Tiffany Silverberg
A native of Miami, Florida Silverberg, attended Florida International University and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science. For sixteen years, Silverberg has been a middle school science educator and has a background in teaching in traditional brick-and-mortar schools and online settings. Currently, she is an Academic Success Coach for TPH Denver and holds a Colorado State teaching license. In her spare time, she loves to read and watch sports, especially basketball – go Nuggets!
Adam Shaner
Adam grew up playing hockey in the Denver area at the AA/AAA levels and then did a few years of junior hockey in Canada. After junior hockey, Adam decided to pursue his passion for helping young hockey players fulfill their dreams. Adam has coached in Colorado for 8 years at the AA and AAA level at various age groups. Adam has spent the past 4 years coaching for the Colorado Thunderbirds and was a regional scout for the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL.
Felicia Manor
Joel Barreras
Joel received his bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science from Colorado State university and currently has his Certified Personal Trainer certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He was a high school track and field sprints, relay, and weightlifting coach for 3 years at Heritage Christian Academy from 2014-2016. He assisted with strength and conditioning for Rocky Mountain High School’s football team in spring 2018. After, completing his undergrad, he completed an internship at Landow Performance where he studied and aided in training athletes ranging from youth to professional. Before joining Denver Human Performance, he worked as a personal trainer and assistant training manager at Zone Athletic Club in Fort Collins. Joel played a variety of sports growing up including basketball, soccer, baseball and track and field. He enjoys training athletes in the hopes of improving their athletic performance as well as being a role model for them in their daily lives.
Joel’s hobbies include spending time with friends, playing sports, and going to concerts.
Chase Engdahl
Chase’s extensive sports performance education and qualifications include earning his Master’s degree in Applied Exercise Science, holding his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and previously completing his undergraduate studies in Kinesiology at Colorado Mesa University. His practical experience and expertise primarily involve working with hockey players of all ages. In addition, Chase has been fortunate to learn from and work with some of the best players and staff in the NHL for the past two years. Growing up he played a variety of sports, primarily excelling in hockey and soccer. Chase continues to learn from his mentors, peers, and clients every day and is excited to share his passion for human performance with the community.
Andy Howard
Andy received his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science from Western Colorado University and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Exercise Physiology with a concentration in Strength and Conditioning from Concordia University Chicago. Following the completion of his undergrad degree, Andy held internships with Severyn Sports and the National Strength and Conditioning Association where he trained a variety of athletes. He currently holds his CSCS and TSAC-F certifications and has experience training tactical populations such as SWAT and firefighters. After his internships, he spent the last year working for the Colorado Rampage as a strength and conditioning coach before joining Denver Human Performance. Growing up he played a wide range of sports, primarily excelling in ice hockey. Andy strives to make a difference in each athlete every day, both physically and mentally, and is passionate about sharing his time and knowledge through sports performance.
Andy’s hobbies include fishing, camping, hunting, water sports, and playing hockey.
TPH Appoints Jay Sprague to Lead Denver As Director
(Denver, CO – March 9, 2021) – TPH Colorado is excited to announce Jay Sprague as Director of Hockey – Operations for its Denver division. A product of the sports academy model himself, Sprague comes to TPH with a breadth of hockey experience that includes winning an NCAA DI National Championship, playing professionally, and coaching at both the youth and college levels.
“We’re honored to be able to have Jay join our team in Colorado,” said Executive Director, Jordan Pietrus. “Jay has a deep understanding of the game, great experience playing, coaching, and also in player development. However the most important piece that Jay has is a passion for sharing all of this knowledge with the next generation.”
Sprague has walked the path that most Center of Excellence students would like to take, preparing him perfectly to lead the student-athletes at TPH Denver. Sprague attended and played hockey for IMG Academy before moving on to a junior hockey career in the USHL. After playing a combined 90 games for the Chicago Steel and the Indiana Ice, Sprague earned an athletic scholarship at Michigan State University where he was a member of the 2007 NCAA National Championship team. During his time at Michigan State, he was a four-year letter winner and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. After finishing college, Jay went on to play professionally in the ECHL and CHL before he eventually decided to transition from a career as a player to a career as a coach and mentor.
“It was an easy decision for me to make the move to coaching, and youth development is where I felt I could make the biggest impact,” said Sprague. “The game of hockey has given me so much and I’m fully committed to giving back as much as I possibly can.”
Most recently Sprague has served as the Director of Skills Development for Defense First Hockey School in Toronto. Working under the tutelage of former NHL blueliner, Mike Weaver, Sprague has had the opportunity to learn from one of the top defenseman coaches in North America and has spent time coaching some of the top players in Canada. Sprague has also devoted time coaching both male and female players throughout the youth and college ranks. Starting with an assistant coaching role at Ryerson University in Toronto, he proceeded to lead teams at SUNY Cortland in upstate New York, and then served as the Girl’s Head Coach at Nichols School a prep school in Buffalo, NY. Now as a member of the TPH family, he’s thrilled to have the opportunity to empower the next generation of up and coming hockey players in Colorado.
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“TPH is a natural fit and a perfect setting for me to be able to build valuable relationships with the student-athletes and help them along their academic and athletic journeys,” said Sprague. “I look forward to making an impact with these players on day one and taking responsibility for helping them realize their potential.”
