As we look forward to an exciting 2025, we’re thrilled to unveil the exceptional coaching crew who will guide our teams through this coming year of growth, challenges, and achievements. These coaches bring a wealth of experience, passion, and commitment to excellence, ensuring our athletes are equipped to reach new heights.
U7/U9 Mites and Atoms
Sasha (Alexander) D’jamirze – Head Coach
Sasha began his ice hockey journey at the age of five, starting with Blacktown. Progressing through the ranks, Alexander reached the pinnacle of representing the Blacktown AIHL Ice Dogs. His talent and dedication earned him the honour of representing Australia in the Asia Oceanic Cup for several consecutive years.
Sasha’s career highlights include a season with the prestigious Central Red Army Moscow Junior Under-21s team, where he honed his skills alongside top-tier players. Currently, Alexander is an integral member of the Ice Zoo Hockey Club, continuing his passion for the sport and bringing a wealth of experience to his team.
Thomas McGuire – Assistant Coach
Tom is from the UK where he found his passion for the game of hockey at the age of 10. He then went on to play for nine years playing in the English national league for the Jets for four where he became the assistant captain to the team. After re uniting with the game he has spent the past two years coaching the Atoms for the saints where he has loved watching the kids Excel within the game. Tom can not wait to be part of the team.
Hugh Deraps – Assistant Coach (Backup)
U11 Squirts
Matt Monaghan – Head Coach
Matt moved over from the USA and has over 30 years of hockey experience as a player and coach. He was a member of the 2001 Illinois high school state championship team and played 6 seasons in the AIHL, where he appeared in 100 games and averaged 1 point per game. In 2010, Matt finished in the top 3 for AIHL MVP voting. Beyond hockey, he also served as Head of Junior Development for Pitterwater Baseball.
Nic Heinecke – Assistant Coach
Nic brings technical skating knowledge gained competing in short track internationally, including being trained under top Canadian coaches in Montreal. In the local junior ranks, he claimed gold in all race distances at national championships each year and competed at the inaugural Junior World Championship in Seoul, Korea. Nic has international accreditation as a ski instructor and a love of going fast, which led to him becoming qualified as a FIS-accredited alpine racing coach. His vision is to deliver to the club training in skate mechanics so that the players can transform their gameplay with speed, efficiency, and technical excellence in the skating elements of the game.
Sasha Djamirze – Assitant Coach (Backup)
U13 Peewees
Hugh Deraps – Head Coach
Born in Montreal Quebec, Hugh has been coaching ice and inline hockey since 1999, combining decades of experience with a commitment to player development and the love of the game. A former coach for the state of Victoria, he has also been an active official in both sports across Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Mentored by Ron Johnson of the EHS hockey program in Vancouver, Canada, Hugh brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the sport at every level.
Chip Graf – Assitant Coach
Chip started work in youth sports in Chicago as a baseball umpire for over 12 years, rising through the age leagues to officiate games up to 18 and under. During this time, he began coaching youth baseball and was a highly regarded Baseball hitting and pitching coach. During the winter months, Chip transitioned to basketball coaching. Upon moving to Australia in 2000, Chip was active in youth sports coaching and now works in sports his son is involved with. Chip has been a committee member and coach of the Alexandria Rovers U9 and U11. Chip has spent 3 years as an active coaching assistant and team manager with the Ice Zoo H.C. In his professional life, Chip is a top Sales Enablement trainer and general Learning & Development professional.
U15 Bantams
Alec Stephenson – Head Coach
Alec has over a decade of experience in the AIHL, won a gold medal with the U18 Australian Team and represented the U20 Australia Team. In 2013, he was a member of the Goodall Cup-winning Sydney Ice Dogs. With over 25 years of experience in the sport, alongside the contribution his family has made to ice hockey in Australia, he is beyond excited to help the Wolves develop and mentor the younger generation.
Geoff O’Hara – Assitant Coach
Geoff O’Hara has been playing and coaching for over two decades. Having competitive experience at the international level in multiple sports has led to a lifetime of personal development and learning aimed at helping any athlete at any point in their journey in sport get to the next level and potentially a level.
Daniel Dornak – Assistant Coach (Training)
Daniel began playing ice hockey when he was 5 in the Czech Republic’s elite series with Skoda Plzen and continued competing in various leagues, including QLD 1st Division, where he was part of championship-winning teams with the Brisbane Buccaneers. He’s coached ice hockey and floorball juniors, national teams, and club-level players, bringing innovative methods like video analysis, mental coaching, and team-building activities into his training. He was a Head Coach of the Australian Men’s National Floorball Team and Floorball Australia Coaching Director. Currently, he coaches youth ice hockey players at Ice Zoo, sharing his passion and expertise with the next generation.
U18 Midgets
Alec Stephenson – Coaching Director
Alec will oversee the team selection, train players and assist coaches with systems and game-day duties.
Ash Moore – Associate Coach
Born in the picturesque hills of Vernon, BC, Canada, Ashley’s passion for hockey was sparked on a homemade backyard rink, skating with an upside-down bin in hand. A move to Melbourne, Australia, replaced the rink with a pool and a makeshift cricket pitch, but the dream of hockey never faded.
His coaching journey began with the Wolves and quickly expanded to mentoring players across all junior levels.
Now a Level 2 coach, Ash was an Assistant Coach of the 2024 Gold Medal-winning NSW DeFries team. With a commitment to continuous learning from seasoned players and coaches, Ashley brings an inspiring blend of passion and expertise to help players.
Orion Lynch – Associate Coach
Orion stepped onto the ice at age 2 and began his hockey journey at 7 with the Eagles and Bears. His development included playing for the Sydney Sting on the East Coast from the age of 15 and attending a prestigious hockey camp in the Czech Republic. Orion completed year 12 at the Ontario Hockey Academy, where he competed in Major Midget U18 AA, before advancing to the United States to play Junior A hockey for the Missoula Jr. Bruins.
Daniel Dornak – Assistant Coach (Training)
Training Support Coaches
Luka Dimopoulous – Goalie Coach
Luka’s ice hockey journey began at the age of 6. With a daring spirit, Luka took on the role as a tendy and saw his team through the highs and lows of 16 seasons. Luka’s competitive career has seen him compete internationally in Canada, at state and national championships, the ECSL, AJIHL and AIHL level.
Committed to growing in his field, Luka has been trained by Jon Elkin’s Goalie School in Toronto, Canada. An academy that has worked with NHL goalies that we see today, Luka has attended elite camps and worked 1:1 with NCAA and NHL coaches.
Expanding his skillset, Luka is now a level 1 goalie coach, when he’s not standing between the pipes, he’s mentoring the up and coming goalies at the Australian National Development Camp and club level. Luka was the goalie coach of this year’s gold medal winning NSW Tange U18s team. By fine-tuning his techniques over the years, Luka has been committed to coaching and developing the next generation of goalies.