Our Coaches

TOM KEOUGH- 

Peewee & Peewee Elite

Bergen Catholic Varsity Head Coach 2018-19

Tom Keough began his hockey career playing Tier I youth hockey for the Devils Youth and Trenton Titans hockey clubs. Coach Keough found his home with Bergen Catholic High School where he was a member of the 2001 and 2003 State Championship teams with the 2003 team being named by the Bergen Record as the Team of the Decade.  Coach Keough served as an Alternate Captain for the 2004 squad and was selected as one of the Star Ledger’s Top 10 forwards in New Jersey. Coach Keough was also a member of Team New Jersey’s Chicago Show Case Team which consisted of the top 20 high school players in New Jersey and was also selected to Team Mid- Atlantic which won a national championship.

After attending Bergen Catholic, Coach Keough went on to play Junior Hockey for the Boston Harbor Wolves in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (Junior A) and thereafter attended the University of Delaware where he played for four years for the University’s Division 1 team before graduating with a degree in finance. During Coach Keough’s tenure, the University of Delaware made four ACHA Tournament Appearances and reached the Frozen Four semifinals in two of those years. 

Coach Keough currently holds a Level 4 coaching certification from USA Hockey, has coached at the 16U level for the North Jersey Avalanche and currently coaches the AAA Jersey Hitmen Peewee Minor team winning several league titles along the way.  Coach Keough was also a coach of the Varsity team at Wayne Hills High School and helped lead the team to their most successful hockey season in school history as well as their first County Championship.  Coach Keough is also co-owner and Head Coach for Spartans Elite Hockey which specializing in developing on-ice skills and power skating for Tier I AAA players.

JAMES GERITY

Mites-Squirts

Coach James is a USA Hockey level 4 certified coach with 12 years of coaching experience ranging from mites to midget divisions.  James specializes in mite and squirt division development.  His coaching philosophy focuses on fundamental skill, discipline, and fun

Coach Al Magie is a Level 3 Certified USA Hockey Coach who began is coaching career at the hockey head start and developmental league levels before moving on to coach various house league and Travel teams. Coach Al coached Mite and Squirt level hockey teams for the Skylands Kings before becoming a coach for the NJ Bandits organization in 2017. Last season, he was the Assistant Coach for the NJ Bandits Pee Wee B team and is the current Assistant Coach for the NJ Bandits Pee Wee A team. Coach Al joined the Spartans Hockey organization in 2017 as an Assistant Coach and last season was the Head Coach for the Spartans Pee Wee B spring league team leading them to the championship title. Coach Al also assisted Coach Tom Keough last season with the Pee Wee A team for the spring league. In addition to his coaching credentials, Coach Al is the founder and president of the official nonprofit 501(c)3 organization called Skate It Forward, Inc. whose core mission is to join together as a hockey family encompassing coaches, players, parents, and hockey organizations to help give back to the community and individuals in need, while incorporating the values of leadership, respect, community service, generosity, and sportsmanship in youth hockey athletes while continuing to foster a love of the game. Coach Al formed Skate It Forward, Inc. in memory of his father-in-law who inspired him to take a vision of building leadership in youth athletes and make it a reality. 

Playing Career

Coach Rizer has been around Paramus Hockey for more than 20 years. He first started his playing career with the program and eventually moved on to the Ice House Avalanche Travel Hockey team. Throughout his 20 year hockey career, he played four years of Varsity hockey for Paramus, a year of Junior B with the New York Saints and the Long Island Royals and then moved on to play Division 2 Club at William Paterson University. 

In addition to ice hockey, Coach Rizer also played roller hockey, where he represented the New Jersey Selects at the State Wars National Tournament for two years, winning a gold medal and making the tournament all-star team. He also played Professional Roller Hockey for 3 years with the New Jersey Grizzlies, competing against the best roller hockey players in the world, including current, former and future NHL players. 

Coaching Career

Coach Rizer is in his 6th year as an Assistant Coach with Paramus High School. He helped coach Paramus to a Big North League Championship in 2012, as well as many state appearances, including a State Semi-Final appearance in 2019.  He coaches the Spartans Middle School team, and instructs the Sunday clinics. 

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