


HOCKEY OPERATIONS
Joey Recktenwald
Head Coach & GM
Originally hailing from Northeast Ohio, Joey has spent most of his life in and around ice rinks. He grew up playing youth hockey in Athens, OH followed by seasons with the Cleveland Americans and Gilmour, before playing four seasons of varsity high school hockey with the Kenston Bombers. Following graduation, Joey moved east to play junior hockey with the Elmira Jr. Jackals of the Empire Hockey League. He returned to Ohio where he spent his final junior season with the Columbus Jr. B Blue Jackets of the Central States Hockey League. After semi-pro stints with Findlay Freedom of the NEHL and the Wooster Warriors of the MAHL, Joey accepted the Varsity Head Coach position with the Northeast Storm of the OSHL. Following his stint with the Storm, Joey spent 7 years as an assistant coach of the Hilliard Wildcats of the OSHL.
Away from the Mavericks, Joey operates Woodys Wing House and resides in Dublin, OH with his wife, Katey, son, JT, and daughter, Violet.
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Jaime Antelo
Associate Coach & Assistant GM
Jaime Antelo has been with the Mavericks for three seasons as Head Scout but is looking forward to taking on an active roll on the bench this season as Assistant Coach/Assistant GM.
Having most recently coached St. Xavier High School within OHSAA, Jaime started his coaching career in 2013 and has never had a losing season. During his five years as head coach, he led his team to five consecutive state final games, winning state titles twice. He was also voted KHSHL Coach of the Year twice. While coaching the high school teams, he moved numerous players on to ACHA DI and DII, USPHL, and NA3HL.
Jaime grew up playing for the Little Rangers in NY and the AAA Cincinnati Stingers. Jaime currently resides in Independence, KY with his wife Carrie, and together they have five children and two grandsons.
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Darcy Cahill
Assistant Coach
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Brian Thompson
Skills Coach
Brian Thompson heads into his fourth season with the Mavericks, and 6th season in the USPHL, working as the team's Skills Coach.
Thompson, who is an alumni of the Columbus Junior Hockey programs (Columbus Stars and Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets), is a native of Westerville, OH and grew up playing in the Columbus youth hockey community. Prior to joining the Mavericks, he spent 15 years coaching at the youth and high school levels, including the Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey School, Oklahoma City Hockey Association, and CCYHA Girls and Special Needs programs. His most recent coaching stint was as the Head Coach of the USPHL's Buffalo Stampede.
Thompson played ACHA Division 1 hockey for the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos, leading the team to their first ever ACHA Final Four appearance. Prior to his collegiate career, he played junior hockey in the Central States Hockey League for the Mavericks’ predecessors, the Columbus Stars and Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets.
Away from the rink, Thompson resides in Downtown Columbus and enjoys spending time with his family and dog, Jack.
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Derrick Henderson
Video Coach
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Mark Soder
Team Medic
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Bailey Seagraves
Goalie Coach
Bailey Seagraves works with the Mavericks netminders as the team's goalie coach.
Seagraves, a USPHL Alumni himself, is a native of Hilliard, OH. In addition to coaching the Mavericks, he is currently the emergency backup goalie for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. Seagraves grew up playing in the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets organization, before moving on to play for the New Jersey Hitmen and Springfield Pics of the USPHL Premier league and then the Kenai River Brown Bears of the NAHL.
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Rob Smaldino
Strength & Performance Coach
Rob Smaldino is currently in his 4th season as the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Columbus Mavericks.
Smaldino did most of his growing up in Cleveland, OH where he participated in various sports like basketball, baseball, and track in high school. He attended college at The Ohio State University and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science. In his time at OSU, he interned in the Strength and Conditioning department, primarily with the football team. Upon graduation, he was admitted to University of Dayton to receive his Master’s in Exercise Science and Physiology. Much like his time at OSU, he interned in the Strength and Conditioning department at UD, primarily working with men and women’s basketball, track, and football.
A few months after graduation, Smaldino earned his CSCS and started looking for work as a Strength and Conditioning coach, where he found Peak Human Performance. He is entering his 4th year at Peak in November and has recently earned the title of Athlete Program Director. Smaldino has a mindset that every athlete has something great within them and has made it his job to help them find whatever it is.
When Smaldino is not coaching, he resides in Dublin, OH with his girlfriend, Kendra and their dog, Scarlet.
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Alex Toth
Coaching Intern
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Mario Haase
Scout - Western Canada
Mario Haase enters his first season as the Columbus Mavericks Western Canada Scout.
Haase, who resides in Beaumont, Alberta, brings a wealth of junior hockey coaching, development, and scouting experience to the Mavericks. Haase is the founder of SOS Hockey Athlete Development in Alberta, and was most recently the Head Coach and General Manager of the Barrhead Bombers of the CAJHL from 2022-2024.
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Ice Gonyaw
Team Dog
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Buffalo Stampede join the usphl for the 2021-22 season!
