Player Testaments

 Anthony Ciocca is a very hardworking individual that cares about each and every individual. I’ve know Anthony since I was 8 years old and feel as though he is a great fit for any opportunity in coaching. He lives, loves, and breathes hockey. Anthony even took me in his house to billet me as I’m playing for the Youngstown phantoms. Overall. Anthony is an unreal human being, will do anything for anyone, and is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had. 

 AC has helped me tremendously throughout the years not only with hockey but as a person as well.  AC does some of the best summer skates with the drills that he does he incorporates all aspects of the game edge work, stick-handling, shooting, and decision making.  He will travel out of his way to make these skates just to help us. He doesn’t even profit on the skates and sometimes even loses money, but still he shows up and helps us every moment he gets.  AC really understands the game and makes drills that builds skills that are applicable to a game.  In life AC has shown me so much generosity that I could never pay him back.  I honestly don’t think I would be where I am today without AC’s help and I truly mean that.  He is one of the hardest working people I have met and I have learned so much from him.  I know he would be great help to anyone trying to learn more about hockey and some valuable life lessons.  Most importantly though he will always be there when you need him so for that I will always be grateful. 

 I’ve had the pleasure of working with AC over the past 2+ years. AC displays many talents in the coaching realm, such as his enthusiastic personality which contributes to encouraging and boosting confidence on the ice. AC is great at relating to players, which helps him understand a players wants and needs, ultimately leading a player to achieve his goals. AC takes a lot of pride in his career, as he comes to the rink everyday with a plan and is very goal-oriented, which makes a great candidate for any coaching position. AC excels at motivating players to be the best version of themselves, on and off the ice. AC’s mentorship and constructive feedback has helped guide me to become the person and player that I am today. 

  First and foremost I’d like to get clear how much of a mentor AC is to me. Numerous times throughout this season I have called or texted him to check in, get some advice, or to just have someone to talk and he is there for me every time. He consistently devotes his time to help myself and others reach their goals on the ice as well as away from the rink. He is more than just a hockey coach to many and that shows through is authentic personality. He has had my back through thick and thin and that is why I will always have his. All in all, I would be lying if I said that he wasn’t more than worthy of any opportunity that came his way. 

   Anthony has a very smart hockey mind. The best part is he cares about the kids he coaches. Last summer the skates he would run he wasn’t getting paid a dime we just were giving the money to Alpha for the ice. He cares about us and wants us to succeed in hockey. He’s an absolute beauty as well and would make a great coach at the midget level. Ac wants pens to be a powerhouse like it was a few years back when you would win every single mid am chip. 

  I’ve been struggling to find a skills coach in Pittsburgh that either doesn’t cost too much money or has too many players, with varied skill levels. Luckily this summer someone recommended AC to me. The skates were mixed with just the right amount of skills and competition. They were filled with a smaller group of highly talented players. I developed a lot this summer with my skills going into my final year of juniors from the skates with AC. The final thing is the price of the skates we’re just to pay for the ice. AC did not even make a profit; he was just there to help develop the players with no financial motive. I would highly recommend AC to anyone that asks, and he would be perfect to coach a team at any age level.

   My name is Ian Emery and I play for the Shreveport Mudbugs of the North American Hockey League. Over the past summer or two Anthony has helped me in more ways than one. Whether it was strictly skills, work ethic, or even just a good conversation. Anthony knows what younger players, and even us older players need to take their game to the next level. Just through the players that have worked with him in the past including myself, there are plenty of junior, college, and even players drafted in the NHL, it is clear that he knows what he is doing and can get through to everyone on what they need to be successful in their sport. If there’s one guy I need to train with and help me with my game, it’s would no doubt be Anthony.  

  AC helped me out a lot this summer. This was the first year I started skating with him and I really got to see a different side of my game that I didn’t know I could use. His drills and coaching gave me confidence in myself to make plays and use my skill. Also, AC and his skates helped get me back to having fun playing hockey. It didn’t feel like a job when going to one of his skates. We always had a lot of fun and development came right with it! 

 Coach Anthony was a big part of the success we had as a team last year, making it to semi-finals in the national tournament. What I loved about coach AC, that I think you can’t find in another coach, was his ability to be a players coach and have the amount of respect from all the guys he did. AC was the guy all of us went to ask for advice, go over game film, etc. In addition, with our rigorous day to day schedule, having on ice practice 7 hours a week, sometimes the thought of another hour on the ice was dreadful. AC made it enjoyable to be on the ice and prioritized our development by not letting us take one rep off. Overall, coach Anthony was a major reason me and others continued to develop last year and I am grateful I was fortunate enough to share an unforgettable season with him. 

 My name is Mikie Solominksy and I'm a player on the u18 pens elite team. I have skated with AC for 2 years.  During the 2 summers I skated with him I had a blast. He is an amazing skills coach and bonds with the boys a lot. He always asks what we wanna work on and when we tell him he comes up with the best drills to help us out and get better. through out the number of skates I've done with him. He's helped me get better each time and tweak things to make me a better player. I've grown a lot during the skates with him and most importantly had a great time. The energy is my favorite part about them. It's a mix between good fun energy and the type of competition i'm going to need for when i'm off at juniors.