KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association (KOHA) has been busy this off-season, and Hockey Director, Matt Kakabeeke, has spent the summer working on ways to improve the association once again for 2018/19. Returning to the ice with five seasons as KOHA Skills Coaches (and many more years than that coaching for KOHA) under their belts, are Tom Askey (goaltending coach) and Travis Sabin.
"Our veteran skills coaches are the anchors of our player development strategy. Tom and Travis have been on our Skills Staff since KOHA's first season as a Model Association, and were involved with KOHA long before that. They each provide valuable insight year-after-year about what's working and the things we can improve to help our players and coaches," said KOHA's Hockey Director, Matt Kakabeeke.
Tom Askey has been involved in KOHA, as our goalie coach for over a decade. Tom played four seasons with The Ohio State University, and several years of professional hockey (NHL, AHL, IHL & in Europe) after being drafted by the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Tom is currently the goalie coach for the WMU Bronco Hockey team, runs local goaltending camps and clinics, and we are excited he will return to KOHA for the 18/19 season.
Travis Sabin is a Level 4 USA Hockey certified coach who coached for several years in KOHA's Travel program, as well as behind on the bench for the Kalamazoo Blades Varsity high school hockey team. Travis has been actively involved with KOHA's development programs for the last several years, including our 8U program, various camps and our Pre-Travel Tryout clinics and skates. Travis brings terrific insight on our player's skill development and growth. We are excited about having Travis back as a member of our Skills Team for the 18/19 season.
