News

South Kent Selects Academy Finalizes Head Coaches

August 29th, 2018

South Kent, Conn.––South Kent Selects Academy has named two head coaches to complete its leadership team for the upcoming season. Jon Hutcheon, St. Louis Blues skills development coach and owner/lead instructor of High End Hockey, has accepted the position as head coach of the SKSA U15 team while Chris Uber has been promoted to head coach of the reigning USA Hockey Tier 1 National Champion SKSA U18 team.

Hutcheon brings a wealth of experience in skills development to the SKSA staff, having spent the past three years at the St. Louis Blues Prospects Camp and High End Hockey. Since 2010, he has worked with over 100 professional and 150 NCAA hockey players in a skills development setting.  

“Jon’s extensive background in skills development, recruiting and player advancement to NCAA and Junior levels is a key asset to not only the U15 team, but all the athletes at the SKSA program,” says Joe Templin, Director of the Selects Hockey Boys’ program. “Jon’s leadership and passion for mentoring young men aligns perfectly with the culture and goals of the South Kent School community.”

Having spent the last nine seasons as a coach with the Neponset Valley River Rats 18U team, Hutcheon has strong relationships in the midget and college hockey ranks throughout New England. He recruited and coached the River Rats U18 team to a USA Hockey Tier 1 National Championship and a Massachusetts State Championship in 2012-13. Hutcheon helped 33 players advance to NCAA Division I during his time as a head coach with the program. Hutcheon’s network also extends to the midwest, where he has served as a New England region scout for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the past seven years.

Chris Uber’s promotion to U18 head coach comes after spending last season as the U16 assistant coach under former program director, Devin Rask. A seasoned coach and former NCAA Division I hockey player, coach Uber has been a major asset to the SKSA program, harnessing his over decade-long youth hockey management and coaching expertise to help lead the U16 team to the USPHL league title and New England Championship last year. The U16 SKSA team also earned a place in the elite USA Hockey National Championship quarterfinals this past spring.

“Coach Uber has over 12 years experience as a coach and leader in hockey. His impact on the SKSA program was immediate last year when he joined our staff,” says Owen Finberg, South Kent Athletic Director. “Chris not only has the values, work ethic and experience we were looking for in our head coaching search, but he also has the overwhelming support of the SKSA players, families and school community. Chris was an easy choice for the U18 position. We are thrilled for him to assume this new role as U18 head coach and look forward to many continued successes.”

Prior to joining South Kent in 2017, Uber spent three seasons as hockey director for the Long Island Gulls in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League. In addition to his role as U16 coach there, he ran day-to-day business operations, assisted in the building of U18 teams, and was instrumental in the coaching and development of over 250 players per season.

Following his four years playing Division I hockey at the University of Connecticut (including his senior season as captain), Uber spent several years as manager of hockey development for the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers and Boston Bruins youth hockey departments. His primary focus was growing the game and working with the youth athletes in those markets.

With their breadth of experience, success in player development, and passion for the game, South Kent School is excited to have Hutcheon and Uber added to the head coaching staff for the upcoming season.

South Kent Selects Academy teams kick off their season the weekend of Friday, September 7.

About South Kent Selects Academy

South Kent School offers students a top-tier private boarding school education with the opportunity to play the highest level of AAA hockey available in the northeastern United States. South Kent Selects Academy is a one-of-a-kind hockey program available only at South Kent School.

The South Kent Selects Academy (SKSA) program combines top-level Midget AAA hockey with high-level academics.  While attending South Kent School, players receive the highest level coaching, exposure and training available while playing a competitive 55+ game schedule consisting of highly recruited showcases, elite tournaments and other league and non-league games across the U.S. and Canada.  The program fields three (3) teams each year, U15, U16 and U18, each eligible to compete for the USA Hockey Tier I National Championship.

The program provides some of the very best college exposure in Midget hockey which has helped 52 players receive commitments from Division I NCAA schools since the program began in 2011.  During that time, 9 SKSA alumni have been drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL), along with dozens of players being drafted into the USHL. 

The SKSA U-18 team won the 2018 USA Hockey Tier 1 National Championship title and SKSA teams have qualified for USA Nationals 5 years running.  In addition to the program’s first National title, it has won many other New England Championships and other Showcases.  

About Selects Hockey

Selects Hockey is an elite hockey prospect development program operated by LEGACY Global Sports.  Since 2003, Selects has worked with many of the top hockey players, ages 10 to 16, across North America and Europe in the spring and summer, giving them the opportunity to participate in the most competitive hockey tournaments and camps extant.  Selects also provides exposure to all avenues of hockey in an effort to facilitate opportunities at the NCAA, Junior and Professional levels.  Many Selects alumni have moved on to the highest levels of hockey and education, including over 89 players who have played in the National Hockey League (NHL), nearly 500 who received NCAA Division I college hockey scholarships, over 200 who played in the World Junior Championships, more than 900 who were drafted into the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and many more achievements.

For more information about the Selects Hockey program, please visit the website at www.selectshockey.com