Camp Chat with Coach Balboni

Today was another scorcher here in Hockey Valley, and after 18 holes of golf in the morning, I couldn't think of a better place to chill out (literally) that at the Greenberg Ice Pavilion.

OK - going home to central air conditioning might have been a better idea, but dropping by the home of the Icers gave me a chance to catch up with head coach Scott Balboni and chat about the summer hockey camps, the incoming freshmen and an in-conference transfer, as well as the signing of a new assistant coach.

Josh Hand joins the Icers family from College Station, Texas where he most recently held the position of director of hockey at the Arctic Wolf Ice Center. He also was an instructor in the Kinesiology Department and assistant coach of the men’s ACHA Div. II hockey team at Texas A&M.

Before working at the Center, Josh spent over 15 years playing and coaching hockey. He began his playing career with the local travel hockey organization in Reading, PA.

As a junior in high school he made the move to Junior level hockey, playing first in the Philadelphia area and then accepting a position to play for the prestigious Boston Bulldogs coached by former RPI Head Coach Mike Addesa.

Spotted during a tournament, Josh was invited to the Dallas Stars' training camp, where he skated for Coach Dave Tippett. After being drafted by the Thunder Bay Bulldogs of the Superior International Junior Hockey League, Hand played in Thunder Bay, Ontario, before being recruited by Concordia College, a Division III NCAA program, in Moorhead, Minnesota.

A four year starter playing for Hall of Fame coach Steve Baumgartner, Josh graduated with a double major in Communications and Political Science. After graduation Josh turned down offers to play pro and took the job in Texas.