Valley Jr. Warriors
FORMER VJW PLAYER COMES BACK HOME TO LEAD PREMIER/U18 SHOWCASE TEAMS

The Valley Warriors Family is pleased to announce the hiring of Brett Heigl as the Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP) Head Coach. Brett brings with him over 15 years of experience as both a player and coach. Brett played two years in the EJHL for the New England Jr. Huskies and the Valley Jr. Warriors. After his junior hockey career, Brett attended New England College and was a member of the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) National Championship team in 2014-2015. He also played in the USA Rugby Division 1-AA East Coast Rugby Conference in 2015-16. Upon his graduation from NEC, Brett moved to New York where he was the Head Coach of the Hoosac Prep Men’s Varsity Hockey team from 2016-2019. Brett has also coached in the PrePrep Showcase and the Selects Prep Prospects camp, both for multiple seasons. He brings with him the ability to recruit and develop players to get to the next level. When asked what excites him most about the opportunity to now coach the team he once played for, Brett had this to say, “Having the opportunity to coach the same team that welcomed me into the world of Junior hockey is a bit of a surreal feeling. Some of my fondest hockey memories and lifelong friendships have come from the VJW program a while back. To have the ability to “come full circle” is an honor and I couldn’t be more ready to get to work with the rest of staff.” In response to the style of coaching his players can expect from him next season, Brett said, “I like to have a group of guys who hold themselves to a high standard, who keep resetting the “bar” and constantly strive for something better. I like to create a highly positive, family first environment in the locker room and a high-energy environment on the ice. My coaching style tends to be systematic, however, I want to incorporate all that with a “lunch pale”, “blue collar” style of hockey that will allow our players to adapt quickly and creatively to skilled opponents.” Ryan McGrath, General Manager of the EHL/EHLP, is ecstatic to have Brett on Board. “We are extremely excited to add Brett Heigl to our team! Over the last four years at Hoosac he has proven to be a tireless recruiter and an excellent teacher with an impressive track record of promoting his players. He fits in perfectly with our mission of helping each player who wears the Jr. Warrior uniform in achieving their academic and athletic goals. He will serve two roles within our program. He’ll be the Head Coach of our EHL Premier team and the Head Coach of our Split Season U18 Showcase team. Please join me and welcome Brett to the Merrimack Valley.” Brett resides in Acton, MA