Our Skills Providers

Elev802 Boston is AHA’s on-ice skills provider. AHA is fortunate to have an exclusive partnership with Elev802 Boston because they challenge our players to achieve the highest level of performance on and off the ice. AHA players receive regular skills sessions included in their tuition at Elev802 Boston’s facility in Dundee Park in downtown Andover. The Elev802 Boston development model is built on the premise of game specific skills that are easily transferable from practice to game. AHA offers discounted supplemental skills sessions to all members at Elev802 Boston for those players seeking additional development opportunities.

XP.University is AHA’s off-ice training partner and provides AHA youth travel and high school players with regular training sessions. XP is a performance and wellness company with over twenty years of proven results with its primary focus on the education and coaching of individuals in all aspects of performance development. XP sessions are now held at the same facility as Elev802 Boston in Dundee Park, downtown Andover. XP is led by Pat Gigante (KSI Coach, SSC, CPT). Pat has more than two decades of 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.

Erika Hammar is the owner of Empower Hockey and AHA’s lead skating instructor. Erika has nearly thirty years of experience coaching ice skating. She is a USFS (US Figure Skating) and PSA (Professional Skating Association) member and Category A Level instructor. Erika competed internationally in synchronized skating where she won 3 national titles and 2 international bronze medals with the Lexington based team, The Haydenettes. Today Erika works with hockey players from youth hockey through college. She holds a BS in Nutrition and Food Science from Simmons College. Erika will focus our players on edgework to improve their skating agility, balance, control, and stability.

John McCarthy is a former professional hockey player and current head coach of the San Jose Barracuda in the AHL. A proud alumnus of Andover Hockey Association, St. John's Prep, and Boston University, McCarthy's journey in hockey started at a young age and took him all the way to the NHL. He played for the San Jose Sharks and served as a captain for their AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda. McCarthy also represented the United States on the international stage, competing in the Olympics in 2018. After retiring from playing, McCarthy transitioned into coaching, using his wealth of experience and leadership to help develop the next generation of hockey players. John's coaching philosophy: "I believe youth hockey players improve their skills the most while they’re having fun and enjoying the process. Through a 'trick them into eating their vegetables' approach using a combination of small group skill work and small area games, I will improve the players’ skillsets and hockey sense. My goal over the course of the six weeks is for every player to improve and enjoy taking part in the camp. I’d like to instill my passion for the game of hockey into each and every player as it has afforded me many once-in-a-lifetime memories and opportunities. Look forward to seeing everyone on the ice!"

Scott Manty works with AHA's middle and high school aged students during the offseason. Scott has had a lifelong love of hockey, playing at Walpole High and Boston University before embarking on a lengthy coaching career which has included experience locally with Andover High, Central Catholic, and Phillips Academy. Scott's staff will include other local products with college and professional level hockey experience.

AHA’s goaltenders receive supplemental training and instruction at Mike Buckley’s GDS in North Andover. Mike Buckley is the goaltending coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he has helped develop four Stanley Cup winning goaltenders. Mike has over a dozen professional clients, instructs over thirty college goaltenders and has helped produce several NHL draft picks and many NCAA Division I scholarship goaltenders. In addition, GDS staff member and former UMass Amherst goalie Steve Mastalerz serves on the AHA Board of Directors coordinating our goalie programming.

Finally, AHA's girls players get special on-ice skills training from Courtney Sheary and her team of female coaches. Courtney played at Cushing Academy and UNH, and has been involved in coaching and skills development for over a decade, including coaching roles for the women's hockey programs at Dartmouth and Boston College.