Lacrosse New Brunswick Hires Technical Director Through Summer of ‘21
The New Brunswick Mavericks are pleased to announce the addition of newly appointed Lacrosse New Brunswick Technical Director & 2021 Team New Brunswick Canada Games Head Coach, Chet Koneczny, as Head Coach of the team moving into the 2020 season. Taking over for interim Head Coach Mac Huckla, Koneczny brings a wealth of experience as both a player and coach. Huckla will remain on the staff as offensive coach, alongside returning assistant coach Chris Burgess.
After a 4 year hiatus from the National Lacrosse League (NLL), Chet broke back into the league this past year as a 35 year old veteran defenseman, playing for the Philadelphia Wings. Dating back to 2006 as a practice player in Toronto, later Orlando, Washington, and finally Colorado, Koneczny was in around the league for almost 10 years before walking away at age 30 to pursue a full time coaching career, as Technical Director of Lacrosse Nova Scotia.
During that time Lacrosse Nova Scotia saw unprecedented results from its provincial team representing at National tournaments, defeating powerhouse teams like Team BC, Team Alberta & Team Iroquois.
During his tenure in Nova Scotia, Chet became the National Coaching Certification Program’s only Competition Development Certified coach in the country, a requirement for Canada Games coaching hopefuls. Since then, he has added an Advanced Coaching Diploma accreditation to his name, the gold standard of the NCCP.
Upon graduation from the program, he elected to move back to Ontario and try a year as a physical education teacher, at Toronto Prep School. While there, he returned to his alma matter lacrosse program, the Orangeville Northmen, where he coached 2 years with the Jr. B Northmen. During this time he also proved that he could still play at the highest level, suiting up for the Brampton Excelsiors in the highly coveted Ontario Sr. A loop. He seemingly caught the eye of Philadelphia Wings Head Coach Paul Day, who took a chance on bringing him back into pro ranks.
Koneczny recently informed us that he is now donning the purple and orange, with the expansion Halifax Thunderbirds, who begin play on December 7th against the New York Riptide, at Scotiabank place.
The Mavericks are ecstatic to welcome such a decorated coach and player to the helm of a squad which is young, passionate and eager to capture its first East Coast Junior Lacrosse League championship, after losing to the 4x defending champion Dartmouth Bandits in the semi-finals last season.
Koneczny, who recently returned from his 6th World Championship playing for the Czech Republic, also holds a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (C.S.C.S) designation and he has his sights set on establishing an Off-Season High Performance Program (The ACE Program).
“The Athlete-Centred Excellence” (ACE) Program will be an opportunity for our athletes to greatly enhance their physical literacy off the floor, while expediting the growth of their lacrosse IQ when on it.”
Players in the program will be in the gym at Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic facilities, with Team Canada caliber strength and mental performance coaches at their disposal. The off-season component of the program runs twice a week in the gym and once on the floor, in Moncton, Saint John & Fredericton, from January through April, athletes aged 14-17.
“Aspiring lacrosse players in New Brunswick will get an in-depth and personalized approach to their learning as it relates to lacrosse, with the aim of putting each of them in the best position possible for having collective success at the Games in August 2021.”
There is also a developmental on-floor aspect of the ACE program, geared toward Peewee & Bantam-aged players. Information sessions for Canada Games eligible players and anyone interested in the ACE Program will be held between November 21 and November 28, in each of Moncton, Fredericton & Saint John.