VALLEY JR. WARRIORS - JUNIORS
Coaches & Staff
HEAD COACH & GENERAL MANAGER

Ryan McGrath

rmcgrath@jrwarriors.com

Ryan McGrath comes to the Jr. Warriors with close to 20 years of experience in coaching, player development, and NCAA placement.  Most recently Ryan spent the last 5 seasons as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at Wentworth Institute of Technology.  In his time with Wentworth, he recruited 15 players from the EHL.  Prior to Wentworth Ryan spent 4 seasons as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.  At UMB Ryan helped recruit 5 all-Americans and helped build the Beacons into the national powerhouse they are today.

In addition to his work at the NCAA level, he has helped promote over 150 players to NCAA Hockey while with the South Shore Kings, Portland Jr. Pirates, Northern Mass Cyclones, Rhode Island Saints, and Reading (MA) High School. 

Ryan has also made a name for himself in player development circles as he was the Director of Player Development for Mass Hockey from 2010-2014.  In that position, he oversaw the process to select players for USA Hockey’s National Development Festivals.  He has also worked for the state federations in Maine, Rhode Island, and Florida as well as the Rocky Mountain District. 

In the summer months, Ryan is the Lead Instructor for Paul Vincent Hockey Schools located at Hockeytown USA in Saugus, MA.

EHL PREMIER HEAD COACH & ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

Sean Collins

scollins@jrwarriors.com

Collins serves as the Head Coach for the Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP) team. The Reading, Massachusetts native played Division I collegiate hockey at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). He scored 77 goals and 96 assists in his four-year career with the UNH Wildcats. At UNH, he was a 2x Hockey East champion and was named first-team All-American (East), second All-star team (Hockey East), Best Forward (New England), All-Rookie team (Hockey East), and Rookie of the Year (New England and Hockey East).  

Collins was drafted in 2002 in Round 9 #289 Overall by the Colorado Avalanche. After graduating from UNH, went on to play professionally in the AHL, CHL, and ECHL. In his ECHL Rookie season with the Wheeling Nailers, he was named to the All-Rookie Team where he led his team in points with 27 goals and 49 assists. During his three seasons with the Wheeling Nailers (2005-08), he recorded 69 goals and 139 assists for a total of 208 points. During that time, he received two AHL call-ups with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Worcester Sharks.  

Collins began his coaching career with his HS alma Mater at Reading HS as an assistant coach. Collins went on to coach with the NH Jr Monarchs Elite and as a UNH volunteer coach. He has worked with Neutral Zone LLC. As a New England Regional Scout.  

 

EHL ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH

Michael Clougherty

mclougherty@jrwarriors.com

Michael is a former Valley Jr Warrior who joined the EHL staff for the 20-21 season. He served as an assistant coach for two seasons (20-21, 21-22) and was promoted to Associate Head Coach in 2022 by Ryan McGrath. Michael’s responsibilities include running the forwards, special teams, video, and building players' individual on-ice development plans.

The Lynn, MA native is currently a senior at Boston College majoring in Corporate Systems and is set to graduate in the Spring of 2024. Michael spends most of his time in Haverhill and then heads to Chestnut Hill for evening classes spread throughout the week since he started coaching.

In the summer, Michael is the founder and owner of Clougherty Hockey, an invite-only summer development program that focuses on family, the skill of compete, and problem-solving with an on and off-ice component. Michael has worked with players in NCAA D1 & D3, Junior (NAHL, EHL, NCDC, CCHL), NEPSAC, MIAA and U14.

Michael is the oldest of three. Both of his siblings play NCAA Hockey. His brother Brian is heading into his senior year for Worcester State and his sister Keri is a junior playing for Boston College. Michael currently resides in Lynn, MA.

EHLP ASSISTANT COACH

Dan Furlong

Daniel Furlong serves as the Assistant Coach for the Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP) team. Furlong, a Malden, Massachusetts native played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for Sioux Falls Stampede from 2008-10. He recorded a total of 26 points from the blue line. He then played four seasons of collegiate hockey at the UMASS Lowell. He helped his River Hawks team win two Hockey East Championships and appeared in the Frozen Four.

Furlong began his coaching career in 2021 and spent the next two seasons with the New England Prep League. In both seasons, Furlong led his U19 team to the championship. Furlong currently works at the Hockey House Synthetic Ice and Hockey Treadmill Facility. Where he is the lead instructor and summer program director

Goaltending Coach

Chris Czarnota

Chris Czarnota is the Goaltending Coach for the Valley Jr. Warriors. He will continue to serve as the Head Coach of Women's Ice Hockey at Rivier University. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Norwich University Men's Ice Hockey team.

While in Northfield, VT, Czarnota worked with the goalies for the men's and women's teams along with assisting in all daily practice planning and drills. He is one of the most accomplished goaltenders in Norwich history, ranking third all-time with 10 career shutouts. The 2014 Norwich University graduate posted a 31-7-3 record in 43 games played. His 1.50 career goals against average ranks as one of the best in program history.

During the 2019-20 season, he mentored the Sid Watson Award, Division III National Player of the Year winner Tom Aubrun, who went on to set five NCAA Division III goalie records. Aubrun repeated as the NEHC Goalie and Player of the Year and earned American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) First Team All-American honors. Aubrun carried an NCAA all-level 572:31 consecutive shutout minutes streak (nine games) into the NCAA Tournament before it was canceled.

During the 2018-19 season, he mentored two NEHC Goalie of the Year selections in Aubrun and Emily Lambert. Aubrun was also named an American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Third Team All-American.

In the summer of 2019, Czarnota was selected to attend and serve as a goalie coach at the USA Hockey Select U15 Development Camp in Buffalo, NY. He also works with the Rice Prep boy's hockey program in South Burlington and Stowe youth hockey. During the summer, he works as a goalie coach at the Elite Hockey Training Center.

Performance Coaches - XP University

Pat Gigante & Ben Piecz

Pat has over 15 years experience preparing athletes for elite competition in all sports at the collegiate and youth levels. With experience working with multiple professional athletes and top collegiate lacrosse, hockey, football, soccer, and baseball players, Pat has honed his ability to develop the entire athlete.  Pat spent many years as the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Tufts University and has extensive knowledge of preventing and treating concussions in athletes.

Xcelerated Performance
Head Athletic Trainer

Andy Berube