The official team site of the Peninsula Panthers, proud members of the VIJHL, an independent junior hockey league associated with the BCHL

COACHING & TEAM STAFF

COACHING & TEAM STAFF

Tyler, who is no stranger to hockey on the Island, is returning for his second year behind the Panthers Bench. The Bench Boss had been coaching at the U18 level for the past 7 years with JDF Minor Hockey, winning 2 Island championships and a silver medal at BC provincials this past year. The Club also won the Richmond International Tournament this past season. Stanton toiled in the VIJHL with the Westshore Wolves and Saanich Braves and after his playing days in the League were over, he jumped right into the coaching ranks and instantly fell in love with the game from a different vantage point. The sport is something that has always been a great passion of his – starting right from his early years in Minor Hockey. Coming into his second year with the Panthers, he looks to bring the same look, with some new flavor under new ownership, following the purchase by the Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL. The goal is not only to bring a championship back to the Peninsula, but to push as many of these players onto the next level.

Colin grew up playing minor hockey for Juan de Fuca and played 2 years of Junior B. He has coached for the past 14 years at Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey including the past 10 years with U18 Tier 1 and in his final year, winning a gold medal at the Richmond International and silver medal at the BC Provincial Championships with Tyler Stanton and Connor Mccelland. He is now thrilled to be joining Tyler and Connor for another year with the Panthers Organization!

Hans Kossmann has been around the game of hockey at a professional level for over 30 years as both a player and coach and now as a resident of North Saanich, British Columbia has brought his experience to help develop players on the Peninsula Panthers since 2022 as an Associate Coach.

Kossmann played professionally in Switzerland in his early 20’s and went on to an illustrious coaching career spanning over two decades. He has won at the highest levels in the game in Switzerland. As well, he was the bench boss of the Professional Fribourg-Gotteron when who competed in the 2012 Spengler Cup. Kossmann’s Club lost in the semi-finals to the Canadians, the eventual Gold Medal winners comprised mostly of NHL players. The NHL was locked out in 2012 and a powerhouse squad travelled to Davos winning the final game against the Davos Team. The Spengler Cup experience was one of many highlights of his career. Kossman retired three years ago and now resides in North Saanich and only minutes drive from the friendly confines of the Panorama Recreation Centre where he will again add great experience to the coaching staff for the yet another season.

Born and raised in Victoria, Connor grew up playing hockey and lacrosse for Juan de Fuca Minor, starting at the age of 5 and playing until he was 19. Connor played 2 years as an AP with the Victoria Cougars before playing 2 years with the Westshore Wolves. He then began his coaching career 2 years ago with the Juan de Fuca U18 A team. He helped guide the U18 team to 2023 Richmond International Champions, 2023 Island Champions, and 2023 second place finish at the Provincials with Colin Carter and Tyler Stanton. Connor is excited to be back, yet again, for another year behind the bench with the Panthers!

Grayson Vickers was born and raised in Victoria BC. He started skating at 3 years old and found a love for hockey when he started with the Saanich Braves in Novices. He continued through with the Braves to Midget, and affiliated with their Junior B team in his final year. He was then signed by the Peninsula Panthers where he played there for 3 years. After his final season with the Panthers, he started coaching Midget B for the Saanich Braves. Then was given an opportunity to play Junior A in an independent league in based in Ontario and Michigan. Upon Grayson’s return to Victoria, he continued coaching both the midget B and bantam A for Saanich. During the 2022-2023 season he was brought on to assist with Panthers in their final months that carried into 2023-2024 season as an assistant coach.

Devon Douglas is from Southern Saskatchewan where he played Junior Hockey in the mid 90’s. Devon was a U18 and AP goaltender with the Estevan Bruins, part of the Keystone Cup winning Assiniboia Southern Rebels, then played Junior around Regina while attending University. After graduating in 2005, he moved to Victoria, BC and has been working for the Health Region. Devon started goalie coaching in 2018 with the JDF U18 tier 1’s before making the move up to Junior A Tier 2 in 2023 with the Peninsula Panthers.

Rachel completed her Bachelor’s degree in Athletic and Exercise Therapy at Camosun College in 2019. As part of this program, she undertook various practicums, working with the Panthers during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, as well as with rugby, volleyball, soccer, and basketball teams. Rachel is a Certified Athletic Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, and High Performance Specialist, passionate about helping people recover from acute and chronic injuries.

Rachel’s interest in how bodies function and in aiding injured individuals began while observing construction workers. This interest grew deeper during her participation in Aikido, where she also sustained an injury. Her experience has driven her to help others recover and return to activity.

Since graduating, Rachel has gained experience in clinical practice, teaching yoga and group fitness classes, and providing one-on-one personal training services. She has also been the Head Athletic Therapist for the Panthers since their 2020-2021 season and is enthusiastic about continuing to support the athletes and the association in the upcoming season.

Luciano has been involved in hockey for 25+ years as a player, coach, and now as a resource for mental performance and well-being. His playing career involved playing junior for a few years and at the University of Victoria for five, followed by two seasons professionally in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with many issues that most athletes face, including performance anxiety, difficulty performing under pressure, a lack of consistency, and fluctuations in confidence, which gives him a unique understanding of athletes’ experiences. He is very enthusiastic about the role that athletics play in mental health and well-being, and believes that performance in sport is inextricably linked with mental strength and resiliency. Luciano strives to integrate his experience as an athlete with his approach in counselling, consulting, coaching, and supporting athletes with performance enhancement and growth.

https://www.lucianosomerville.com/

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

Brayden was born in Oshawa, Ontario and started playing hockey when he was 3 years old. He quickly fell in love with the game of hockey and worked his way through the hockey ranks with stops in Ontario, Texas, New York, New Jersey, and ultimately ended up in Victoria. After his junior hockey career finished, he ventured into a new avenue of the game in the coaching and scouting world, wanting to stay involved and give back to the game that did many things for him. He currently coaches with the Victoria Reign U18 girls program and is looking to further his coaching experience in the coming years.

Jordan’s journey in the world of hockey has been quite remarkable. Originally from Salmon Arm, B.C., he delved into the sport at a young age, spending 12 years as a goalie in minor hockey. After graduating high school in 2022, he pursued further education by completing two SMWW (Sports Management Worldwide) hockey certificate courses: Hockey GM & Scouting, and Hockey Video Performance Analysis. Along with that he attended SMWW’s hockey career conference at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas which added valuable insights to his knowledge base. Now based in Victoria, B.C., Jordan is pursuing his passion for hockey through his Sports Management studies at Camosun College and his role as a student intern with the Victoria Royals in the WHL. His dedication to the sport shines through as he embarks on his scouting journey here with the Panthers, aiming to build a fulfilling career in hockey.