Jeff Mielnicki.....Coach Mel. 

PRESIDENT CHERRY CREEK HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

HEAD COACH VARSITY PREP MAJOR AA / CHSAA VARSITY

14th Season CHSAA Varsity Head Coach

2026 Head Coach CHSAA 5A State Champion

2025 Head Coach USA Hockey High School Nationals

2025 Head Coach CHSAA Varsity Frozen Four

2024 Head Coach CHSAA Varsity Frozen Four

2024-2020 Team Colorado NIT Minnesota Assistant Coach

2025-2019 Boston Junior Rangers NCDC / USPHL Premier Midwest / Rocky Mountain Head Scout

2023 Pueblo Bulls NCDC Rocky Mountain Scout

2015 Head Coach CHSAA 5A State Champion 

2015 Head Coach USA Hockey High School National Champion

CHSAA Varsity Head Coach 2014-2015-2017-2023 Frozen Four Appearances 

USA Hockey Level 4 CEP.

Cherry Creek Baseball Diamond Club President (12 Years)

President PinchHitters For Youth Foundation.

2018 National Federation of High School Regional Coach of the Year.

2018 Cherry Creek Baseball Hall of Fame Team Induction ( Head Coach 2012 Don Mattingly World Series National Champion.)

2018 President Colorado High School Ice Hockey Coaches Association

2017 President Colorado High School Ice Hockey Coaches Association

2017 Head Coach Team Colorado Pittsburgh Showcase 

2015 Colorado Male Coach of the Year Xfinity Sports Award               

2015 Coach Inductee Cherry Creek High School Baseball Hall of Fame 

Head Coach at Arapahoe Hockey Association for 14 Years.

Ralph Bammert is a Cherry Creek Hockey Association and CHSAA Team Manager. Ralph is the CCHA Registrar and Safe Sport Coordinator.

Ralph has been a Director for USA Hockey for many years and is also the High Plains League President and serves as the Vice President of High School Hockey for CAHA and the Colorado Prep Hockey League.

Ralph is also USA Hockey National Risk Manager and is a member of the USA Hockey Disabled Section.

2026-2020 Team Colorado NIT Minnesota General Manager.

Ralph is also a part of the Team Colorado Coaching Staff that participates in the America's Showcase in Dallas and St. Louis.

2019 Asst Coach and Team Manager Team Colorado White St Louis Showcase

2018 Head Coach Team Colorado White St. Louis Showcase

2017 Head Coach Team Colorado White Pittsburgh Showcase

Ralph has also previously coached with the Littleton Hockey Association for 12 years.

Rob Flay returns for his 8th season as Associate Head Coach V-Prep Major AA / CHSAA Varsity Assistant Coach.

With more than 20 years of coaching experience, Coach Flay is extremely excited to return for his 7th season with the Bruins.  His coaching experience includes coaching at the Midget Major AA, AAA, Junior A Tier !!!, and College Club levels.  His teams have won League and State Titles and competed at the Regional level.  Former players of Coach Flay have gone on to play at the Junior, NCAA Div I, Div III and Professional levels.  

A California native, Coach Flay started playing at the age of 3 and played at the AA, AAA levels which included State and Western Regional Titles and multiple appearances at Nationals.  His playing experience also includes competing at the Quebec International Peewee Tournament, College Club and Professional Roller Hockey levels. 

Coach Flay is committed to bring his passion for the game and passion for player development to the Bruins’ organization to help prepare players for the next level as well as for life after high school and hockey.

Coach Flay has been happy to call Colorado home for the past 15 years and lives with his wife, Marie and two boys, Luke and Logan.

Ryan Bammert begins his 14th season year as a Varsity Prep Major AA and CHSAA Assistant Coach and 15th overall where he began with Coach Mel at Arapahoe and brings a competitive spirit to every game. Ryan was part of our State and National Championship Coaching Staff in 2015 and our CHSAA 5A State Championship in 2026.

Ryan is a Paramedic with the city of Aurora and was recently nominated for Paramedic of the Year for his lifesaving efforts. Ryan has also earned Dairy Max CHSAA Assistant Coach of the month awards.

 A graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Ryan spends his free time with his beautiful girlfriend Nicole and 2 dogs Koda and Waffles.

