Jeff Birrell has been coaching in British Columbia, Canada, at the AAA level for over 20 years.  In the 2010-2011 season he worked with the South Island Thunderbirds in Major Midget League as an assistant coach as well as take on the role as Coach Coordinator of the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association.  In the past he has taken five teams to provincial championships; his teams have won several high profile tournaments along the way including the Bell Capital Cup in Ottawa, the Port Coquitlam Bantam AAA tournament and the Challenge Cup just to name a few.  Jeff has earned a solid reputation for developing promising athletes and helping them to reach their full potential.

Jeff’s coaching resume includes coaching at the Burnaby Winter Club for 5 years where he coached several high profile elite players such as Ryan Nugent Hopkins, Mike Santorelli, Michael Hengen, and Tyler McNeely just to name a few, he also had the opportunity to work with many prestigious hockey minds while in the BWC program.  He has also been involved in the BC Best Ever program for four years, coached with the Vancouver Selects, Vancouver Super Series,  3 years with the Hockey Future Program in the Lower mainland, all Spring Hockey Elite programs that top players in the game are invited to train with each year.  While on the mainland he had the opportunity to be a lead instructor with the PSM hockey development program, where he was able to train elite athletes, including several pros such as Cam Paddock, Kris Chucko, Kyle Turris and many up and comers currently still in Junior A or the NCAA.

Having recently moved to the Vancouver Island community of North Saanich, Jeff is excited to be fulfilling his passion for coaching through Edgey Hockey Development.  His overall vision behind Edgey Hockey came from the input of his client base.  Throughout the years of instructing kids to play hockey at a high level, the common theme from players and parents alike, was Jeff’s passion for what he does.  After many years of successful coaching behind the bench, his focus and energy has been channelled toward the teaching of skill development rather than the wins and losses of games of high profile games.  Although winning and losing comes with the territory and is a very important part of a players overall development, skill development is a marathon and not a sprint, the ability to work on skills at different tempos defines a player’s ability and confidence when being transferred into a game scenario.  At this time, Jeff visits the bench coaching two of his four young sons in hockey. 

Using a dynamic personality, Jeff is able to motivate and instruct players to skate, train and create the work ethic necessary to compete at their next level.  With an abundance of energy and focus, he is able to bring the best out of each athlete as they practice to perform.  Whether it is the high level hockey player, or the recreational player, Jeff knows how to help each person learn and enjoy the game.  It takes a special skill to be able to challenge kids to strive for better, while keeping them fully engaged, and wanting more when they leave.