The Sydney Ice Dogs are proud to announce the 10th Head coach in the club’s history Jason Kvisle.
Kvisle brings over 16 years of coaching experience, leading 29 different teams over this timespan coaching Club, State and National levels and winning IHA Coach of the Year in 2013.
“We have approached Jason at various times over the past decade about coaching the Ice Dogs but the timing never seemed to quite align” explains founder and former Captain Anthony Wilson.
Today, the Dogs officially got their man.
“It seems a long time ago that my association with the Sydney Ice Dogs began. It started when I was a 2nd year midget playing for the Sydney Bears at Blacktown Ice Arena. The Wilsons were the life blood of that rink and it didn’t matter what the logo was on the front of the jersey - if you had a stick and skates you were welcome in their rink. The Wilsons were the founders of the team/club and due to how welcoming & passionate they were; a relationship between the Kvisle’s (Kwizla’s) and Wilsons’ was born. That relationship grew over the years and was strengthened when Reach Crane Trucks Pty Ltd became the Ice Dogs major sponsor for many years” reflects Kvisle.
Jason Kvisle not only brings a wealth of experience but also boasts a winning pedigree by achieving:
Most recently Kvisle has deservedly been a part of the past two National Junior Teams as Assistant Coach and is still the Assistant Coach preparing for the upcoming National Junior Team tournament in a couple of months’ time.
Kvisle lives by the motto “Success is never owned; it is rented and the rent is due everyday”.
“I try and take this on board in every facet of life from playing, to business and to family life. Coaching is no different. I am looking forward to the challenge, just hope that my wife and three kids will be as accommodating” laughs Kvisle who actually has a tattoo of the quote.
Before following his passion for coaching Jason of course grew up playing the game. Starting at club level before representing NSW at both Tange (U/18) and Brown (U/23 at the time) nabbing gold at both levels. He also ventured over to Canada to train and played 5 seasons of AIHL for the Sydney Bears and Central Coast Rhinos before switching his focus to coaching and building up the East Coast Super League to a strong senior state league feeding into the AIHL.
Just as he thought his playing days were coming to a close, the Ice Dogs requested the services of his 6’5” frame to patrol the blue line once more capping off his AIHL career at 6 seasons and 93 games.
“Last season I had the opportunity to wear the jersey for the first time and whilst the results weren’t what we all had hoped, I can confirm the culture at the club and inside the dressing room was extremely positive. There is a fine line coming into a team and changing too much. I don’t know what the 2023 season will bring for the Ice Dogs, but I do know it will bring structure, discipline and accountability” adds the new head coach.
“We are excited to have Jason come on board and lead our club to the next level. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of not only the game but our local talent. I can’t wait to see where he guides our club on and off the ice” adds former General Manager and Captain Scott Stephenson.
The club would like to thank last season’s Head Coach Ondrej Cervenka who has headed home to the Czech Republic. We are very grateful for his dedication, focus and time and wish him the best in his future endeavours.
Stay Tuned. More exciting news for the 2023 season to come.
]]>Jackob Doornbos (Ice Dogs) and Aleksi Toivonen (CBR) turned away a combined 23 shooters before CBR iced the victory on the 24th shot to secure the 2-1 win. After the match, Ice Dogs Head Coach Andrew Petrie was one of the first people to applaud the efforts of both tenders.
“Aleksi has looked sharp in net for the Brave this season, and Jakob (Doornbos) had a fantastic game tonight. He’s focused, competes on every puck and turned away 39 shots tonight to give us a chance to win.”
Doornbos joined the Ice Dogs in 2020 from the CBR Brave. Jackob’s brother Nick is still a member of the CBR team, and the two are facing off against each other in this year’s McCormack Cup. Jackob’s play in net is quickly making him a fan favorite with Ice Dogs supporters.
“He got a lot of love after the game in Canberra, and it was nice to see the attention he received from the CBR players and their fans after the game,” said Petrie.
Jackob has started every game for the Ice Dogs this season, and his stellar play and calm demeanor are attributes every coach looks for.
“Doorny is a great kid”, said Petrie. “He’s honest, he’s confident, and he works hard on his game. It’s not often a guy comes into a new team and just wins the group over, but that’s what happened with the kid.”
“I still remember his first practice, he stood on his head in every drill, and then he was yelling instructions at our Defenseman in the scrimmage. With veteran goalie Alan Becken working in tandem, Jakob is getting opportunities to shine while learning from the wily vet at the other end.”
The Ice Dogs will be back in action at the Erina Ice Arena on Saturday, 26 June, when they host the CBR Brave. The Dogs will be looking to even the ledger against the Brave, who currently leads the series 3-1. Tickets on sale now – www.icedogsshop.com.au
Photo Credit - Scott Stevenson
Author - Bernard McNamara
]]>“We (Ice Dogs) had to make a statement tonight that we’re a legitimate contender. We shuffled the lines and adjusted our strategy to be more aggressive on the puck and to made sure we got more pucks on the net.”
Despite trailing 2-1 in the second period, the Ice Dogs came out firing in the third period, scoring 4 unanswered goals to take the win in front of a vocal home crowd and the Erina Ice Arena.
Led by Canadian Grant Toulmin, who had four assists in the win, the Ice Dogs top line did most of the damage, centreman Jeremy Vasquez scored a highlight reel goal and veteran winger Alec Stephenson had a great game with two key goals.
“Our top line was looking for redemption after giving up four goals last week in Canberra, they were instrumental tonight in the win, scoring three even strength goals and adding a powerplay goal” said Petrie.
Rookie Ice Dogs Goalie, Jacob Doornbos had a stellar night against his old team, posting a 93.8% save percentage, allowing just two goals on 32 shots and making several big saves to preserve the Ice Dogs lead late in the game.
