coach didmon develops successful HOCKEY PLAYERS

Coaching Background

Craig Didmon has seventeen years experience coaching hockey around Victoria and has been a General Manager, Scout, Associate Coach and Head Coach at the Junior level. Craig is currently an Assistant Coach of the Victoria Royals, WHL and the Director and Head Coach of the SD62 Westshore Hockey Academy. The Academy is currently one of the largest public school academies in Canada. He spent the past year as Head Coach of the South Island Thunderbirds Major Midget team.

Craig also spent two years working with Geoff Courtnall as the associate coach of the Victoria Grizzlies. He joined the Grizzlies after a successful five year stint as Head Coach and General Manager of The Victoria Cougars (Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League).

Craig was one of sixteen coaches from across Canada chosen to attend the High Performance II Seminar hosted by Hockey Canada in Oshawa July 5-10, 2010. This seminar marks the beginning of an intensive two year certification process!

Craig has worked with many local minor and Jr. B hockey players who have moved up to Junior A and beyond such as Brandon Wong, NCAA; Gary Nunn, WHL; Teal Burns, WHL; Michael Hamilton, NCAA; Ryan O’Byrne, NHL; Kurt MacDonald, NCAA; Spencer Carberry, NCAA; Craig Parkinson, NCAA; Zach Currie, NCAA; Cody Carlson, WHL; Brad Hoban, WHL; Geoff Irwin, NCAA; Mitch Fadden, WHL; Dan Gendur, WHL; Tyson Barrie, WHL, Canadian Junior, NHL; Sean Robertson, BCHL; Danny Lapointe, WHL; Justin Courtnall, BCHL, NCAA; Mike Hammond, BCHL; Devon Lang, BCHL; Jordan Zalba, BCHL; and Thomas Kala, BCHL.

Craig Didmon:

• Compiled a regular season record of 152-58-24 with the Cougars and coached them to three Division titles, two League titles and a Provincial Championship.
• While with the Cougars, 17 players successfully moved on to Jr.A and Major Junior
• Runs a Hockey Canada Skills Academy out of Spencer Middle School and Belmont High School (SD62 Westshore Hockey Academy)
• Head Coach/Director of BehindtheBench Hockey Camps
• Coached at the Can Am Junior Prep camp in Comox & Alberni Vally for 4 years
• Is a NCCP Advanced Level Coach
• Is an Alumnus of the BCHL where he played three seasons in Cowichan and Victoria from 1989-1992.
  Stats:
  1989/90 - 19 goals, 19 assists, 114 pen - Cowichan Valley Warriors
  1990/91 - 18 goals, 25 assists, 161 pen - Victoria Warriors
  1991/92 - 50 goals, 56 assists, 239 pen - Victoria Warriors

Hockey Skill Development and Motivation

Craig is a coach that works hard to develop players to make them their best player through rigorous on ice and off ice programs that are both challenging and fun. Motivating players and empowering them with the confidence to perform at their maximum ability is Craig's specialty.

Craig is dedicated to the game of hockey, and is constantly studying and broadening his knowledge of the technical aspects through attending International Coaching Conferences at various locations across Canada as well as Hockey Canada Skills Academy Seminars in Calgary.  He continues to be a up to date with fresh ideas and strategies to help motivate and inspire his players.