In addition to an impressive coaching staff, the organization is committed to providing the best skills, power skating, and goalie instruction in the nation. Joe Laskero joins us as power skating coach, while Trevor Edwards, Christian Karbler and Josh Boyd join the club as skills coaches. For goalie instruction, Mitch Harris joins us working with the goaltenders in a number of clinics over the season, as well as in practice and skills sessions. 

TREVOR EDWARDS - DIRECTOR, PLAYER AND COACH DEVELOPMENT 

Trevor has been with the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex Staff since 2018 and has been heavily focused on the development of our athletes and coaches at all ages.  Currently he is focused on getting our advanced 8U and 10U players off to a great start while also serving as the Head Coach of the u15 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Team.  Trevor loves to working closely with his players and families to develop a high level of passion for the game while acquiring the advanced skill set that they will need to have success at the highest levels.    

Prior to joining our staff he enjoyed a successful 9 year stretch with Detroit Honeybaked where his team won a USA Hockey 14U National Championship in 2015.  Trevor also serves as the Director of Player Personnel for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL.    

Trevor was born in Toronto, Ontario and went on to play NCAA Hockey at Clarkson University (00-04').  After college Trevor spent 3 seasons in the United Hockey League (UHL) before retiring in 2007 after scoring 40 Goals, 49 assists, 89 points in 182 professional games.

http://www.upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com/skillsprograms

DAN MAYES - 18U PREP HEAD COACH 

Dan has spent the past two seasons at Trine University in Indiana where he has served as the Head Coach for the ACHA DII team and as the Assistant Coach for the NCAA team. In his two seasons as coach of the ACHA team, the Thunder has compiled a record of 54-9-2. They have also qualified for the ACHA DII national tournament in each of the last 2 seasons.

Dan has served in many coaching roles in his career. Since 2015, he has served as a NCAA Volunteer Coach at Bowling Green University, Head Coach of the Little Caesars 14U team, Associate Coach for the Honeybaked Midget 16/18U and St. Mary’s Catholic Central High School in Michigan.

http://www.upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com/skillsprograms

https://www.pittsburghpenguinselite.com/18uprep

JOE LASKERO - SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

Joe, joins the staff after serving as Head Coach of the 16u Maine Nordiques and assistant coach of the 18u team for the past 3 seasons. Joe, also worked as the skills and power skating coach for the organization, during his 3 years there.

In 2019, Joe started a skill development company based out of Chicago and has been training players at all levels, from learn to play up to USHL caliber players. Building a high standard of rapport and trust with his players is something he takes a lot of pride into, which leads on and off ice success. Loving the process of becoming a student of the game is something he wants to instill into any player that comes through his mentorship.

Joe’s, playing background started at a young age and finished in 2021, after playing for Trine University’s club hockey team. Joe and fellow co-worker Christian Karbler, was selected to go represent the ACHA all-star team in 2019 over in Barnaul, Russia, where they would play 4 different countries in a tournament style event. He then graduated with his MBA from Trine and went straight into coaching full time.

http://www.upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com/skillsprograms

CHRISTIAN KARBLER - SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

After serving as a Penguins Performance Training Coach, Christian now joins the on-ice development staff as a Skills Development Professional. Christian has previous experience serving as a skills coach for TPH Detroit where he worked with a wide variety of age levels from 10U to professional. 

Christian attended Trine University where he served as an Assistant Captain and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports & Recreation and Minor in Coaching & Exercise Science. After receiving his degree at Trine, Christian joined Aurora University as an Assistant Coach.

http://www.upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com/skillsprograms

JOSH BOYD - SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL 

Josh joins our staff after serving as a Pittsburgh Penguins Elite coach since 2017. Josh brings a wealth of experience at different age levels and has a true passion for developing each athlete into best versions of themselves.

Prior to joining Pittsburgh Penguins Elite in 2017, Josh served as an Assistant Coach with the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) and Volunteer Assistant Coach with Western Michigan University (NCAA). Josh was also previously a scout for the Sudbury Wolves (OHL).

Josh played NCAA Hockey at Bowling Green State University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management.

MITCH HARRIS - DIRECTOR OF GOALTENDING 

Mitch Harris, previously the Director of Program Development for the Goalie Doctor school in the Philadelphia area will be the Director of Goaltending for all UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex goalie training, EXCEL Hockey Academy and Pittsburgh Penguins Elite. Prior to joining the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex he served as the goalie coach for the Metropolitan Riveters (PHF), Alvernia University (NCAA Men's Division III), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights (NCDC, Premier and Elite), The Hill School Boys Prep team and various youth programs in the Philadelphia, Central and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Harris is a USA Hockey Level 4 Coach and serves as a guest coach for multiple elite summer camps.

MIKE CHIASSON - GOALTENDING ADVISOR 

Mike is a former goalie from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. He is the current Manager of Youth Hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Goalie Development Professional at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Mike is also the goalie development coach for the Pens Elite organization. Mike is a former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League goaltender with the Rimouski Oceanic and finished his playing career with four years at Acadia University. Prior to joining the staff, Mike spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Acadia Axemen and the technical director for the Acadia Minor Hockey Association. 

http://www.upmclemieuxsportscomplex.com/goalie

JASON JEROME - DIRECTOR, SPORTS PERFORMANCE 

Originally from Aurora, IL, Jason earned his Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Miami in 2006.  A major opportunity fell upon him in 2010 as Jason began serving as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Athletic Development for IMPACT PERFORMANCE in Boca Raton, FL.  That opportunity provided Jason access to train 1000’s of athletes, be an Athletic Trainer for multiple professional sports organizations, and run the NHL Combine for four years. 

Early in Jason’s career, he was employed by the University of Miami and responsible for rehabilitating Olympic, professional, and collegiate athletes from various sports including football, track and field, and volleyball.  A major highlight of Jason’s time at the “U” was serving as a Core Training specialist for the track and field program as well as working with numerous alumni from the NFL and MLB.  For the past three seasons, Jason has had the awesome opportunity to serve the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program and the Excel Hockey Academy as their Director of Sports Performance.  Jason is a proud supporting member of the National Athletic Training Association (NATA).