Testimonial

Mike Annese was my hockey coach for one year, and that year was the most fun I ever had playing hockey. He is not only a great coach, but an outstanding person. I loved to chat with him about hockey or just life in general. It was always a joy for me to see Mike at practice; He would always ask me how my day was, how school is, and how lacrosse is going. Mike was genuinely interested in how I was doing. 

While Mike helped me off the ice, he also helped me on the ice. Anytime I was down or I wasn’t playing well, Mike would come over and tell me everything would be okay and to just be me. It always worked and I am extremely grateful to have Mike as a coach. 

I played lacrosse throughout the hockey season and Mike always helped me to navigate any conflicts. He encouraged me to be a dual sport athlete and be the best in both. 

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Mike genuinely cares about his players and loves success on the ice, but cares more about what the players are like off the ice. He taught us to be respectful, kind, and caring human beings. Mike is not just a coach to me, but a friend as well. He is someone that is going to always be there for me and support me in all my endeavours. 

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Edward Qu

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Mike was an assistant coach with my son's St. Michael's Majors high school Prep team for two years.  He is a very knowledgeable hockey person regularly putting forward differentiating team hockey strategies helping to ensure a teams success.  He also is a coach that consistently demonstrates an interest in each player reinforcing "the positives" with each individual and providing constructive feedback when necessary. He is a person who genuinely takes an interest and cares about each individual not only as a player but as a "whole person".  I would highly recommend Mike as a coach at any level of minor league hockey.

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Paul Geiger

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I was so pleased to see that Mike Annese started a hockey development program in Durham. Mike brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the game of hockey and development. Mike was instrumental in building a competitive St. Michael’s Majors Prep School hockey program. He understands the importance of teaching players skill sets through progressions and using small area games to teach game sense. Mike designs his practices to teach individual and team tactics to his players, while combining the principles of offensive and defensive tactics to his teams. Mike is a champion of team building and advocate for all his players. His teams share these common characteristics; they have high energy, they have a relentless work ethic, and they display teamwork. 

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Francesco “Frenchie” Bazzocchi

NCCP Instructor/Facilitator Hockey Canada

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