Instructors
RYAN FINNEGAN
Skills Instructor
Ryan Finnegan is a current Professional Hockey forward for the Wichita Thunder in the ECHL. Ryan is from Topeka, KS and grew up playing in the Kansas City area. He continues to come back to his home roots over the summers to train and coach. He's worked with youth hockey players for 8 years growing the game. His youth experiences consist of 8 years of skill development for Ferschweiler Hockey School, and also 3 years working with Pure Edge/Hardway Hockey developing players in the Kansas City Youth Programs. Ryan's knowledge and expertise on skill development, play making and goal scoring techniques, as well as hockey habits and hockey IQ allows him to teach the youth at an elite level.
Ryan played for Russell Stover (Kansas City youth program at the time) growing up until he moved away at 15 years old to attend a Minnesota hockey academy called Northern Educate. For his u16/u18 years he moved to the east coast and played for the Skipjacks based out of Maryland. Ryan was a captain for the Skipjacks both years he was there. After his u16/u18 years he pursued junior hockey in Canada playing in the BCHL. He spent time with both the Merritt Centennials and Alberni Valley Bulldogs before ending up at the New Jersey Hitmen in the NCDC to finish out his junior career. Following his junior career, he attended Lindenwood University (NCAA D1). Kansas City is very fortunate to have Ryan back in his home roots growing the game the correct way!
KAITLIN FINNEGAN
Skills Instructor
Kaitlin Finnegan is a current forward for Lindenwood University at the Women’s NCAA Division 1 level. Kaitlin is from Topeka, KS and grew up playing in the Kansas City area. She has always had a passion for helping players excel to the next level as she continues to come back to Kansas City to help train and coach. She has worked with youth hockey players for 8 years to help grow the game. Her experience with youth hockey players consists of 8 years of skill development with Fershweiler Hockey School and 2 years as a Team Leader/Coach at the USA Hockey Girls Player Development Camps. Kaitlin’s skating, passing, puck control, and hockey IQ allow her to share specific techniques and skills to take players to the next level.
Kaitlin played for the Missouri Mavericks and the Kansas City Stars growing up until she transitioned to girls hockey at U12 with the St. Louis Blues, eventually moving away at 16 years old. For her U19 year, she moved to Dallas to play for the Dallas Stars Elite AAA girls team. Following her U19 season, she played four years for Lindenwood University (NCAA D1) where she was named assistant captain. She will be returning to Lindenwood as a graduate student to complete her Master’s Degree and play her final year of college eligibility. Kansas City is very fortunate to have Kaitlin back in her home roots growing the game for both men’s and women’s hockey!
Rob Brown
Skills Instructor
A native of Michigan, Rob grew up in the backyard of Michigan State University and started playing hockey at age 4 under the tutelage of all Canadian, former MSU players. He played his youth hockey in Lansing, MI, progressing up to AAA in Detroit, MI as a Bantam, played on Team Michigan in the USA Junior Olympics and won the National Championship as a Midget with Compuware AAA. Following one year of Junior at St. Michael's College School in Toronto, Rob played four years at the University of Michigan under Red Berenson, earning Rookie of the Year in his Freshman season and was the team's leading scorer in his second year. Playing in all 164 games in his four years, Rob set a record of consecutive games played that survived over 20 years. Rob played six years professionally in Sweden, leading two teams to championships. He was taught skating, stickhandling and all hockey skills from some of the best instructors in the game and has international experience to draw from. Rob has coached at all levels from High School in Ann Arbor, MI to U8 in Kansas City and has over 20 years of summer skills camps instruction experience. With an expertise in stickhandling and skating, Rob's passion to give back to the game through coaching youth hockey is unmatched.
We are very fortunate to have such an instrumental and influential coach for both the players as well the coaches. He is an amazing role model for all.
JOHN SCOTT DICKSON
Development Coordinator
Originally from NorthYork, Ontario, John-Scott has been involved in hockey for 21 years. With a 5 year OHL career, 4 year college career, and 6 years playing professionally, John-Scott has an elite hockey mind.
Known around Kansas City as the head coach of the Mavericks for 4 years, John-Scott has given his time to the youth in the area throughout his KC coaching career. Coach Dickson is a huge asset to the hockey community being a youth instructor in all of his stops with hockey. With 3 of his young kids making him run around, he understands the importance of balancing structure and fun into young ones lives and brings a lot of insight to the players!
JARED BRANDT
Skills Instructor
Jared Brandt is a current Professional Hockey defenseman for the Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL. Growing up in St. Louis and now living in Kansas City, he's worked with youth hockey players for 5 years growing the game. His youth experiences consist of 4 years of skills development for the Minot youth program, and also two years developing players in the Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles organization. Jared's knowledge and expertise on skill development, defensive techniques, and hockey habits allows him to teach the youth at an elite level.
Jared played for 3 years in the NAHL for the Minot Minotauros, captaining the team his last year. Following his junior career, he has played for Miami University for two seasons and is now in his senior campaign for Niagara University, both Division 1 hockey schools. Kansas City is very fortunate to have Jared and is a massive asset to grow the game the correct way!
MATT STEPHENSON
Skills Instructor
Originally from Midland, Ontario, Matt has made Kansas City home for the last 10 years. He started off playing youth and junior hockey in Canada before eventually playing Division 1 hockey at St. Cloud State. In his four years as a defenseman, he played 141 games and served as the team Captain his senior year. After college, Matt moved on to play 7 years professionally with the Iowa Stars (AHL), Texas Stars (AHL), Sheffield Steelers (EIHL), and the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). With a squirt growing up in Kansas City, we're very lucky to have a coach with his caliber of expertise and care level for the youth in the Kansas City.
Quote from Matt, "After making stops at so many levels of hockey from Junior C to the AHL, I'm truly blessed and fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be involved with such an outstanding coaching staff. The level and attention to detail each coach brings compliments each other making the academy one of the best development programs I have come across in the country:"
Nate Widman
Skills Instructor
Nate Widman is originally from Naperville, Illinois. He played AAA growing up and finished his AAA experience winning a National Championship with the Chicago Mission. Following midgets he was drafted by the Omaha Lancers of the USHL and played one full season before being traded to the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders the following year. His collegiate hockey experience includes playing one year at Brown University and three years for the Saint Cloud State Huskies where he served as a team Captain his second and third year. Widman then went on play two years of professional hockey with the Kansas City lavericks. Widman's coaching experience includes being a skill coach with the Northern Edge Elite Hockey Schools, a skill instructor with Read React Hockey out of Stillwater, Minnesota and coaching Bantam Elite League teams in Minnesota.
RYAN GALT
Development Coach
Ryan has experienced hockey at all different levels with a playing career that has included AAA, USHL, NCAA Division 1, and professional hockey. He has shifted his hockey path to committing to youth hockey in the Kansas City area and beyond. Ryan wants to create an exciting and fun atmosphere while focusing on the development of youth players to grow the game further!
Quote from Ryan, "I can honestly say that there are no other opportunities in the Midwest that offer the caliber of coaches that are invested in the Kansas City youth currently, that are a part of Pure Edge. I'm very excited to see where these players end up after a consistent training experience, and we have the staff to move players to the next level whether that be the better house team, A team, AA team, or a AAA team!"
