Roger Grillo to Speaker at September 12th Board Meeting
Sep. 5, 2009

New Hampshire Amateur Hockey welcomes Roger Grillo. Mr. Grillo is the American Development Model Representative and will be addressing the Delegates, Presidents and Coaching Directors at our meeting.

ABOUT GRILLO

On June 1, 2009 Grillo was Named one of the Regional Managers for USA Hockey's American Development Model. Grillo, a native of Apple Valley, Minn., recently finished his 12th season as the head men’s ice hockey coach at Brown. His tenure was highlighted by three straight winning seasons (2003-05) and an appearance in the ECAC Hockey Championship weekend, the first time for Brown since 1994. Previously, Grillo served seven seasons as assistant men’s hockey coach at the University of Vermont (1990-97), where he helped coach the squad to the 1997 ECAC Hockey regular-season title and NCAA tournament appearances in 1996 and 1997.

Prior to his stint at Vermont, Grillo was the top assistant at Norwich University for one year (1989-90).

Grillo has been widely involved in USA Hockey initiatives over the course of his career, including serving as a coach at USA Hockey player development camps over the past 17 years and sharing his wealth of knowledge with up-and-coming coaches as a lecturer at USA Hockey coaching clinics. In addition, he was the head coach of the 2006 and 2007 U.S. Under-18 Select Teams that competed in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka Tournament.

A 1983 National Hockey League draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks, Grillo was a member of the University of Maine hockey team for two seasons (1982-84) and was the Black Bears’ top-scoring defenseman as a freshman. During his junior and senior years at Maine, Grillo got his start in coaching, serving as an assistant at Old Town High School in Orono. After graduating from Maine in 1986, Grillo made his mark in coaching at Yarmouth High School, leading the team to three consecutive Maine state championships and being named Maine’s High School Coach of the Year all three years (1987-89).

NOTE: The American Development Model, with support from the National Hockey League, is a nationwide initiative that was announced by USA Hockey in January. It will provide local associations across the country – for the first time ever – a blueprint for optimal athlete development that focuses on age-appropriate training utilizing long-term athlete development principles.