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LVPY 2019-20 Peewee Coaching Announcement!

By Webmaster, 02/07/19, 12:45PM EST

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LVPY is excited to announce Joe Slowik and Matthew Phillipes as Head Coaches for the Peewee level along with Jud Ritter as Assistant Coach for the 2019-20 Season!

About Joe Slowik (U12 Top Team Head Coach):

Joe Slowik has been playing and coaching hockey for the past 20 years.  Joe grew up playing his youth hockey for the Delco Phantoms in the DVHL.  After his youth, Joe went on to play in college for the University of Scranton.  Joe played all 4 years at Scranton and served as the team Captain in his final season.  Joe graduated in 2012 with a Bachelors in Communication with a Coaching Minor. After graduating Joe became a certified NCAA and NAIA recruiter and currently works part-time as a scout for athletesforcollege.com.  In addition to this role he served as the University of Scranton’s player development coach and recruiting director.  Upon moving to the Lehigh Valley in the spring of 2016, Joe started working as the assistant coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Youth Tier 1 Elite’s 2007 program.  In 2017 – 2018 Joe took on his first head coaching assignment at the U10 Squirt American level and spent this past season at the U12 American level.  Joe is currently the Hockey Director at the Steel Ice Center where he works to teach and grow the game at all levels. 

About Matt Phillipes (U10 & U12 Head Coach):

Matt Phillipes has been playing and coaching hockey for the past 20 years with over 15 years spent locally playing and coaching in the Lehigh Valley. He started as a mite playing for the Lehigh Valley Comets, and spent his youth career between the Comets and Bethlehem Blast. In 2010-11 Matt led the DVHL in points and led his Lehigh Valley Comets U18 team to a DVHL Championship and a third-place finish in Atlantic District Championships. After finishing youth hockey Phillipes attended ACHA Division 3 Wesley College where he led the Wolverines to a second-place conference finish while also finishing second in the conference in points. After transferring to Temple University, Matt competed with the roller hockey club. During the next four years, Matt was named an NCRHA All-American and ECRHA All-Star three times while leading his team to three NCRHA National Championship tournaments. He also acted as President of the club for two years. Phillipes has spent the last 4 years coaching for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Youth and has participated in one DVHL playoffs while leading that team to a second-place DVHL finish. Matt's teams have also finished runner-up at two Silver Sticks Regionals while being invited to participate in Silver Sticks International Finals in Canada both years due to competitiveness and reputation. Matt takes pride in progressing players' development while getting them to higher skill levels and more advanced teams.

About Jud Ritter (U12 Assistant Coach):

Jud Ritter brings many years of coaching experience with him to the Phantoms Youth PeeWee team. Most recently Jud has guided the LV Phantoms Youth Squirt B National and Squirt A National teams to consecutive playoff appearances with the 2017-2018 team capturing the DVHL Championship. Jud got his start in coaching as a non-parent coach for two seasons with the Lehigh Valley Flames and Lehigh Valley Phantoms Youth. Along with his coaching experience, Jud brings a unique hockey perspective to the rink. He is an accomplished professional and international Ice Hockey Official. Jud has officiated the highest levels of international hockey including the 2018 Olympic Winter Games held in PyeongChang, South Korea along with multiple Men’s World Championships and the 2015 World Junior Championships. In addition to officiating the highest international levels he also officiates the American Hockey League, having worked 3 Calder Cup Finals in his career. Jud is a graduate of the University of Maine (’06) and holds a degree in Business Marketing. He currently works as a Lab Scientist for DSM Nutrition in Belvidere, NJ and resides in Bethlehem, PA with his wife Beth and son Logan.