Travel Hockey Head Coaches

Jim and his family have been with CAHA for 7+ years. He was fortunate to have lived hockey professionally as an equipment manager for 21 years. He worked for 8 years in professional hockey and for 13 years was with Ohio State Women’s Ice Hockey. He has been with Ohio State Athletics for 16 years in total. While at Ohio State, he worked with USA Hockey, including 2 World Championships in 2008 in Harbin China and 2009 in Finland as well as the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

He has head coached house hockey and was an assistant coach for the Bantam select team in 2018-19, Head Coach of the 2009-10 A in 2019-2020 and Head Coach of the 2010 AA in 2020-2021. He has coached travel baseball for 12 years and middle school level in 2018-19. 

His coaching goals are to ensure the kids have fun and fall in love with or stay in love with the game of hockey. Skill development and team concept is crucial at the Pee Wee age group and will be a focus throughout the season. He also believes in kids playing multiple sports and he uses other sports to help explain different concepts within the game of hockey.

Jeff Sharp will serve as the Head Coach for the 2010 A team. This will be Jeff's second year with the 2010 A team having served last year as an assistant coach. 

Jeff has coached hockey in Central Ohio at various levels for the past 7 years. He has been a program administrator and board member in the Central Ohio hockey community. 

He looks forward to a season of fun and developing the players in both their hockey skills and in their love of the game.  

With over 20 years of experience in youth hockey, Ryan has made significant contributions as both a head coach and assistant coach across various age groups, working with organizations such as CAHA's Columbus Capitals and the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach with the Columbus Chill Hockey Club.

A Level 4 USA Hockey coach, Ryan brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the rink. He captained the Ohio State hockey team and played in the Frozen Four, later continuing his career as a professional player in the ECHL.

Ryan's coaching philosophy emphasizes hard work, effective communication, strong skill development, and, above all, a genuine passion for being at the rink. He is dedicated to the growth of youth hockey and is committed to teaching not only the game itself but also valuable life skills to his players. Ryan's enthusiasm for the sport and his players makes him a valuable mentor and leader in the hockey community.

Coach Joe Bogard, is a Cincinnati, OH native, who played at the AA and AAA levels in Southwest Ohio and Northern Ky, helping his High School team win 2 Kentucky State Championships between1999-2003.

After high school, Coach Bogard chose to serve 4 years in the U.S. Marine Corps instead of pursuing junior or college hockey. At the end of his active duty service, he enrolled at the Ohio State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in 2012, and played for the Buckeyes' ACHA hockey team.

Before joining the Columbus Capitals, he was the Head Coach of the U16 Columbus Mavericks for their inaugural 2023-2024 season, leading them to their first state tournament. He has also held previous coaching positions with the USPHL Premier Columbus Mavericks Hockey Club and Newark Generals youth and high school varsity programs.

Coach Bogard is also a staff member of Hammer Hockey Development and runs his own skills coaching brand, “Hockey Command Center.” He has served as a Guest Coach at the Weekend Warriors Adult Hockey Academy. He lives in Granville, OH, with his wife A’Laura, and their two children.

Chris has been coaching youth hockey at various levels in Central Ohio over the last 5 years, and has taught hockey classes on-and-off since 2001.

Originally from Battle Creek, MI, Chris most recently served as an assistant coach for the 2010/11 Capitals Select team.

Chris played hockey growing up in Michigan, and has undergraduate and graduate training in sport science and coaching.

His coaching philosophy centers on the development of each player in skill and game sense, in love for the game, and in respect for teammates and opponents. Communication is key for Chris's coaching style - between players and coaches, parents and coaches, and between the players themselves.

He is excited to serve as head coach for the 2021-22 season, and looks forward to a season of fun and growth.

With nearly two decades of business leadership and a passion for hockey that spans over 18 years, Luke brings a wealth of experience and commitment to the 2012 Columbus Capitals Blue team. As a graduate of Ohio State University, a former member of the OSU Men's Hockey Team and a dedicated business owner for 19 and a half years, Luke understands the importance of discipline, teamwork, and resilience—qualities that are central on and off the ice.

Luke believes in hockey’s unique power to teach life lessons that extend beyond the rink, helping young players grow in confidence, perseverance, and community spirit. He is honored to be part of the Capitals coaching staff for the past four years, guiding student-athletes to reach their full potential both in hockey and in life.

Brad is returning for his 3rd season as a Head Coach of the Capitals. Originally from the Pittsburgh area, Brad has played hockey at various levels, from bantam to ACHA hockey at the University of Pittsburgh.

In coaching the PeeWee age group, he believes in individual skill development and the use of small-area games to improve play.

