Barrie Sharks High-Performance Program (HPP)
The Barrie Women’s Hockey Association is committed to building better athletes for performance in sport and life. This commitment is achieved through programs that allow players at every age and skill level to continue striving for excellence - including competitive and recreational opportunities to play hockey for new players, developing youth players, and adults.
Our Barrie Sharks High-Performance Program is specifically designed for our youth players who are at, or pushing themselves to get to, the highest level of performance. The program will provide athletes with an opportunity to take their game to the next level under the guidance of instructors and coaches with exceptional experience in sport that will provide them with the necessary tools to excel on and off the ice.
High-Performance Program Principles:
Vision
To build better athletes for performance in sport and life.
Mission
To provide athletes with an opportunity to realize their full potential to play hockey at the highest level of performance, under the guidance of exceptional instructors and coaches and through participation in activities and experiences designed to provide them with the skills, tactics and mindset to succeed on and off the ice.
Program Core Values
- Inspire athletes that will be leaders in the association, and in the community.
- Help athletes to develop integrity, courage and self-esteem.
- Support the overall emotional and physical well-being of our players.
- Foster a high-performance environment that is positive, safe, and respectful at all times.
Participant Core Values
- Bring maximum effort to every activity, on and off the ice.
- Be an exceptional and supportive teammates to all players.
- Represent the Barrie Sharks with honour and integrity, and to be a role model of the association's core values.
High Performance Program Features
The Barrie Sharks High Performance Program is supported by highly experienced coaches who incorporate a multifaceted approach to development that includes: on ice skill sessions with talented processionals, off ice sessions to enhance their growth as athletes and people, use of the many athletic facilities that Barrie has to offer and an association commitment to prepare players for life in hockey, school and leadership.
- Frequent player assessment designed to encourage continuous growth and development
- On-ice activities to advance mastery of the highest level of hockey skills and tactics.
- Off-ice physical training activities to challenge players to increase their physical abilities.
- Mental training to provide athletes with the tools and mindsets to promote positive mental health.
- Integrated approach to promote a high level of interaction between teams and players in the high-performance program.
- High level of coordination between HPP teams to maximize opportunities for players to play and practice with higher level teams.
High Performance Program Staff
HPP Leadership
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Duane Eldridge -[email protected]
Duane Eldridge is a highly experienced coach with over 20 years of coaching and player development experience. He has led teams at the AA level for all age groups, including our Barrie Jr. Sharks (U22-Elite) team. During his time with BWHA, he has helped numerous players achieve their goal of playing competitive USPORTS/NCAA hockey in Canada and the United States. Duane is passionate about player development. He has a proven track record of assessing player skills, creating team and individual development plans, and successfully executing these plans to help players achieve their goals.
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Jay Zealand -[email protected]
Jay has been involved in minor league sports for almost 25 years with coaching experience in competitive levels for hockey, lacrosse and baseball. Teams and associations he has worked with include York Simcoe Express, Barrie Minor Lacrosse, Bradford Minor Hockey and most recently the BWHA. Jay also brings leadership and strategy experience from his years working with the OMHA as a convenor and Bradford Minor Hockey as the VP of House league & Hockey Canada Pathway Development.
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HPP Team Coaches
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U22 Jr. Sharks
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Duane Eldridge -[email protected]
Coach Eldridge has extensive coaching and player development expertise of over 20 years, encompassing positions across all age groups at the AA level. Notably, he previously spearheaded. As coach of the Barrie Jr. Sharks (U22-Elite) team, he has facilitated the achievement of the competitive goals of numerous players who have successfully transitioned to play USPORTS/NCAA hockey in Canada and the United States.
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U18AA - Joey Levac
Joey began his coaching career in 2008 with the BMHA before transitioning to female hockey in 2012, where he has served in both assistant and head coaching roles. A product of Sudbury minor hockey, Joey brings a strong understanding of player development and team culture to the Sharks program.
Joey is committed to developing players into complete athletes and exceptional teammates, focusing on skill development, work ethic, and accountability. During his time coaching in Toronto, his teams qualified for the Lower Lakes championship weekend in three of four seasons—an accomplishment rooted in consistent growth, structure, and team-first play.
Having lived in Barrie since 2000, Joey has spent the past 25 years working at Honda of Canada. He has been married for 27 years and is the proud father of two children, Zachary and Madison. This season marks a special milestone for the Levac family, as Madison joined the U18AA staff in her first year of coaching and is set to take on a larger role with the team this season.
Coach Joey can be reached at [email protected]
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U15AA - Brad Arsenault
Coach Brad has been coaching at the High Performance, AA and other rep levels for 15 years. He has coached numerous players through various associations who have gone on to play at the University and International levels. On his journey, he has coached teams who have won back to back Provincial titles, league and tournament championships. He brings High Performance program experience and guidance from other associations to his current role of Head Coach of our U15 AA program.
Coach Brad can be reached at brad.arsenault@bwha.ca
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HPP Facilitators/Partners/Instructors
On and off ice skill facilitators and support staff
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Taylor Staden, Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC)
Taylor Staden is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC), administered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA). A lifelong athlete, he became passionate about mental performance while still in high-school. Fast-forward to now, this passion has led him to learn from world-renowned professors and consultants.
Since founding Upper Mentality in 2019, he has been actively providing mental training services to athletes and teams across ice hockey, baseball, tennis, marathon running, swimming, canoe slalom, and more. Past and current clientele include National Team athletes, as well as others across the AHL, OHL, NCAA, U SPORTS, ‘AAA’ hockey and more.
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Two Way Hockey School
- Ran by skill development coaches Greg Eskedjian & Mike Berry
- 30+ years of on and off-ice hockey instruction, from minor hockey through professional hockey
- Both Greg and Mike are former professional hockey players in both North America & Europe
Greg Eskedjian:
- NCAA National Champion & All American
- Director of Hockey Training @ Mind to Muscle
- Team Nutritionist for Barrie Colts (OHL)
- Professor of Fitness & Health @ Georgian College
Mike Berry:
- Hockey Canada High Performance Level 1 certified Coach
- Former Barrie Colts AAA Head Coach
- SCDSB Grade 8 Teacher
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