The Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) is pleased to announce a progression within our senior Coaching group as Coach Andre Savage and Coach Nick Ricca continue to build-upon our Hockey Program.

 They will be working in tandem with Coach Ricca taking on the title of Hockey Director and will serve as Head Coach for CIHA’s U18 Prep team while Coach Savage will take over the role of Technical Director and will serve as Head Coach for the Academy’s U16 Prep team for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Coach Ricca’s role as Hockey Director is responsible for the development and execution of CIHA’s Hockey Program.  This role provides the foundation to develop the appropriate skills and attitudes within our hockey players and coaches to prepare them to be competitive at all levels of play.

Coach Ricca joined CIHA in September of 2024 after being a vital part of the Collingwood Blues from their inaugural season. Nick was a part of the coaching staff that helped the team win back to back Buckland Cups, becoming OJHL Champions in the 2023 & 2024 seasons before they won the 2024 Centennial Cup to become the Canadian National Junior A Champions.

Coach Ricca was at the helm of CIHA’s U16 Prep team this season building a strong culture of accountability and success on and off the ice. The U16s were champions of the Monctonian and the Greater Kingston Fall Bash tournaments while being competitive across the region. In addition, a number of the U16s that he coached this season played roles with CIHA’s U17 & U18 Prep teams within the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL).

Coach Savage, who has been with the Academy since 2012, is an expert within on ice development; he ensures that our players are able to develop their skills to align with their own aspirations of progression from Prep Hockey to the Junior levels and eventually professional teams.

Coach Savage will lead, organize and administer the technical aspects of coach and player development for CIHA in order to prepare our Student-Athletes to be competitive at all levels of play. This role will allow Coach Savage to spend time with all of our teams as his experience within the NHL, AHL, European professional leagues, NCAA and the CCHL puts him in a unique position to lead the on-ice development of our Student Athletes. Coach Andre has played a critical role in the development of our current U18 Prep team where scouts and junior teams praise the preparedness of these individuals when they arrive at the next level.

Our goal at CIHA is to provide the development opportunities our athletes require in their pursuit of their hockey goals. Having Coach Savage and Coach Ricca working together positions CIHA’s hockey program to continue to develop our athletes and positions CIHA as a leading option of Prep Hockey in Eastern Canada.