Stars Rise to First with Player Development / Commitment

The Syracuse Stars Junior Hockey organization has for over 20 years taken underdeveloped talent and has been able to accomplish moving these players to the next higher level in their hockey career. Accomplishing this has not been an easy task. It takes the commitment not only for the individual player but the commitment of the quality coaching staff. Don Kirnan, Sr leads the qualified coaching staff and has for many years continually analyzed and updated with the latest coaching techniques to give the player the most current instruction in the game and the time involved for advancement.

Two former Syracuse Stars players who were over looked by other organizations but were able to take advantage of the Stars coaching and instruction were Rob Morton and Trevor Lewis. Four years ago Morton was an over looked player that no junior hockey team wanted. The Stars saw the potential that Morton had and decided that with the right coaching and with Morton’s commitment he could develop into a quality player. The Stars placed him on their Junior C team at that time and continued to work with Rob Morton on a year round basic. That commitment from not only Morton but also the Stars Junior Hockey organization paid off. This past season Rob Morton lead the Eastern Junior A Hockey League in goals scored with 36 and was the league’s 5th leading scorer with 63 points. Lewis was another player that decided to take advantage of the Stars quality coaching methods. Lewis, a native of Lititz, PA, was cut by an Eastern Junior A Hockey League team prior to the 2006-07 hockey season. He heard and read that the Stars organization was one of the top prepatory hockey organizations in moving their players to the next level. Trevor Lewis being committed to the game of hockey and wanting to play college hockey with a division one school made the move to Syracuse to see if a qualified and committed coaching staff could help him develop his talent that a division one college program would be interested in. In two short years with the Stars, Lewis was able to improve his game that Division One Colleges were bargaining for. During his final season with the Stars not only did he lead the Eastern Junior League in scoring (31-36-67) but was also named the League’s MVP. Lewis had the opportunity to return back to his home state of Pennsylvania and to play with Robert Morris Colonials this past season. In his freshman season he played in 32 games and had 6 goals and 10 assists.

Stars alumni have stated that one of the most helpful aspects to their game was the instruction that they received from the coaching staff to shoot better and the latest techniques that the goaltenders received that improved their game. Teaching shooting and goaltending techniques can be taught in a small area without ice. To help develop these skills the Stars have recently opened their own year round Shooting Barn. The Barn has an 800 sq. ft. shooting area with state-of-the-art goalie plastic ice and a warm room for parents to watch during training sessions. The instructors are the current junior hockey coaches led by Don Kirnan, Sr. During the off-season former Stars alumni who have learned these techniques will assist the junior coaches. The Shooting Barn is just a short drive, ½ mile from the Stars home arena, the Onondaga Nation Arena at 110 W. Conklin Ave in Nedrow, NY. For more information contact Don Kirnan, Sr at (315) 254-5229 or Don Kirnan, Jr at (315) 882-1616.

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