Henry Acres - Program Leader
Henry “Hank” Acres is currently a professional hockey player during the winter months. He started his hockey journey with Parksville's own Generals Junior club before moving onto the BCHL.
After a highly successful college career, culminating in a Canadian Championship. Henry has embarked on a world wide professional career that has seen him lace'em up with teams from Florida, Michigan, and Virginia in the USA, a Championship in Australia, a season in Finland and 5 seasons in Sweden.
2008-09 Henry worked as a coaching consultant with Tuuski Hockey in Finland, helping to develop coaches and players at all levels in that organization.
Henry has played competitive hockey for over 20 years and has achieved many successes on a personal and team level at all levels of hockey. From minor hockey up thru junior and college to the professional ranks Henry has shown the heart and mind of a champion along with the hardware to prove it!
Hank enjoys working with young people and sharing his passion for hockey with the future of the game. Henry is a NCCP Level 2 certified coach along with previous hockey school instruction at Mount Royal College Hockey School in Calgary, Alberta and as a hockey and skating instructor with Recreation Oak Bay in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2006-07 Henry was assistant trainer with Arborga Hockey's gymnasium program in Sweden. This is a high school level Phys-Ed equivalent for the top players in the city. Henry continues to work with player development in 2008-09 in Helsinki, Finland.
Henry started Acres Hockey Training to give developing hockey players some real insight into what kind of desire, focus, and training it takes to make the dream of a career in hockey a reality.
Henry resides in beautiful Qualicum Beach, B.C. during the off season, enjoying the many amenities this wondrous area has to offer.
Jesse Dorrans - Lead Instructor
Acres Hockey Training is proud to have Jesse Dorrans on board as a lead instructor. Coach Dorrans brings a wealth of knowledge to every session and has been an invaluable member of our team the past 5 seasons of AHT, both in Canada and Finland.
Jesse is currently GM/Coach with the Grand Forks Border Bruins, members of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Before joining the Bruins, Jesse was Assistant GM/Coach of the Castlegar Rebels (KIJHL) and with the Vancouver Thunderbirds Minor Hockey Association for 4 seasons at the Pee Wee and Bantam levels.
Coach Dorrans has a long hockey-playing background beginning in Chetwynd, B.C before heading south to a true interior hockey hotbed of Williams Lake and played the majority of his minor hockey with that organization. At the completion of Jesse's minor hockey career he made the trek to the Island to begin studies at Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo.
While continuing his studies Jesse enhanced his hockey playing career with the VIJHL's Parksville Generals and finished out his junior playing days with the Victoria Salsa of the BCHL.
Outside hockey Coach Dorransy is a huge Boston Red Sox's fan. Jesse resides in Castlegar, B.C.
Dave Johnston-Lead Instuctor
Dave stepping in for Henry in 2009 did an outstanding job overseeing AHT in 2009.
Acres Hockey is very privilaged to have Dave returning in 2010 for his second year with AHT.
Dave is currently the Head Coach/GM of the Oceanside Generals Jr. Hockey team of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. The Gens were the 2008-09 VIJHL Playoff Champions and completed at the Cyclone Taylor Cup finishing in 3rd place in BC. In 2009-10 the Genreals where the host team for the CT Cup and finished 4th.
Dave has helped many players climb the hockey ladder through Jr. and college into the pro ranks in his over 10 years at the helm of the Generals including Henry.
Todd Norman-Lead Instructor
Todd joined AHT in 2009 and did a fantastic job running the camps in 2009.
Todd brings a wealth of playing experience to AHT.
The 1995 5th Round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, attended 3 NHL Training Camps, was a big time scorer for the Guelph Storm in the OHL, before playing in the AHL, ECHL, CHL, CIS and Europe.
Todd graduated from St. FX University in Halifax and is a teacher and Assistant Coach at Trinity College Preparatory School in Ontario. We hope this is the first of many years of Todd's involvement with AHT.
Bill Ruggiero - Goalie Instructor
Acres Hockey is equally thrilled to have Bill as goalie instructor for the Steps/Foundation Programs. Bill will also be accompanying Coaches Acres and Dorrans to Oulu, Finland for AHT International there in June.
Bill has an extensive playing history from Major Junior in the OHL and QMJHL, along with pro experience in the AHL, ECHL, CHL, UHL, IHL, and he also attended NHL training camp with the Nashville Predators.
He has conducted numerous camps and clinics in the USA/Canada and his hometown of Detroit, Michigan.
Bill is very proud of sister, Angela Ruggiero, who is regarded as one of the best women’s hockey players in the world and a recent silver medalsit at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Dayna Harstad - Dryland Instructor
Acres Hockey is very honoured to have Dayna’s services for all programs since 2008 and look forward to her involvement in 2010 and beyond. Dayna is a Canadian Champion in Tae Kwon Do and has represented her country at World Championships; she was a bronze medalist at the 2004 Pam-Am Games in the Dominican Republic.
Dayna currently stays on top of her game by assisting Tae Kwon Do Canada as a Jr. National Team Coach along with being an athlete representative that brings her in contact with Olympic and National team member in various sports.
Dayna also is a registered personal trainer with the ISSA and NCCP Level 2 coach. She enjoys working with athletes of all abilities and helping them achieve their goals.
Dayna lives in Parksville with her husband and two kids.
For training information contact Dayna.
Kevin Spicer-Dryland Instructor-BSc,BEd,MEd,BCRPA-PFT
Kevin joined AHT for all AHT Programs in 2009.
Kevin is a KSS teacher-registered Personal Trainer with big-time ideas and enthusiasm for developing athletic skills in youth. Kevin runs Parksville Area youth camps under the name Team Achieve.
Kevin has recently published training manuals for teachers and fitness professional directly related to youth training and development.
For more info on these programs please contact Kevin
Jr. Instructors
Jr. Instructors with most current playing team in parenthesis include:
Darcy Corcoran (Asploven HC, Sweden)
Rick Cleaver (Kalamzoo Wings, ECHL)
Matt Wray (Camrose Kodiaks, AJHL)
Brodie Gibbon-Paul Grahme (Parksville Generals, VIHL)
Kyle Kramer-Nick Bell (Nanaimo Clippers, BCHL)
Andrew Corbett (Oceanside MHA)
Kevin Phillippe (Oceanside MHA)
*Not all instructors available for all programs*
