Tryout Schedule (Milton Minor Hockey)

Jonathan Swit

At the core of his coaching philosophy is a simple but powerful mission: help athletes develop their skills while fostering a genuine love for the game. He believes hockey should be educational, challenging, rewarding, and above all, fun. By building strong relationships, tailoring instruction to individual needs, and instilling a growth mindset, he creates environments where players can compete, improve, and create lasting memories. A graduate of the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Kinesiology and Humber Collegewith an Honours Diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion, he brings both academic excellence and practical experience to his coaching. He holds advanced certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine as both a Performance Enhancement Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist, and is a Certified Personal Trainer with the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology. He is also a OFSSAA Certified Coach and an Ontario Certified Teacher with almost 15 years of experience as a Secondary School Physical Education teacher. He has over a decade of coaching minor hockey which recently includes serving as Head Coach with the Milton Winterhawks U8 and U9 team for the previous two seasons. At the high school level, he has coached hockey at both St. Martin Sports SHSM Program and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, while also serving as a multi-sport coach in basketball, football, and lacrosse. His sport-specific performance training has supported athletes advancing to professional levels across the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, Canadian Football League, and National Lacrosse League.  As a Goalie Instructor with John Elkin Goalie School, he worked alongside Jon Elkin, Director of Goaltending for the Pittsburgh Penguins, mentoring goaltenders from minor hockey to the professional ranks. In the high-performance setting, he has trained and mentored elite players competing in the QMJHL, OHL, NCAA, AHL and NHL through Beyond The Next Level Sports Performance Centre. He further enhanced his expertise by training in Colorado with the Colorado Avalanche strength and conditioning staff, focusing on performance optimization, injury prevention, and recovery strategies. Blending education, elite performance training, and a passion for mentorship, he is committed to developing well-rounded athletes who excel both on and off the ice.×

Steve Papple

A seasoned coach with more than 20 years of experience in player development, team coaching, and scouting. Through MVP Hockey Camps, Steven has helped develop countless local players across all levels—from first‑time skaters to elite athletes in the OHL, Junior, and U18 AAA ranks. He has served extensively with the Milton Winterhawks and Halton Hurricanes, earning multiple TCMHL Championships, and contributed to a Robertson Cup title as a scout with the LoneStar Brahmas. He blends strong technical expertise with proven player‑development skills, building solid fundamentals while introducing advanced systems and game concepts. A former Jr. B All‑Star, he brings passion, professionalism, and a deep commitment to helping every athlete reach their potential.×

Robert Fernandez

Coach Rob is excited to lead the U11A team for the 2026–2027 season. His coaching philosophy is rooted in player development, with a focus on helping athletes elevate their skills, read the game more effectively, and work together as a cohesive team. He brings a high‑energy approach that creates an environment that is both encouraging and competitive.
Roberto has spent the past 11 years involved in minor hockey in a variety of roles. He has worked with several girls’ teams at the AA and A levels and has been a dedicated volunteer with the Milton Winterhawks for the last four years, most recently serving as the head coach of the U10B team.
He’s looking forward to another great season and is excited to continue supporting young athletes as they grow and develop on the ice.×

Vince Mastrocola

I grew up in Mississauga, playing in the Mississauga Hockey League for the Erindale Hockey Association. Those playing days fostered a lifelong love of the game.   As my kids began playing organized sports, I decided to get involved, first as a soccer coach with the Milton Soccer Academy and then with the Milton Magic.   After being away from the game for a while, I was hesitant to get back on the ice but eventually I did as a team trainer, with the U7 Winterhawks house league. A year later, I became the head coach of my daughter’s U13 North Halton Twisters house league team. While with the Twisters, I was asked to be an Assistant Coach with the U13 Development Stream team (equivalent of Select). There, I was responsible for goalie development where I employed the ‘anything but another shot” training strategy that focused on goalie skating skills (T-Push, C-cuts, Shuffles, knee slides), as well as up-down and side-to-side mobility movements.   I moved on to coach my son’s U8 Winterhawks house league team, where I introduced the TEAM (Together, Effort, Attitude, Mistakes) philosophy and the “skate faster than you did the day before” mantra.   I love to run fun, high-energy practices where the team works hard and competes with a goal to improve individually and collectively, coaches included.   Communication and preparation are the cornerstone of establishing and maintaining a path to our goals. We constantly remind ourselves what our goals are and how we're going to get there. Positive motivation and encouraging words foster an environment that builds confidence and resilience.    A welcoming environment for players, parents and team staff encourages an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.   I’m excited to watch this group of Winterhawks  take the next step and see how far they can soar!   See you at the rink & Go Leafs Go!   Coach Vince ×

Chris Pysancyn

I’ve been a part of MMHA for the past 10 seasons serving as a head coach, assistant coach, and trainer in both the 2012 and 2015 age groups at levels varying from House league to A.
My main goal is to provide a positive environment for the players to develop, grow, and learn lessons not only that pertain to hockey but life as well. Learning to deal with success as well as failure is an important part of growth.
My favorite hockey memories as a young player were going to the rink for early practices with my dad, and the feelings I get when I think back on them. I feel it's our job to provide all of our players with moments like these so they can one day think back and pass on their love for the game to their children the way I was able to.×

Craig Chapman

Craig has coached for the Milton Winterhawks organization for the past 10 seasons at various levels and age groups. As a non-parent coach, he brings tremendous passion and hockey knowledge to all his teams. Craig grew up in the Mississauga area and played most of his minor hockey years in the GTHL as a goaltender. He finished at the college level in Peterborough. Craig will focus on development and fostering a winning mentality going into the hockey season. In addition to developing the team as hockey players, he hopes to teach his team valuable life skills as well. Craig is excited for the opportunity to coach next season at the U13 level. He is looking forward to the upcoming OHF year, and his hope to lead his team there.×

Aaron Trovao

Coach Aaron is excited to return for another AHL season with Milton Minor Hockey and continues to be passionate about developing players both on and off the ice. He believes in always being prepared, accountable, and showing respect every day. His philosophy centers around valuing effort over skill, understanding that hard work, attitude, and commitment are what truly separate players. Coach Aaron expects his team to compete hard, support one another, and represent their families and community with integrity. His goal is to build confident, respectful athletes who understand that character matters just as much as performance.×

Luis Orozco

Coach Lucho grew up in Mississauga playing in the GTHL and MHL. He has been coaching in Milton for 8 years.  
Lucho has been the 2014-birth year AHL head coach for the past 2 seasons, achieving winning records and multiple tournament championships. Lucho is excited to return as coach, looking forward to working with players to encourage their hockey development, character and team building skills, and grow their love of the game.×

Danny Palmateer

 Proud to return for a second season with Milton. Former AA and AAA player with over 20 years of experience as a teacher and coach. Committed to a philosophy built on discipline, teamwork, and personal growth both on and off the ice. Focused on skill development, strategic play, and creating a competitive, supportive team environment.×

Mike LaPlante

  Coach Mike is passionate about building strong players and even stronger teammates. In addition to his technical expertise and strategy, his more than ten years of coaching experience gives him a profound understanding of what it takes to mould young athletes into resilient, self-assured people. For Mike, coaching is about development rather than just winning and losing. He thinks that every game, drill, and practice offers a chance to impart life lessons, such as grace in losing, humility in winning, and tenacity in the face of adversity. Whether it's honing skating skills or negotiating team dynamics, Mike leads with passion and purpose. He is eager to mentor the next generation, not just in becoming exceptional hockey players but also in helping young athletes discover their identity and develop a lifelong love for the sport.×