Brad Schell
Coach Schell grew up in Scott, Saskatchewan and played AAA in western Canada. Upon finishing his youth career, Brad was drafted by the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL. He played four seasons for the Chiefs including the 2003-2004 where he led the team in scoring with 92 points. Known as prolific scorer, Coach Schell scored a staggering 110 points in 63 games during the 2006-2007 season for the Gwinnett Gladiators in ECHL. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA with his wife Kim and two sons, Ryder and Gavin.
Matt Cooke
The Belleville, Ontario native brings over 16 years of experience at the professional level. Cooke won the Stanley Cup in 2009 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins ranks near the top of his professional resume, perhaps Cooke’s accomplishments off the ice are what aspiring elite student-athletes and their families will respect most. In 2003, while a member of the Vancouver Canucks, the 42-year-old received the Fred J. Hume Award, given to the team’s “unsung hero.” A few years later, in his second NHL stop with the Penguins, Cooke has tabbed the Edward J. DeBartolo Community Service Award Winner, and was Pittsburgh’s nominee for the prestigious Bill Masterton Trophy, an honor presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
After hanging up his skates following the 2014-2015 season, Cooke immediately started giving back to the game, serving as a member of the Orono High School coaching staff and leading the Minnesota Revolution ‘AAA’ program. Husband to Michelle, and father to Gabriella, Reece, and Jackson, Cooke believes the opportunity to lead TPH-Minnesota and carry out its vision through the Center of Excellence model is the perfect next step on his hockey journey.
Jay Sprague
Sprague has walked the path that most CoE students would like to take, preparing him perfectly to lead the student-athletes at TPH-Denver. Sprague attended and played hockey for IMG Academy before moving on to a Junior Hockey career in the USHL. Sprague earned an athletic scholarship at Michigan State University where he was a member of the 2007 NCAA National Championship team. After finishing college, Jay went on to play professionally in the ECHL and CHL before he eventually decided to transition from a career as a player to a career as a coach and mentor.
Dwayne Norris
Dwayne Norris, a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland, is the Director of Hockey-Operation at the TPH Center of Excellence in Detroit. Norris played four seasons at Michigan State University from 1988-1992. While in college, he also played for Team Canada at the U20 World Junior Championships in 1990. Norris was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 7th round of the 1990 NHL draft. He made his professional debut in 1992 with the Halifax Citadels of the AHL. Norris’ NHL debut came in the next season with the Québec Nordiques. His professional career then continued on through the 2007 season. Personally, Norris is married to wife Traci and has three sons- Cole, a sophomore at Ferris State, Josh, who was also selected by San Jose in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft and is currently a part of the Ottawa Senators organization, and Dalton, a U18 ‘AAA’ player who attends the Center of Excellence.
Ryan Brindley
Brindley competed for four years at Miami University where he graduated with a B.S. in Physical Education. Following college, he played nine professional seasons in four leagues (IHL, AHL, ECHL, and WPHL), before captaining the Florida Everblades ECHL team. Since the completion of his professional hockey career, Brindley coached for the Florida Jr. Everblades organization, capturing multiple state and league championships from 2009-2016.
Paul Healey
Paul Healey, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, is the Director & Head of Hockey at the TPH Center of Excellence in Fort Lauderdale. Healey a former professional player with 15 years of experience competing at the NHL, AHL, ECHL, and European pro level has captured championships as a member of the AHL’s s Philadelphia Phantoms in 1998, and then, 10 years later, while playing overseas in Slovenia with Jesenice. A three-time captain with the AHL’s St. John’s Maple Leafs, Lowell Lock Monsters, and San Antonio Rampage, Healey concluded his professional career in 2010, has totaled over 1,000 games played.
Since 2011, Healey has served as Hockey Director for the Miami Toros organization, where he has also coached at the Tier II level. In addition, Healey spent one season as the Assistant Coach with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades and dedicates his time to mentoring Florida youth hockey players.