Head Coach: Nick Mendiola
Assistant Coaches: Annika Zalewski (Colgate '18) and Nicole Kirnan Kelly
Nick Mendiola - will be joining the Jr. Comets to lead the U-14 Tier 1 girls team as head coach. Nick is a Rome, NY native and graduate of Rome Free Academy. Before transferring to Potsdam where he played three seasons, Mendiola was a standout defenseman at Canton and helped lead his team to a National Championship. While at Canton, Mendiola played internationally in Germany and the Netherlands.
Nick brings nearly a decade of coaching experience to the organization and has spent the last several years coaching girls hockey at the 8U, 10U, 12U, and 14U levels. Mendiola recently led Rome’s 12U girls team to two consecutive Sectional titles and State tournament appearances. Mendiola’s coaching philosophy focuses on the importance of mastering fundamental skills, developing smart hockey sense, and building leadership qualities. He is looking forward to coaching a competitive team that provides athletes the platform to grow as hockey players and as individuals.
Annika Zalewski - Zalewski played youth hockey in Central New York before moving to Buffalo in high school to play for the Buffalo Bisons and attend Nichols School. She went on to be the captain at Colgate University and led the team to the National Championship game her senior year. After graduation, she played for the Buffalo Beauts (NWHL) and joined the PWHPA for the Dream Gap Tour during the 2019-20 season. Zalewski was an assistant coach for the Nichols School Prep A Girls team in 2018-19, and was involved in coaching skill development with the Academy of Hockey in Buffalo. For the past two seasons, Zalewski has been an assistant coach for the Valley Eagles Tier 1 14U Girls team. All three of Zalewski’s older brothers played professional hockey. Her brother Mike spent two seasons with the Comets from 2014-2017.
Nicole Kirnan Kelly - In high school, Kelly attended Choate Rosemary Hall and played for the CT Polar Bears, helping the team to a national championship in 1997. She then played at St. Lawrence University where she was a three-year captain and led the team to a National Championship appearance in 2001. As a player, she was a Member of the USA Junior Team and attended the Olympic Festival in 1999 and 2000. After playing, Kelly coached Manhattanville College from 2001 to 2006 and led the team to an NCAA tournament bid each year. Kelly was an assistant coach at the Olympic Festival and coached at National Development Camps in 2002, 2003 and 2004. She was a co-owner of Syracuse Stars Jr. program from 2013 to 2019, and created Velocity Hockey Training. Velocity was a player development system whose members included Alex Tuch, Thomas Harley, Eamon Powell, John Beecher, Anthony Angelo, Joel Farrabee and many others. Kelly's 2001 team at St. Lawrence was inducted into St. Lawrence Hall of Fame.
Team Overview:
- Flagship girls program to play out of brand new Nexus Center
- Tier 1 Tournament Bound
- Weekly Power skating and Power Edge Pro
- Players will be broken into small groups to work on PEP Training, power skating, goaltending, and shooting.
- Regular practices, Full and half ice
- Access to gym in Nexus Center for off ice workouts
- Tournament budget included in registration, including home tournament
- 16-18 Home game schedule
- 50-55 game schedule
- Tryouts, April 6-7
