angeloricci@comcast.net
Phone: 303-810-7022
Angelo Ricci is currently the Director of Hockey Operations for the Thunderbirds and Head Coach for the U16 AAA. Last season (2011-2012), Ricci guided the U16 team to nationals ranking of #5 while winning their seventh straight CAHA State Championship, Rocky Mountain District semi-finalist and capturing the prestigious Tier 1 Elite League U16 Championship. The team finished with a record 54-6-6.
In the 2010-2011 season, Ricci guided the U18 team to the CAHA State Championship, Rocky Mountain District Championship and a third place finish at the USA Hockey National Tournament. They finished the season with a 58-7-9 record. His team had four players commit to NCAA Division I schools to play college hockey. They also had nine players called up to the USHL or NAHL for some Junior A experience and eight players signed tenders with NAHL teams.
From 2005-2010, Ricci was the U16 AAA head coach for the Thunderbirds During the 2009-2010 season, he led the Thunderbirds to Colorado’s first Tier 1 AAA National Championship. The U16 team had six players selected in the USHL Main Entry Draft and USHL Futures draft in May.
He pioneered the idea of hockey directorship in Colorado as the first director of Arvada Youth Hockey (1997-98). He then started and served as the director of Arapahoe Youth Hockey from 1998-2006. He was the director for the Littleton Hockey Association from 2006-2009 where he helped maintain and build on the strong tradition of excellence that Littleton has established in their 47-year existence. Ricci has brought leadership and vision to each of these associations and left lasting positive contributions.
His expertise in organization and leadership has led him to a successful coaching career at all levels. Since 2003, he has consulted and worked with numerous professional and elite players such as Zach Parise, Scott Parker, Gilbert Brule, Brock Bradford, Drayson Bowman, Nick Shore and Drew Shore to name a few. For the past nine years, Ricci has been a skills consultant for the Assabet Valley Girls program that has won 40 USA Hockey Tier I National Championships. Ricci was Head Skills Instructor at the NHL Fantasy Skills Camp during the NHL All-Star Games in Denver in 2001 and Los Angeles in 2002.
Ricci has served as head coach of Team Colorado (1999-2009) for the Chicago Showcase. During the 2008 Chicago Showcase Event, he was honored with the “Ted Brill” Coaches Award, voted by his peers. He has been head coach of various AAA/AA teams (’99-present). His head coaching experience has included coaching at the Midget Major AAA and Midget Minor AAA level with the Colorado Thunderbirds Hockey Club (2005-2012).
During his tenure as a head coach, he has compiled a long list of accomplishments with his teams. In 10 years of coaching at the AAA/AA level, he has guided his teams to 7 state championships, 9 district championship appearances (5 district championships) and 5 national tournaments appearances. In the 2010-2011 season, his U18 finished in 3rdplace at the National tournament. For the 2009-2010 season, Ricci’s U16 AAA team captured the Thunderbirds and Colorado’s first Tier 1 National title. His team finished with a record of 67-9-9. His Thunderbird Midget Minor AAA team in ’08-’09 Thunderbird team was a National quarter-finalist (5th place) and his ’07-’08 team placed 3rd at Nationals. Ricci’s Team Colorado group in 2003-2004 Midget Major AAA team placed 5th at Nationals. His demand for excellence on and off the ice has truly paid off for his players.
He has worked with many AAA/AA players to help advance their careers and fulfill their dreams of competing at Juniors, NTDP, College, and Professional ranks. During the 2010-2011 season, the Thunderbirds had six players commit to Division I colleges and eight players sign tenders with the NAHL. During the 2009-2010 season, the Thunderbirds program had nine players selected in the USHL draft which is a Colorado youth hockey record. The Thunderbirds had eight players sign tenders in the NAHL, one player selected to play for the NTDP in Ann Arbor and one players selected in the WHL draft. His overall coaching record at the AAA level is 423-102-54.
In conjunction with his coaching, he shares his passion, skill and knowledge as a USA Hockey Coaching Education Program Presenter (’99-present) and as a USA Hockey District Festival Head Coach (’04-’present). He has conducted multiple coaching seminars and clinics. In 2003, Ricci attained his certification with USA Hockey as a Master Level 5 Coach.
Ricci, a native of Chicago, IL., has experienced winning traditions as a player. As a youth player, he was a 3 time National champion with his Pee Wee AAA, Bantam AAA and Midget AAA teams and earned appearances at the USA Hockey Select 15, 16, 17, and 18 Festivals. He continued his hockey development in the USHL, becoming the all time leading scorer for the Omaha Lancers (’89-’91) and named twice to the USHL All-Star Game. He also was named a First Team League All-Star in 1990 and Second Team All-Star in 1991. In 2005, he was inducted into Omaha’s Hockey Hall of Fame.
He earned an athletic scholarship to the University of Denver from 1991-1995. While at DU, he played under two legendary head coaches, Frank Serratore and George Gwozdecky. He went on to become the 12th all time leading scorer at University of Denver (’91-’95) earning All-Academic and All-Conference honors while donning the Pioneer sweater. He graduated from the University of Denver with a Marketing degree in 1995. His professional career included stints in the minor leagues and with Val Gardena (Elite Division Italy) as well as professional roller hockey in the RHI for Chicago and Denver.
Lastly, Ricci’s contribution to furthering the popularity and understanding of the sport of ice hockey is demonstrated through the many camps and clinics he conducts (Stick With The Edge Hockey School and Ricci Hockey Consulting). He also works as a radio host for “Between the Pipes” on 102.3 ESPN. He previously hosted “Youth on Ice” (1999-2009) on The FAN, AM 950 and FM 104.3 and was co-host of an internet based radio show called the “Penalty Box” with Nick Vella on 5280 Sports.
As a player, coach, director and supporter, his passion for the sport is second to none. He resides in Denver with his wife, Melanie, and his favorite canine and feline companions, Gordie and Marley.
