Coaching

Jimmy Warrick is in his first year as Hockey Director at Winnetka. Since 2019, Warrick has served as the Assistant Hockey Director at the Winter Club of Lake Forest, IL where he has coached teams at every age group, developed and expanded the learn-to-play program, and managed day-to-day operations of the club. 

Warrick has also served as a Head Coach of the Lake Forest High School Junior Varsity Blue team and Assistant Coach of the Varsity Gold team. He joined the program in 2020.

A native of the Chicago North Shore, Warrick started his youth hockey career with the Skokie and Northbrook youth programs before going on to play high school hockey at Shattuck St. Mary School in Faribault, Minnesota. He went on to play junior hockey for the New York Aviators of the USPHL, where he led the league in scoring and earned MVP honors in the 2015-16 season.

After completing one season at the NCAA Division 3 Aurora University Spartans, he embarked on a career in coaching and player development with the Chicago Young Americans (now the Windy City Storm). He also scouted local youth hockey talent for the Johnstown Tomahawks of the NAHL and the London Knights in the OHL.

Coach Widmar is the Assistant Hockey Director for the WHC. He is in his 7th year of coaching (5th at Winnetka). In addition to coaching with the Club, he has spent three seasons coaching with the Loyola Academy High School program and currently serves as Assistant Coach on the New Trier Green Team. Prior to coaching, Charlie played his youth hockey split between Eagan, MN and Northbrook, IL.  Following his junior hockey years, Charlie went on to play college hockey at St. Olaf College (NCAA Division 3).

Jeremy is currently in his fourth year as Head Coach of New Trier White, where he guided the team to a Sweet 16 finish in State and AHL League Championships. He has also led New Trier Gray to a Sweet 16 finish in the 2021 State Tournament, falling to the eventual state champion. Under his leadership, Jeremy and his staff have developed numerous players who advanced to New Trier Green, including 7 players on last season's State Championship team and 6 players on this year's roster.

Jeremy joins the Warriors from Wilmette, where he spent six seasons coaching U16 Central States (CS) as well as Peewee and Bantam NIHL and CS teams.

Jeremy is originally from Detroit, where he played AAA hockey before earning a scholarship to Detroit Country Day. He later attended college in Dubuque, Iowa, and played club hockey.

John is in his second season with the Winnetka Warrior Hockey Club. In addition to coaching at Winnetka, he is also the Assistant Coach for New Trier White. Previously, John coached New Trier Gray and PeeWee, Squirt and Mites for the Lake Forest Winter Club. In 2019, he led the AUU Mites to a league championship and the Squirts to a NIHL State championship. At the Skokie Amateur Hockey Association, John coached the U16 Midget/Minor Elite and U18 Midgets. In 2018, he led the U18 Midgets to a NIHL Championship and a President’s Cup Championship. From 2010-18, John coached the NWHL Midget Flyers to championship wins in 2013 and 2017 and a championship final in 2016. John is also a skills instructor and power skate coach.

Coach Brummitt grew up in Niles and played his youth and high school hockey in the Chicagoland area. After high-school he pursued a career in education, and is a full time Physical Education Teacher in Niles. He has been coaching youth hockey for 6 years and has been with Wilmette and North Shore Hockey Club for three of those seasons at the Bantam level.

Coach Davis is entering his 15th season with the WHC. In that time, Jimmy coached at the Squirt, Pee Wee, and Bantam levels. Prior to the WHC he was the Hockey Director for the Niles hockey club. Jimmy played his youth career with the Glenview Stars and Chicago Blues.

This will be Coach Schaefer's 6th year coaching hockey, and the first at Winnetka. He coached the last four years with the Chicago Jets CSDHL teams and one year with Wilmette Hockey. Coach Schaefer has had the pleasure to coach alongside two NHL Players (Jeremy Morin, Brian Noonan) and many great coaches within the state. He grew up in Deerfield, skated for the Northbrook Bluehawks (played with both Directors of Hockey, Jimmy Warrick and Charlie Widmar), Wilmette Braves, and played four years of varsity hockey on the Loyola Academy Gold Team, and one year of Junior Hockey in the EJHL. 

