| Executive Staff |
Support Staff |
|
| Richard Carlson |
Lois Deresky (Junior Team Manager) |
| Peggy Del Mauro |
Charles O'Brien (Media Relations) |
| Debbie Vanderbeek |
Brian Cohen (Play by Play Announcer) |
| |
Kevin Schlittenhardt (Video) |
 |
General Manager,
Junior A & B Head Coach
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. |
 |
Jr A Assistant Coach
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. |
 |
Jr B Associate Head Coach
A Hells Kitchen, New York native, Brian played Division One hockey for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, winning an NCAA championship in 1981. Brian then moved on to a 12-year playing career with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks (an original member of the franchise) and the New York Islanders. Brian, who had the rare occurrence of not playing in the minors before making his NHL debut, holds the distinction of being the first NHL player to have been drafted off the roster of a New York Metropolitan Junior Hockey Association team. Brian, who has received numerous accolades for his off-ice contributions to hockey, brings his wealth of experience, enthusiasm and knowledge to the Junior Rockets bench as a Level 4-certified coach and returns to the bench of the organization where he played his junior hockey as the Associate Head Coach of the Junior A and Junior B Rockets. |
Jr A & B Assistant Coach
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. |
 |
Jr B Assistant Coach,
Dryland Coach
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 off-ice/on-ice conditioning as well as defensive player development. |
|
Jr A, Jr B & Youth Goalie Coach
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! |
Jr A & B Nutritionist
As a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist (RD) and certified personal trainer, Kelly has worked in a wide variety of health and fitness fields. Throughout the year, she works with the Rockets Junior organization to educate players on nutrition required for maximum performance. She also helps players by analyzing their eating habits and devising meal plans based on their individual goals and dietary needs.
Kelly has a Masters of Public Health in Administration and a Bachelors of Science in Dietetics. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) dietetic practice group. She also holds certification from the ADA in Adult Weight Management; from the American Heart Association in CPR; and from the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America in Personal Fitness Training and Group Exercise instruction.
Her professional experience includes working for the US Army as a research dietitian where she conducted studies focusing on nutrition and physical performance of active duty soldiers. Additionally, she has worked as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor for a number of fitness organizations. She is currently the manager of Mando Group New York, a treatment facility for eating disorders and obesity. |
|
|
