Staff

Aaron Konecsni - Director of Hockey Operations / Head Hockey Skating and Skills Coach

Aaron created Redline High Performance Hockey in 1998 when his junior career was cut short. Since that time he has developed Redline High Performance Hockey's skating systems and skill development programs. Aaron has been developing players in the NHL, AHL, German Elite League, NCAA, WHL and BCHL, as well as in many minor hockey associations across North America since 1998. He is currently a Head Instructor for SD23's Hockey Canada Skills Academy in Kelowna, BC and has been since its inception in 2002.

Aaron has become one of the most innovative hockey skating coaches and is now being recognized for developing leading edge skating systems on the ice as well as on the Endless Ice skating treadmill. He has a passion and relentless desire to develop more explosive multi-directional skaters. His key on-ice focus is skating in direct lines while in game situations, power play, penalty kill and within team systems. The same on-ice skating systems are taught one-on-one, on one of the largest skating treadmills in the world. The player will immediately be training outside their comfort zone, building muscle memory much quicker than on the ice. This has made Redline High Performance Hockey's skating and skill systems a program that is sought after by some of the most respected people in the hockey world.

Aaron and Redline have teamed up with Crash Conditioning to provide the Ultimate Hockey training experience.

Linda Knol - General Manager

Linda came to Redline High Performance Hockey with over 20 years of combined business education and experience.

The Business Administration program at Okanagan College, in addition to a variety of accounting and business courses, was Linda's primary source of education. After college Linda moved to Calgary, where she managed and maintained the bookkeeping for a small office. In 1994, Linda felt compelled to return to Kelowna to be closer to her family and the community she loved. For the next fifteen years she was employed at the largest newspaper in the Okanagan. Linda took on many responsibilities. National retailers, local governments and non-profit organizations were among her clients. The experience she gained came from working in accounting, sales, production and managing the overall day-to-day operations of the office.

Looking for a new challenge, Linda decided to look beyond the traditional office positions she had worked in for her entire professional life. In September 2009, Linda accepted a very unique opportunity to become the General Manager of Redline High Performance Hockey. She is thrilled to be part of such a talented and passionate team!

Shawn Stead - Director of Athletic Development

• Bachelor of Science: Kinesiology, University of Lethbridge
• USA Weightlifting - Sports Performance Coach
• NCCP Level 2 Coach

Shawn's education focused on the performance enhancement of athletes and volunteered many hours with different University level athletic programs in both an athletic therapy and strength and conditioning role. His time spent with the U.S. Ski Team's Sport Science division allowed him to gain the practical knowledge and experience in the design and evaluation of yearly scientific testing and training programs for Olympic level athletes.

The evaluation and coordination of coaching strategies / team development and planning from both a physiological and psychological perspective has produced opportunities to develop, consult, coach and manage with programs and organizations such as the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL), Hockey Alberta, University of Lethbridge Athletics/ High Performance and other sporting organizations in Western Canada.

Derek Strukoff - Hockey Skating & Skills Coach

Derek Strukoff has been working with Aaron Konecsni and Redline High Performance Hockey since 2003.

Derek was originally a student of Aaron's in the Hockey Canada Skills Academy, where he first learned Aaron's on and off-ice training techniques. He has since mastered these skills and has been a big part of Redline with both the Redline Hockey School and the Redline High Performance Hockey Centre. During his time at Redline he has worked with many players ranging from minor hockey to the NHL level. Derek is presently an instructor with School District No. 23's Hockey Canada Skills Academy.

Together with Aaron, Derek has helped design specific drills and has created a training program on Redline's skating treadmill, assisting players to master and transfer their skating and hockey skills to the ice.

Brandie Cridland - BCRPA PT, Strength and Conditioning Coach

• BCRPA certified Personal Trainer, group fitness + weight training instructor
• ISSA certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
• HCSP (Hockey Canada Safety Person)
• Curently taking ISSA sports nutrition certification
• Lululemon Ambassador 2009/2010

Brandie grew up in Kelowna and has been a part of the Kelowna Minor Hockey Association since she was six years old. Playing as the only female player in the association at a Tier 1 level for most of her minor hockey years helped Brandie develop her own strengths and personal goals through different challenges and adversities. It has also helped her become a more effective trainer. Brandie has been involved with coaching / training minor hockey rep teams since 2005. Brandie's focus is building confidence in each of her clients/athletes while keeping workout sessions challenging and specific to the sport, while building complete athleticism throughout the body. Brandie enjoys pushing her clients to the next level and beyond, whatever that may be for each person.

Brandie has been a strength and conditioning coach with Redline High Performance Hockey since 2007, working as the head gym trainer. Since teaming up with Crash Conditioning in 2009, working alongside Doug Crashley as well as the rest of the Crash Conditioning crew , Brandie has increased her abilities to train hockey players from beginners up to a professional level. It is her belief that we are not for everyone, but for everyone there is something! Do what you love… love what you do!

Marco Marciano - Head Goaltender Coach

Marco Marciano is a young and dynamic goalie coach. Armed with excellent communication skills, Marciano relies on solid experience and helpful tips received by some of the world's best goaltenders, including the legendary Vladisla Tretiak, Francois Allaire, Gilles Gilbert, Gilles Lefebvre, Benoit Allaire and Vincent Riendeau – tips to which he can convey his undeniable passion for the sport of hockey to his young student goaltenders.

At 17 years old, Marciano started his career as a goaltender coach in the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League with the Laval-Laurentides-Lanaudières Régents. Four years later, at 21, he joined the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as coach to eventual Stanley Cup winner Marc-André Fleury and Martin Houle while at the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. At 24, he expanded his career with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, the Team Québec Men's U17 and Women's U18.

His relentless efforts would eventually pay off as the Men's U17 won the gold medal at the U17 World Challenge in 2006, and the Women's U18 team went on to grab the bronze medal at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse.

In 2008, Marciano joined the Team Canada coaching staff, working with the Women's National U18 team (silver medalist, 2008 and 2009), the Men's U18 team (gold, 2008 World U18 Championships in Kazan, Russia) as well as with the Women's Senior National Team (Silver, 2009). Marciano also has Olympic Experience, during which team Canada won a gold medal in Vancouver. In April 2010 he returned to the U18 Men's Worlds Championships.

Marciano's goal is to pass on his experience and passion for hockey to this new and rising generation.