Coach Vail is entering his 10th season as a coach with the Winnetka Hockey Club, spending all 10 of those seasons with the Peewee age group (5th season as a Head Coach). Coach Vail grew up playing his youth hockey for the Warriors, followed by a successful high school career where he played three years on the New Trier Green Team. He led the team as captain in both his junior and senior years, helping earn a state and national championship.

Coach Chelios has a long background in the game as both a player and coach. He grew up in Chicago, IL where he played his youth hockey. He then played junior hockey and professionally for 16 years. Following his playing career, he turned to coaching where he is entering his 14 season as a coach.

See Jimmy Warrick - Hockey Director's Bio above

Coach Clark is in his seventh year of coaching, and his fourth year with the WHC. He is from Morton Grove, and played youth and high school hockey in the area. He is now an engineer for a professional electronics manufacturer in Skokie.

Coach Dranfield is in his 3rd year coaching hockey, with all 3 of those seasons being at Winnetka. Prior to coaching, Conor grew up in Glencoe and played youth hockey for the Warriors before playing for the varsity team at Lake Forest Academy.

Luke is back coaching at Winnetka for his 3rd year, following a 2 year hiatus to pursue his career in Athletic Training. Growing up, Luke played youth hockey at the Chicago Blues and Team Illinois programs. Luke went on to play Junior Hockey in the North American Hockey League before finishing his Hockey career playing NCAA Division 3 hockey for the Aurora University Spartans. Luke believes in not only teaching young players the game of hockey, but also the importance of respect and honoring teammates, parents, competitors, and referees. 

Coach Murray is entering his 3rd year coaching after a long break, as he spent a year as a goalie coach while playing as a teenager. He grew up playing CSDHL in the Chicagoland area and was on track to play at higher levels before having his playing career sidelined by health and injury issues. Over his last two years of coaching, he helped run an Independent team that went on to earn a spot in the CSDHL. He also runs his own goalie development school, and is currently a scout for the Decatur Blaze of the USPHL. 

See Charlie Widmar - Assistant Hockey Director's Bio above

Craig Johnston has coached youth hockey in Chicago for the past 17 years with both the Skokie Flyers AA and the Chicago Young Americans AAA programs.   Born into the game, his father, uncle, cousins, and nephews have played in the Canadian junior, North American collegiate, and even NHL levels. 

Craig grew up in Detroit, playing 7 years for the Detroit Little Caesars AAA program that won two national championships in the 1980s.  He played his junior hockey in Ontario Canada before moving on to pursue his studies at Bowling Green State University.  Outside of hockey, he works as a professor at Northeastern Illinois University and as a vocational consultant in disability litigation.  His oldest son Owen played junior hockey in Minnesota and now serves as an assistant coach with the Winnetka travel program, while son Quinn plays junior hockey in Saskatchewan, son Liam plays goalie for the Chargers youth program, and daughter Regan plays with the Warhawks. Craig’s wife Sheri is a reading specialist in the Winnetka school district.  

Craig has a long history of working with the mite age group, and looks forward to continuing at this level with Winnetka. Outside of team practices, he can often be found at the rink providing extra skill instruction to players of all ages, and has seen some of his former players have success in the USHL, Canadian major junior, and college. His philosophy for his teams is based on three principles: outwork the opponent, play your position, and pass the puck.  He looks forward to bringing his love for the game to the Winnetka program.

With over 50 years of Hockey experience, Scott has been officiating hi-level games for the past 13 seasons and serves as a supervisor and Mentor for IHOA.. Scott has played all over North America as a starting goalie for The Chicago Minor Hawks and Chicago Junior Cougars.

Larry Wisniewski. Larry has over 45 year’s experience of training, instructing, as a skill instructor and coaching hockey player’s on and off ice privately and for clubs, as well as Park districts and Private organizations, at the Tier Two and One level’s, High school, Prep school, Division III and Division I college level’s in Illinois and Michigan. 

Being a volunteer coach is a great way to get involved on the ice with your child. All house league teams are coached by parents and there are opportunities for parents to be assistant coaches on travel teams as well. Reach out to Hockey Director Jimmy Warrick if you are interested.