Our Coaches

About Jon Woodyard

After finishing his career in junior hockey, Jon turned his attention to training and has worked in player development for the past fourteen years.  He has trained players on and off the ice from minor, junior, college, and professional levels.

In his sessions, Jon looks to find the skill limit in a particular area and push beyond it using drill progressions that get players to reach their next level.  Enhancing skating stability and fluidity through assessment and adjustment allows players to increase the speed of game specific movements while maintaining puck control and peripheral vision.  He often uses the aid of video to give players visual feedback on what they’re doing and on the changes they’re trying to make.

Jon also specializes in puck skills and has developed a system of enhancing puck feel, puck handling speed, range of motion, as well as step by step instructions of evasive maneuvers and fakes that can be applied and developed for various situations.

Aware that not everyone learns the same way, Jon works to understand what motivates and generates passion for individuals so he can engage players in their own learning process.  He sees passion and enthusiasm combined with a player’s understanding of how they learn as key ingredients in the development process.  Jon hopes to create an environment where a player has learned how they learn and loves doing it!

About James Wall

James Wall is a Graduate of the University of Windsor who grew up playing hockey in British Columbia. James finished University in 2009 and he has dedicated his life to coaching and mentoring since that time. In 2012 James became West Vancouver Minor Hockey’s first ever hockey director. The position was created for him because of his dedication to its players and the value he brought to the association. James also started the BC Spartans spring hockey program that year.  The goal of the program is to offer a great playing experience for players of all ages and levels with development and life skills being the philosophy of the program.

James also spent five seasons as North Vancouver Minor Hockey’s Director of Hockey Operations and time as the General Manager of the North West Hawks in the BCEHL. He is a Hockey Canada High Performance certified coach and also holds various designations with BC Hockey and Hockey Canada. He is a certified BC Hockey coaching instructor for Coach 1 and 2, Development 1, Checking, and Specialty skills. James is also a Hockey Canada level 1 certified specialty skills instructor and facilitator. James has dedicated his career to developing the next generation of players and coaches by being able to get the best out of everyone he works with. Everyone who enters the Spartans program or works with James not only becomes a better hockey player, but a better person.