Matt McGregor begins his 6th Season with our Coaching Staff and 2nd Season with Varsity. Matt transitioned to the Varsity Prep Major AA/ CHSAA Varsity Assistant Coach after 3 seasons as Head Coach of the Varsity Prep NAPHL Makar T1 / CHSAA JV Team. Matt is also Cherry Creeks High Plains Director of Operations. Matt will also add a Lady Bruins Assistant Coach Position as well in the 2026-2027 Season.

Matt has been a Varsity Head Coach at Columbine and will bring his passion and coaching experience to the Bruins in the 2026-2027 season.

I grew up playing hockey competitive locally and extremely excited to bring what I have learned to grow the sport and develop players.

I developed as a young player through Denver University’s youth Hockey program, the Jr. Pioneers, Colorado Jr. Eagles & Colorado Thunderbirds AAA.

I also played competitive Lacrosse for Cherry Creek youth until the decision was made to pursue hockey.

After graduating from ThunderRidge HS in 2007 I moved to Spokane, WA to play Junior hockey in the NPHL where I served as a captain in my third season with the club. I then moved to Bloomington MN to play in the MNJHL using a lot of the lessons I learned along the way in my coaching today.

From 2017-2020 I held the position as Assistant Director of a local youth hockey program until making the decision to use the skills I learned to run the Columbine HS hockey program.

Along the way I have had the chance to meet and create great relationships with coaches and players which have also led to the opportunity to coach at high level showcases.

I have served as a bench coach/scout for: CCM Showcase Denver CO, and Air Force Academy Hockey showcase. I have also been a part of Colorado Prep Hockey League’s (CPHL) “Team Colorado” where we select top HS players from around the state to compete in St. Louis at the America's Showcase.

My goals for HS hockey is to represent the school and community with Integrity, Pride & Passion.

Our student athletes will be knowledgeable and cognitive about not only the game we love, but the bigger picture of what it truly means to be a hockey player.

Joe Sadozai returns for his 9th season as an assistant coach for Varsity Prep Major AA and V-Prep Makar T1. He brings 25 + years of coaching experience with the Littleton Hockey Association, Arapahoe Hockey Association, and Denver University Hockey Association.

Coach Connor is excited to be starting his 4th season with the Bruins. Connor brings years of elite level coaching experience after coaching and volunteering at the AAA and Tier 1 Junior Level.

Connor is a native of Woodbury, Minnesota where he played High School hockey. After high school Coach Connor started working and eventually found his way back to hockey after moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Coach Connor imbedded himself into the community working with players, coaches and programs alike with the goal of growing the game in the state.

While coaching in the midwest Coach Connor worked with South Dakota Player Development s well as the Northern Plains district in selecting players for the USA Hockey national camps. This also propelled coach Connor into volunteer positions at the Tier 1 and Tier 2 junior hockey levels.

Coach Connor’s coaching philosophy is to teach the game rather than coach the game. Using a constraint based teaching/learning method can allow players to expand and explore the limits of their skill allowing them to quilt acquire new skills while linking their old skills together and improving them all as a whole. This will allow us to implement systems and tactics allowing players to identify the game easier and adapt to their environment quicker as the game changes drastically in the game of hockey. This will also allow us to utilize situations and isolate them to explore and understand them better which will lead to more constructive habits and life skills for when hockey ultimately comes to and end.

• Coaching Experience
• - Cherry Creek (CO) High School JV Head Coach - 2025 to Present
• - Cherry Creek (CO) High School Varsity 1 & JV 1 Assistant Coach - 2023 to 2025
• - Sioux Falls Stampede USHL Volunteer Coach - 2020 to 2023
• - Sioux Falls (SD) POWER Tier 1 AAA 15o/16u Assistant Coach - 2022 to 2023
• - Sioux Falls (SD) POWER Tier 1 AAA 14u Head Coach/15o & 18u Assistant Coach - 2021 to 2022
• - Team South Dakota (SD) u16 Tier II - Head Coach - 2020 to 2021
• - Sioux Falls (SD) Flyers Varsity 2 - Head Coach - 2019 to 2021
• - Sioux Falls (SD) Flyers Bantam Blue 2 - Head Coach - 2018 to 2019
• - Sioux Falls (SD) Flyers Peewee Gold - Head Coach - 2017 to 2018 
• Accreditations:
• - 2021 SDAHA Varsity State Championship 3rd Place
• - 2021 USA Hockey 16u Tier II National Championship Runner-Up
• - 2019 SDAHA Bantam “A” State Champion
• - Level 5 USA Hockey Coach - Since 2022
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Coach Connor resides in Littleton with his with Katie and dog Romeo. 