“I was especially happy with our team defence” said Petrie, "the guys did a great job in our own defensive zone tonight, they were controlled and physical in front of our net. We did a great job of clearing pucks out of danger areas and getting pucks to our forwards."
The Ice Dogs will be back in action at the Erina Ice Arena on Saturday 26 of June, when they host the CBR Brave. Puck drop at 5pm and tickets are available online at www.icedogshop.com.au.
]]>Its been a tireless effort to get AIHL calibre hockey up and running, we want to thank the CBR Brave and Newcastle Northstars Management teams for all their hard work behind the scenes to make this “Super Series” a reality.
We really missed our fans last year and the boys can’t wait to hear you cheer them on! We’ve also heard great things about hockey fans on the Central Coast, who’ve waited years to see the country’s best players put on a show.
As a club, the Ice Dogs are look forward to reconnecting with the Erina hockey community and welcoming new fans from the Central Coast. Let’s make the 2021 Ice Dogs pack the biggest and the loudest yet!
Stay tuned for the reveal of our new postgame venue. We’re speaking to local venues right now, looking to secure the best spot, where fans can get a great meal, and meet-and-greet the players after the game.
]]>A collegiate standout, Rumpel played with the University of Wisconsin Badgers where he started in goal for four full seasons, including 26 starts as a freshman in 2011/2012.
In 2014, Rumpel was shortlisted for both the coveted Hobey Baker award in 2014, given to the Nation’s best NCAA Div1 Men’s Hockey Player, and the prestigious Mike Richter award, bestowed upon the league’s top goalie. Rumpel’s 2014 season record of 21-5-1 with a 1.98 GAA and a sparkling .931 save percentage, was the catalyst for his attention on the National Stage.
Ice Dogs Head Coach Andrew Petrie spoke to Rumpel’s coach at Glasgow for some background on the goalie. Petrie was immediately sold, offering Rumpel a spot on the Ice Dogs, immediately. Says Petrie of the conversation,
“I was told Joel would be a great influence in the locker room, popular with his teammates, and that he’ll compete every minute of every game.” Before continuing, “and it was obvious when speaking with Joel that he’s a likeable, low maintenance guy who still has a real passion for the game.”
Rumpel stands 6’3” and is reputedly an athletic goalie with sound fundamentals.
“Ice Dogs fans can expect a positive goalie that loves to win. I feel like I can read the game better than most, and I like to use my frame to make the big saves ” said Rumpel.
When asked how he heard about Australia, and how he ended up with the Ice Dogs, Rumpel replied, “from a good friend Scott Pitt. He said it was great hockey and an awesome experience, so I was excited to give it a shot.”
Pitt, who played with the CBR Brave during their sophomore season in 2014, placed Rumpel and Petrie in touch, and the deal came together quickly. Petrie believes the Ice Dogs community have landed a gem in Rumpel, who professes finding pleasure in immersing himself in local cultures around the world, stating. “I love getting out into the community and getting to know the fans that make this game such a pleasure to play!” Rumpel will arrive in Sydney in time for the Ice Dogs opening game in Canberra. He will spend the season on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with his wife, Alex. The two were married in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 2019. The Ice Dogs community look forward to celebrating the couple’s first wedding anniversary in July.
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]]>To add to a lengthy playing resume across inline and ice hockey at all levels in Australia, Petrie has also coached to the same pedigree. In 2014, he made his AIHL coaching debut for Ice Dogs resuscitating a sluggish start for the defending champions steering them back into the playoffs. Since then, Petrie has spent three seasons coaching the Newcastle Northstars and leading them to two Goodall Cups.
“I’m flattered and excited to be coming back to the Ice Dogs, a club that holds a lot of fond memories for me, both as a player and as a Coach. The Club’s resurrection, led by the new board makes this an especially exciting and challenging opportunity, and I look forward to working with the playing group to take that next step.”
In 2017, Ice Dogs President Chris Blagg took the reins as Head Coach after the departure of Vlad Rubes and Chris Sekura. With the help of assistant coach Chris Foster, the club improved from 7th to 5th falling just 4 points shy of a playoff spot as the club continues to rebuild. With the signing of Petrie, Chris Blagg will continue his focus as President of the club.
“It was a daunting experience at first coaching at this level, whilst I have had a strong career as a player. Coaching was another thing. It was a great experience for me, Chris Foster was a great help as the Assistant Coach and the team are great and talented bunch. With Frij taking the reins he has proven coaching skills and we look forward to seeing his and the Dogs success for season 18” says Blagg.
“We were very fortunate that he [Blagg] took on the Head Coaching role when no one else would. The work by him and Chris Foster allowed us to continue our rebuild” adds General Manager Jason Juba.
Ice Dogs fans have a lot to get excited about in 2018. Despite an injury-ravaged 2017 season the Sydney Ice Dogs still managed to find ways to win and found themselves back in the playoff race. As the club has restored some balance of veterans and exciting prospects Petrie is excited to get to work in pursuit of a Goodall cup.
“The goal remains the same; work hard, be accountable and do whatever it takes to build a cohesive and focused playing group who will make sacrifices for each other. If we can achieve that, success will follow. I’m familiar with many of the senior players, Coach Foster is a good friend who sees the game the same way I do, and I have strong relationships with the people on the board who’ve done so much for the club in recent seasons. I can't wait to get started.”
Coach Petrie is joined behind the bench by Assistant Coach, Chris Foster
“Since the start of the 2016 season our goal has always been a Goodall Cup. It has been quite the rebuild with much adversity, but this move signifies another building block for the club in chasing down another Goodall Cup” finishes General Manager Jason Juba.
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