He is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and has used those skills to lose all arguments with officials. He was, however, able to negotiate an acceptable playlist with his team to be played prior to games. Brad does his best to make sure that any child he coaches has fun, feels valued, and wants to keep playing this wonderful game.

He couldn't be more excited to continue coaching in 2024-2025.  

Born and raised in Columbus, Connor started playing hockey at EYHA before joining CAHA. He played for OBJ AAA from U10 through U16 and participated in various Junior programs from Boston to Rochester. After his junior career, he attended Miami University in Oxford, where he studied genetics.

In addition to his coaching duties, Connor works in the medical field and enjoys training and competing with bird dogs and horses. He has achieved multiple national championships with his horses and dogs, and on off weekends, he can be found in the field hunting for fun. He has also been known to transport exotic animals, ranging from giraffes to zebras.

Connor's coaching philosophy centers around building a sense of responsibility and empowerment in each player. This will be his fourth season with the Columbus Capitals and sixth season coaching overall.

Steve and his family have been part of the CAHA program for six years. This year, he is excited to serve as the Level 1 coach for the 2013 White team, with his wife, Kate, managing the team.

Having coached various sports over the years, this marks Steve’s first season as a Head Coach for the Capitals. His coaching philosophy emphasizes relentless effort in both attacking and defending, using hockey as a tool to teach valuable life skills and leadership.

Steve is passionate about the game and enjoys sharing that enthusiasm with his family. He, Kate, and their two children live in Galena, and both kids are once again playing hockey this season. The whole family is proud to be actively involved in the CAHA program!

JP McCarthy had been coaching youth hockey for the last 5 years in the Columbus area. He grew up on the West Side of Cleveland where he played travel hockey in the Rocky River organization.

JPs coaching philosophy is built on developing a team first mindset amongst the young athletes. Encouraging them to embrace the process on and off the ice as they work to get better at their craft, and ultimately enjoy the rewards from their efforts. 

JP lives in Powell with his wife Beth and their four children Bode, Henry, Sadie and Charlie. He is grateful for the continued opportunities to be able to work with the young athletes in the CAHA organization. 

Ryan Skaleski is a Level 4 USA Hockey coach. He grew up playing travel hockey in Detroit, as well as junior hockey in the NAHL and USHL. Ryan attended and played hockey for Ohio State where he was a member of the 1998 Frozen Four team. 

Ryan has 20+ years of experience coaching youth hockey in Columbus at various levels. He was assistant coach for the U18 AAA Blue Jackets for 15 years, and most recently coached both high school Varsity hockey at Olentangy Orange as well as his son’s Mite team. 

Ryan lives in Worthington with his wife and two kids. He is excited to be joining the CAHA organization and to be able to continue to bring his love and passion for the game of hockey to youth players in Central Ohio. 

Alex was born and raised in Columbus, where he played for CAHA in the 1990s. He continued his hockey journey with the Columbus Capitals, playing travel hockey through high school. After college, he became the head coach of the Capitals travel teams for several seasons in the 2000s, earning his Level 3 USA Hockey coaching certification.

His passion for the game remains strong as he continues to play in the Chiller Adult Hockey League. In recent years, he has enjoyed coaching his son’s hockey teams, helping to instill a love for the game in both him and his teammates.

CAHA has deep roots in Alex's family. He grew up playing for CAHA, his father served as its president 25 years ago, and his nephew currently plays goalie for the 2012 Capitals. For Alex, CAHA truly feels like home!

Michael entering my second year with CAHA. Previously, he served as an assistant coach for the 2013 Blue Columbus Capitals, where he developed his coaching skills and passion for youth hockey.

Hailing from Dublin, Ohio, he graduated from Dublin Scioto High School in 2017. During his time in college, Michael gained valuable experience as a student manager for the Ohio State University hockey team, and which deepened his understanding of the game and the importance of teamwork.

Michael is committed to fostering a positive and supportive environment for young athletes, helping them develop their skills on and off the ice. His goal is to instill a love for hockey while promoting sportsmanship, hard work, and resilience in my players. Michael looks forward to another exciting season of growth and development with the 2015 Blue.

Head Coach of the 2015 White Team, Mazin Habash, grew up participating in hockey programs out of Oxford and Dayton, Ohio. He then pursued experiences in the Little Caesars League in Detroit with some Junior B Hockey and College Club at OSU. 

This is Mazin's first Head Coach position with the Capitals after assisting 2 different tournament teams in prior seasons. He has coached hockey at the introductory level through High School Varsity level over the last 15 years. 

Mazin lives in Powell with his wife and 2 kids. He is excited to bring his experience and love of the game to help develop players in Central Ohio.