Coaches

The Syracuse Stars are pleased to welcome Louis Educate to their coaching staff. Coach Educate will be the head coach of the Stars’ Premier team. He will also assist with the NCDC team.

“We are very excited to have Louis come on board with us. His experience of playing and then coaching with a top program like Utica College makes him an invaluable resource for our players. We will look forward to Louis’ contributions to many facets of our program,” commented Stars’ General Manager, Nicole Kirnan Kelly.

Educate is a 2015 graduate of Utica College where he earned his B.S. in Risk Management and Insurance. He was a three-year member of the UC men’s hockey team, where he helped guide the Pioneers to their first ever NCAA tournament berth and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Frozen Four in 2013.  During that season, he was named the ECAC West Player of the Year and a first team All-American after finishing with 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) in 28 games.  Educate spent his freshman season at Nichols College, where he led the NCAA with 27 goals in route to being named the ECAC Northeast Rookie of the Year.
 
After graduation, Educate played professionally for VfE Ulm/Neu-Ulm Germany, posting 32 points (19 goals, 13 assists) in 16 games.  In 2016-17, he suited up for the Huntsville Havoc, of the Southern Professional Hockey League, where he was named an SPHL All-Star after scoring 20 goals and adding 11 assists in 38 games. 

Educate was the assistant coach of the 2017-18 Utica College Hockey team and guided them to their first UCHC regular season and postseason championship alongside long-time head coach Gary Heenan. Educate helped with all facets of the program, including day-to-day operations, scouting, recruiting, as well as game and practice preparation.
 
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Educate has been involved in youth hockey for several years. During the summers he coached tournament teams, ran power skating sessions and skill camps with the Above and Beyond Hockey program. He now resides in New Hartford, NY.

Jesse Cornell

coach_jesse@yahoo.com

dlkirnan@aol.com

(315) 254-5229

As founder of the Syracuse Stars, Coach Kirnan will be intricately involved with the day to day training of all Stars Teams. This will involve overseeing the personal development of every player and both teams." In addition to 9 years of coaching at the Junior A and more than 15 years of coaching at the Junior B level, Coach Kirnan has been the president of the Syracuse Stars Junior Hockey Club since 1986, and has more than 25 years of innovative coaching experience. Through his involvement at the USA Olympic Development camps, and as a coach at the Olympic Festival in 1993, he has developed a system of play which enhances speed and player skill development along with the ability to play against the strongest teams, as well as advancing their skating skills and system concepts.

Coach Kirnan believes that the constant exposure to high caliber of play, along with an emphasis on education creates the ideal situation for aspiring student athletes to enhance their skills on the ice and in the classroom. Many players in the Eastern Junior Hockey league as well as the Empire Junior Hockey league advance to the next level of hockey whether it is to NCAA programs or Major Juniors.

During the past nine years, the Syracuse Stars Junior A and Junior B programs have been instrumental in securing over 12 million dollars in college scholarship awards; 6 of their players are now in the NHL; 8 have went on to play in the AHL; 12 have played in the OHL; for the past 8 years Syracuse has sent at least one player to the National Development Team, 10 overall; countless others have gone on to the USHL, Division I and Division III colleges.

This season Coach Kirnan returns to coaching Junior A and refocusing the organization on player development and placement in accordance with USA Hockey's new Standard play. Not only is he involved in working with both Junior A and Junior B players at training camps, he will constantly be involved throughout the year focusing and developing advance skills, such as scoring, defensive tactics, and goal tending. His promise is that each player will receive excellent training in both the tactical and skill part of the game.

"Junior Hockey is a great stepping stone for your hockey career and we look forward to the opportunity to show you the benefits of our organization," Coach Kirnan.