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for his hometown Lloydminster Blazers. After receiving scholarship opportunities in the NCAA, he opted to pursue an education and play for the McGill Redmen. There he was a captain and helped his team reach two National Championships for the first time in school history as well as a Queens Cup Championship in 2008. After graduating from McGill he completed his Masters in Business Administration at McMaster University and played with the Dundas Real McCoys. While there, the team went to the Allen Cup three times after winning the Ontario championship. He mentors and advises National Hockey League players about their finances and investments as a portfolio manager with GAVIN.  

Shawn has coached with the Oakville Hornets and Rangers organizations since 2019. He believes that youth sports should be an avenue for kids to learn valuable life lessons that can help them overcome obstacles throughout their lives. While teaching skills and hockey IQ, Shawn is constantly striving to improve the mental strength of each of his players and aiding them to handle the inner workings of team dynamics. Coaches he looks to model himself after include Nick Sabban, Kara Lawson and Ted Lasso.

Shawn coached U8-1 team in 2022-2023 season and U9-1 team in the 2023-2024 season. Shawn is excited to coach again in the Oakville Rangers organization at the U10 age group.

Congratulations to Shawn on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-10 (U10) AAA team for the 2024-25 season.