The future of student-athlete development at Denver’s Center of Excellence is primed to continue thriving as Sprague comes aboard. While some coaches lead best by instruction and others by example, he is prepared to do both.
“Jay Sprague exemplifies exactly what we want our student-athletes to embody at TPH: a drive, work ethic and tenacity to achieve your goals coupled with humility and a genuine spirit,” continued Jordan Pietrus. “What I like most about Jay, is that nothing has ever been given to him. He has achieved so much over the course of his career, but he has had to work and persevere to achieve his goals. These are valuable lessons I believe he can pass on to the student-athletes at the CoE, because he has the passion to do so, and he has walked the path himself!”
Please join us in welcoming Jay to Denver and the TPH Family!
TPH Denver Welcomes New Academic Success Coach
(Denver, CO – March 9, 2021) – TPH Denver is pleased to announce that Kristen Bowness will be joining its Center of Excellence as an Academic Success Coach. With more than 10 years of professional teaching experience and a background in sports program management, Kristen will be a valuable addition to the TPH Denver team. She will play a critical role in upholding the TPH standard of exceeding expectations in athletics, academics, and community enrichment.
Making a positive impact on the lives of student-athletes is something Kristen has been dedicated to throughout her professional career. After earning a Bachelor’s degree from The University of Arizona she went on to complete a Master’s degree in Sport Management & Athletic Administration. From there she became a licensed teacher and spent 6 years teaching in the Arizona school system where she was honored as the Teacher of the Year.
“TPH has created such a cohesive environment for kids to develop as both students and athletes,” said Kristen. “I’m excited to immerse myself in the culture of the CoE, and I look forward to the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the students I work with.”
For the past six years, Kristen has been working as the Community Hockey Manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning. She was responsible for helping to grow the game in the local community on a number of different levels while she also stayed active as an educator.
“We’re excited to welcome Kristen into the TPH family,” said Executive Director of TPH Colorado, Jordan Pietrus. “Providing our students with support in the classroom is our number one priority. I am confident that Kristen is someone we can count on to help them grow as students, athletes, but most importantly as people.
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Kostolansky Named Director of Hockey-Operation in Denver
Former pro and UNH assistant captain comes home to share his experience with student-athletes
(DENVER, CO – August 21, 2020) – Jordan Pietrus, Executive Director of Total Package Hockey (TPH) Colorado, has announced the addition of Brett Kostolansky as the Director of Hockey Operations for the Denver division. Kostolansky brings with him a tremendous amount of experience from playing Division-I college hockey and taking the next step to the professional level.
“We were looking for someone that first and foremost is of high character,” said Pietrus on hiring Kostolansky. “Everyone we spoke to about Brett spoke extremely highly of him and his character. Our directors are leading young men and women and spending a lot of time with them and mentoring them. His hockey experience both playing and coaching is something we were looking for. He’s a former Thunderbird. He played prep school and then went to the University of New Hampshire, which is one of the top college programs in the country. Then, he had a chance to play professionally after college. Being a homegrown Colorado youth hockey player and now having the opportunity to give back to the next generation is something that’s really exciting for us.”
Following his time in youth hockey programs in Denver, Kostolansky played two seasons of prep hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary’s. He then played for the Chicago Steel of the USHL for one season before beginning his college career at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Kostolansky played all four years at UNH and then spent three seasons with the Rapid City Rush of the ECHL. He took a path that so many TPH student-athletes wish to take, and now he’s come home to share that experience.
“I think it’s real special to join TPH, especially growing up here in Denver,” said Kostolansky. “Being able to give back to the community and be a part of the Denver hockey community has always been a goal of mine. I grew up here, went through the youth programs and took that path. I’m excited to pass that experience down to the youth hockey players here in Denver.”
Being a former college athlete provides a wealth of knowledge about finding the balance between athletics and education. Kostolansky understands how important education is at TPH and how it molds young minds into being upstanding members of society.
“I learned that you don’t take the education part for granted,” Kostolansky said. “That’s subtly the most important part. Your mind may be more towards the hockey part, but your education, and what you put in the classroom and what you get out of that, is the most important part of being a student-athlete in furthering your hockey career, or any career for that matter.
During his senior year at UNH, Kostolansky wore an “A” as an assistant captain for the team. Being a leader is not an easy task. It’s not something that’s just given. It has to be earned, and Kostolansky is prepared to create future leaders at TPH.
“I think it’s your preparation and being a good role model,” said Kostolansky on what it takes to lead by example. “To be a leader, first and foremost you have to have your teammates look up to you. You have to set the right example. It starts with that and that’s on your own preparation, your own processes and that will bleed down to the rest of the organization. Just setting that good example gets everyone off on the right foot and creates a great culture.”
Kostolansky is bringing the right mindset to mentor the student-athletes in Denver. He’s ready to help them pursue their goals, whatever they may be. By providing them with the right tools for life, it will lead to more opportunities athletically.
“We want our players to be advancing athletically,” said Jordan Pietrus. “We want them to play at the highest level possible. The most important thing for us is preparing them for life. If we can mentor them and give them tools that will help them win at life, that’s what we’re really striving full. If we help them achieve their goals athletically, that’s just a bonus for us.”
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