24-25 NJC 12U Minor AAA 2013

Manager:  Scott Gamsby

League:  AYHL

Tournaments/Showcases:

SuperSeries Boston Breakout Showcase– Boston, MA (September 6-8, 2024)

Utica Comets Cup – Utica, NY (November 8-10, 2024)

LeCOM 11U AAA Harborcenter Cup – Buffalo, NY (December 6-8, 2024)

The Cup – Buffalo, NY (January 16-19, 2025)

West Point Weekend – West Point, NY (February 1-2, 2025)

MEET THE COACHES

Experienced staff with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for athlete growth and development.

Thomas, R 24

RYAN THOMAS

HEAD COACH

CEP Level 3

Coaching Experience:

  • New Jersey Colonials
  • North Jersey Kings
  • New Jersey Freeze
  • Morristown High School

Playing Experience:

  • New Jersey Freeze
  • Roxbury High School

Ryan Thomas' teams won AHF championships in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He believes in teaching a hard work ethic, high compete level and accountability.

Coach Thomas played at Roxbury High School when the team won back-to-back Halverson Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Benemerito, M 23

MARK BENEMERITO

ASSISTANT COACH

CEP Level 1

Coaching Experience:

  • New Jersey Colonials
  • Delbarton School

Playing Experience:

  • Hobart College (NCAA D3)
  • Delbarton School
  • New Jersey Colonials
  • New Jersey Rockets

Mark Benemerito grew up playing for 1998 NJ Rockets and NJ Colonials teams. At Delbarton School, he won 2 State Championships and 2 Gordon Cups. Benemito played for Hobart College who earned an NEHC Championship, 2019 NCAA D3 Frozen Four Finalist and made 4 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Coach Benemerito, a former captain, joined the Delbarton ice hockey coaching staff after finishing his playing career with Hobart College in 2022.

ALLSOCIAL

PIP DECKER

ASSISTANT COACH

CEP Level 2

Coaching Experience:

  • New Jersey Colonials

Playing Experience:

  • William & Mary
  • Fordham Prep
  • NJ Devils Youth
  • NYC Cyclones

Coach Decker grew up playing hockey in New York City.  A native, he played for the first travel team at Chelsea Piers, the New York City Cyclones and then joined the New Jersey Devils Midget Hockey Team in 1999.

In high school, Decker captained the Fordham Prep Rams hockey team leading them to a Varsity CHSAA title.  In college, he was the assistant captain for the College of William and Mary's Tribe ice hockey team.

Migliaro 24

CHRIS MIGLIARO

ASSISTANT COACH

CEP Level 2

Coaching Experience:

  • New Jersey Colonials
  • Colorado Springs Miners

Playing Experience:

  • Army (NCAA D1)
  • New England Jr Coyotes (EJHL)
  • Lyman Hall HS (CIAC)

Chris Migliaro enters his third season as a Colonials assistant coach at the AAA level.  A native of Connecticut, he played high school hockey for the Lyman Hall Trojans, earning 1st Team All-State Honors as a Junior, before leaving his Senior year to play Jr hockey with the New England Jr. Coyotes.

Migliaro took his playing career to the United States Military Academy at West Point, playing four years for the Army Black Knights, earning The Haggerty Award his Firstie year.

OUR MISSION

The New Jersey Colonials Youth Hockey Association's mission is to provide a quality environment for learning, playing and enjoying the game of ice hockey.