Coach Kenny Ruiz begins his 2nd Season as Assistant Coach CC Makar T1 / CHSAA JV Red.

Coach Ruiz is excited to bring his passion for Coaching to Cherry Creek.

Kenny Ruiz Coaching Philosophy:

I believe in coaching young men and women to become the best versions of themselves. Creating a culture of encouragement with no negative attitudes. Winning is important but it is more imperative that we are creating young men and women to be contributing members of society. Learning to handle adversity while supporting one another. 

Coaching Experience

2025-2026 Cherry Creek

2021-2024 Richardson/Rockwall JV Head Coach

2022-2024 Richardson/Rockwall Varsity Assistant Coach

2022-2023 Richardson/Rockwall JV Head Coach -League Champions

2019-2020 Odessa Jr. Jacks Goalie Coach

2016-2018 Amarillo Jr. Bulls Goalie Coach

2014-2016 DSMHL Head Coach 

20010-2012 Fresno State University ACHA DIII Goalie Coach

Instructional Experience

2015-Current Owner/Director Prospect Goalie Development

Certifications

USA Hockey Level 5 Coach

USA Hockey Level 4 Official

USA Hockey Bronze Goalie Certification

2018 NHL Global Coaches Clinic

2024 NHL Global Coaches Clinic

Playing Experience

2002-2007 Fresno State University ACHA DIII

2004-2008 Emergency Back Up Goaltender and Practice Goalie

Fresno Falcons- ECHL 2004-2008

Victoria Salmon Kings- ECHL 2006

Ontario Reign- ECHL 2008

Hobbies/Interests

I have a wife Lisa and two children. Our son Grant (2009) will be playing for the 16U AAA Colorado Thunderbirds in the Tier 1 Elite League for the 2025-2026 season. My Daughter is in middle school and is involved in Cheer, Volleyball, & Basketball. In my free time I like to golf and spend time with my family. 

Coach Ryan Bystrom begins his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek on the Varsity Prep Makar T1 / CHSAA JV Red Team. Ryan brings extensive experience teaching the defensive structure to our players. Ryan is looking forward to another outstanding season with Cherry Creek.

Coach Harry Frangiskakis begins his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek on the Varsity Prep Makar T1 / CHSAA JV Red Team. Harry was a Captain on the Varsity team and is looking forward to sharing his strong Hockey IQ with our players.

Coach Cameron Bartkoski begins his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek and and 1st Season as Head Coach CPHL Royal / CHSAA JV Royal.

Cameron brings his passion for the game from the Dallas Stars Hockey Program.

Cameron played NCAA Hockey at Utica University graduating magna cum laude and was a UCHC Men's All - Academic team 4 consecutive years.

Cameron's playing career also included the Dallas Penguins, Dallas Stars Elite, Philadelphia Little Flyers EHL and the Amarillo Bulls NAHL.

" I fell in love with hockey as a kid thanks to my parents having season tickets to the Dallas Stars. I played all throughout my childhood and in high school, eventually playing two years of junior hockey and four years at Utica University.

After college, I took a job with the Dallas Stars in rink management and I am lucky to have welcomed many new families into the community and helped grow the game from the grassroots level for the last 3 years. Hockey has been at the root of my life since I was born and I am grateful to give back and mentor players both on and off the ice."

Cameron relocated from Texas where he was a part of the Dallas Stars Hockey and Dallas Penguins Program.

Coach Parker Bock begins his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek as Assistant Coach Makar Royal / CHSAA JV Royal. Coach Bock is looking forward to the season and building and adding to the success of the Royals Team in the 2024-2025 Season.

Coach Quinn Maetzold begins his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek as Assistant Coach Makar Royal / CHSAA JV Royal. Coach Maetzold is looking forward to working with the Coaching Staff and players in the 2026-2027 Season.

Cherry Creek welcomes Luke Ranallo as Assistant Coach Makar Royal / CHSAA JV Royal. Luke played NCAA Hockey at St. Olaf College and Concordia University Wisconsin.

Coach Ranallo is excited for the season and helping our players acheive our team goals.

Emma Guzdek begins her 3rd season with Cherry Creek Lady Bruins as Head Coach.

Emma is also an Assistant Coach for the NAPHL 18U / CHSAA Varsity Team. Emma is excited to work with both the Lady Bruins and the Varsity Teams.

