Utica Jr. Comets Announce Advisory Council

by Michael Lehr

Utica Jr. Comets Announce Advisory Council

 

The Utica Jr. Comets are proud to announce the creation of a Hockey Advisory Council formed to assist the organization in developing plans and strategies to strengthen our role as a top level, Tier 1 program. 


The Council is made up of former players with extensive credentials both playing and coaching. Members of the council all have roots in the Mohawk Valley and bring their wealth of hockey knowledge and experience to the organization for the benefit of current and future players.


Members of the Hockey Advisory Council include 

  • Tim Sestito - a Rome, NY native with a 13 year professional career that included 101 NHL games

  • Tom Sestito - a Rome, NY native with a 13 year professional career that included 154 NHL games.

  • Scott Usmail - a New Hartford, NY native who played D1 hockey at Alabama Huntsville and 2 years of professional hockey

  • Andy Starczewski - a Whitesboro, NY native who played 4 years at D1 Hockey at Army

  • Brian Bansner - a Fulton, NY native who played D3 hockey at Utica College and 3 years of professional hockey

  • Dave LaPointe - a Canton, NY native is a NYS Hockey Hall of Fame member (2015). Played and coached at the Prep School level and is a current Prep School advisor. 

  • Jon Davidson - a Rome, NY native with over 7 years of youth hockey coaching experience across all levels. He was the former captain of RFA high school. 

 

Over the past few years, the Utica Jr. Comets organization has doubled in size with the addition of multiple teams, including the only complete AAA girl’s hockey program in Central New York. The organization’s home is one of the elite training facilities in the nation with four ice surfaces and a state-of-the-art performance center inside the Utica University Nexus Center and Adirondack Bank Center. 

In addition to professional facilities, the program has also added Kevin Conley as a dedicated strength & conditioning coach and Adam Dekker to provide goaltender specific training at all levels.  


The Council has already begun its work by helping the Jr. Comets to partner with The Hockey Think Tank on a project to streamline organizational operations in a way that enhances the experience for all our members . The Council has also began restructuring the weekly practice schedule for the ‘24-’25 season in a manner to enhance hockey skill specific work and produce measurable development improvements.


“By tapping into the vast sport leadership resources present in the Mohawk Valley to create the Hockey Advisory Council, the Utica Jr. Comets are preparing a blueprint for development of our players in a manner that allows them to achieve their full potential both on and off the ice.” - Tony Martino, President Utica Jr. Comets