Joel Thompson – U11B Head Coach
We are looking forward to having Coach Joel move up to the U11B team for next season. He is a dedicated coach who values team success, skill development, and a strong work ethic. As the head coach for U11B, Joel plans to focus on building players’ skills through a process-driven approach, ensuring that athletes develop the fundamentals of the game while fostering a love for hockey.
Having grown up playing minor hockey for the Erin Devils and later with Erin Junior C, Joel has a strong connection to the local hockey community. He has contributed to player development by assisting with the U5/7 program in Erin and has spent the past two seasons coaching U9 MD. His transition to coaching U11B is a natural step in his commitment to helping players improve, compete, and grow together as a team.
Joel’s coaching philosophy emphasizes the process over the outcome, ensuring that players learn the game the right way while working together toward collective success. He believes that a great hockey team prioritizes teamwork over individual achievements and that players thrive when they bring work ethic, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude to the ice.
One of Joel’s proudest moments as a coach is seeing the joy on a player’s face when they score their first goal, knowing that their hard work and perseverance has paid off. Having spent most of his life in Erin, Joel takes great pride in giving back to the small-town hockey community that shaped his own minor hockey experience.
If he could coach any NHL player as a kid, Joel’s pick would be Nathan MacKinnon, who consistently elevates the play of his teammates and leads by example. His work ethic and determination inspire those around him. His message to his players is simple: “Hard work pays off.”
With his commitment to skill development and teamwork, Coach Joel Thompson will help these athletes grow, compete, and develop a passion for the game.