The previous two years Emma was an Assistant Coach with the Wilkes-Barrie / Scranton Knight 18U AAA Boys Team.

In addition Emma was the Associate Director and On-Ice Coach for the New York State Amateur Hockey Association Sponsored House League Clinics.

Emma was also selected by USA Hockey Coach Development (Hybrid) Coach Developer teaching segments of classes in USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program.

Emma attended Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barrie, Pennsylvania playing NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey.

Emma will be graduating with a Masters Degree from the University of Denver in June.

Cherry Creek welcomes Matt McGregor as Assistant Coach with the Lady Bruins. Matt is excited to add this additional coaching role with Cherry Creek. Matt will work with our Lady Bruins players to introduce and instruct our systems and game strategies along with increasing our players skill sets.

Matt begins his 6th Season with our Coaching Staff and 2nd Season with NAPHL / CHSAA Varsity as well.

Matt transitioned to the Varsity Prep Major AA/ CHSAA Varsity Assistant Coach after 3 seasons as Head Coach of the Varsity Prep NAPHL Makar T1 / CHSAA JV Team. Matt is also Cherry Creeks High Plains Director of Operations and is Director of Cherry Creek Camps.

Matt has been a Varsity Head Coach at Columbine and will bring his passion and coaching experience to the Bruins in the 2026-2027 season.

I grew up playing hockey competitive locally and extremely excited to bring what I have learned to grow the sport and develop players.

I developed as a young player through Denver University’s youth Hockey program, the Jr. Pioneers, Colorado Jr. Eagles & Colorado Thunderbirds AAA.

I also played competitive Lacrosse for Cherry Creek youth until the decision was made to pursue hockey.

After graduating from ThunderRidge HS in 2007 I moved to Spokane, WA to play Junior hockey in the NPHL where I served as a captain in my third season with the club. I then moved to Bloomington MN to play in the MNJHL using a lot of the lessons I learned along the way in my coaching today.

From 2017-2020 I held the position as Assistant Director of a local youth hockey program until making the decision to use the skills I learned to run the Columbine HS hockey program.

Along the way I have had the chance to meet and create great relationships with coaches and players which have also led to the opportunity to coach at high level showcases.

I have served as a bench coach/scout for: CCM Showcase Denver CO, and Air Force Academy Hockey showcase. I have also been a part of Colorado Prep Hockey League’s (CPHL) “Team Colorado” where we select top HS players from around the state to compete in St. Louis at the America's Showcase.

My goals for HS hockey is to represent the school and community with Integrity, Pride & Passion.

Our student athletes will be knowledgeable and cognitive about not only the game we love, but the bigger picture of what it truly means to be a hockey player.

Ashlyn Marshall begins her 2nd season as Lady Bruins Assistant Coach.. Ashlyn played 4 years of NCAA Hockey at Concordia University Wisconsin. Ashlyn started her playing career in Telluride and Vail moving to the Roughriders, Colorado Select and Team Colorado before college.  

Ashlyn is looking forward to sharing her passion for the game with the next generation of girl hockey players. She is excited for the endless possibilities that are available to our Lady Bruins players.

Ashlyn resides in Lone Tree and is a graduate of Columbine High School and has a Education Degree from Concordia University Wisconsin.

Shannon Valerio returns for her 5th season to our Coaching Staff as our Cherry Creek Colorado Bruins Analytics Coach. In addition, Shannon begins her 1st Season as a Association Assistant Director.

Shannon Valerio, MA, CSCS, is a former world class speed skater. She began competing at the age of seven and quickly rose to the national ranks. During her 20-year career in short-track and inline speed skating, she competed internationally, amassed 14 national titles and eventually landed a contract with a professional racing team.

While in college, she took a brief hiatus to play hockey for the University of Denver Women’s team, where she played under exceptional coaches, eventually becoming a player-coach.

Over the past decade, she coached part-time with high school, USA Hockey, NCAA D1 and Stanley Cup champions, combining speed-specific training with hockey tactics. In 2020, she left a successful career as an IT Director/Software Consultant to become a full-time speed and power skating coach.



In her short time working with primarily youth hockey players, she has established herself as the premier speed and power skating coach in the Rocky Mountain region, helping her athletes reach tremendous heights such as advancement to USA Hockey National Development camps, USHL and WHL draft selections, and NCAA commitments.

Coach Nevan Costello returns for his 2nd Season with Cherry Creek as Goaltending Director.

Nevan brings a passion of teaching skills and compete levels for our Bruin Goaltenders.

Nevan was a Massachusetts State High School 2018 Hobey Baker Recipient, and 2018 D1 State Finalist 

After graduating Merrimack College with a degree in Marketing, Nevan moved to the state of Colorado to enjoy time with family and now spends his time developing goalies under Matt Zaba and MHH Organization in the Denver area.

Littleton Hockey Association 2024-2025 Season

Nevan has been coached by some of the best coaches on the East Coast in Brian Eklund with Mass Crease and Doug Michaels of The Goalie Academy. 

David Zaworski begins his 3rd season with Cherry Creek. David was a Lady Bruins Assistant Coach last season and will be supporting Assistant Coach in the Cherry Creek Hockey Association. David will share his passion for Girls Hockey after several seasons with the AYHL Hockey Association. David is a Level 4 CEP Coach.

Matt Zaba begins his 7th season with our Coaching Staff.

Matt Zaba is currently the goalie coach for the Colorado Avalanche's Colorado Eagles. After an 8 year professional career, including stops in the NHL, AHL, ECHL and Europe, Matt Zaba began his coaching career with his alma mater Colorado College Tigers.

Coach Zaba has worked directly under the guidance of New York Rangers Goalie Coach Benoit Allaire, Los Angeles Kings Goalie Coach Bill Ranford and Swedish National Team Goalie Coach Stefan Ladhe.

Matt Zaba spent the previous 3 seasons as goalie coach for the Tri-City Storm where he has coached back to back USHL Goalies of they Year in his first two seasons.

Matt Zaba

MHH Goalie Club Founder

Tri-City Storm Goalie Coach

www.mountainhighhockey.com 

Cherry Creek is excited for a 2nd Season with Casey Bond and his Sports Performance Team.

Casey Bond brings over 25 years of expertise in sports performance, having shaped the physical capabilities of athletes at the highest levels. With a Masters in Sports Medicine and a strong background in fitness and nutrition, Casey has played a pivotal role as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Colorado Avalanche, helping them to a 2022 NHL Stanley Cup victory and earning the title of 2015 NSCA Professional Strength Coach of the Year.

Casey’s approach to athlete development combines cutting-edge technology with tried-and-true training methods, ensuring peak performance and injury prevention. His work has had a lasting impact on NHL players, from designing personalized training regimens to overseeing comprehensive nutrition and recovery programs. Casey’s commitment to excellence and proven track record make him a leader in the field of strength and conditioning.

Cherry Creek begins Season 2 with KNGDM Sports Performance. Joe Parker CEO and Owner is excited to have multiple Cherry Creek Teams at their State of the Art Facility in Inverness. KNGDM will work with our Summer Camp Groups and additional Camps in addition to the Fall and CHSAA Season with our teams.

The 2025-2026 Season saw the Bruins win the CHSAA 5A State Championship. After falling in Double Overtime in the 2024-2025 Season Frozen Four Semi Final to PSD, Cherry Creek faced Valor Christian and moved on to face PSD in the Championship Game.

The Bruins led by Senior Matthew Lopez 3 goals won the State Championship and look forward to defending their Title in the 2026-2027 Season. A host of returning players are ready to take on the challenge.

Cherry Creek will begin their 7th season in the North American Prospects Hockey League in the 2026-2027 season. In Addition a New Invite to the Minnesota High Performance Showcase.

Cherry Creek Lady Bruins take the ice for their 4th season in the 2026-2027 season. The Lady Bruins will compete in the CPHL and in the several 19AA National Showcases.

Congratulations to several of our Alumni who have moved on to Junior Hockey across the country and are working towards a NCAA commitment.

This will be my 34th season of coaching hockey in Colorado at both the High School and Competitive Travel level, which would include the Arapahoe Warriors Youth Hockey Association, Littleton Hockey Association, and Valor Christian High School.

I grew up in Detroit, Michigan as a Goaltender and played Travel hockey at several age levels including the Detroit Junior Red Wings Junior A Team and was a Western Michigan University recruit. After moving to Colorado to begin my business career I continued playing in the Rocky Mountain Men’s A Competitive League and in 1997 went One on One with Joe Sakic to help the Colorado Youth At Risk Foundation in cooperation with Fox Sports.

My family includes my wife of 45 years Jackie and 3 boys: Jeff, Alec and Brady. In addition I have 5 beautiful grandsons Noah, Oliver, Jayden, Marshall and Jordan.