The Avalon Minor Hockey Association is very pleased to announce we have acquired the services of Mr.Marek Benda of the NL Growlers ECHL hockey club to become the goaltending coach for the Avalon Celtics.

Marek will work with the Technical Director and our Celtics coaches to improve the overall quality of goaltending and instruction for our kids between the pipes.

Marek Benda BIO 

Marek is a former professional hockey player, who represented the Czech Republic as a goaltender in its national hockey programs; played in the QMJHL; and was a professional hockey player in the Czech Republic before moving to Canada to study International Business in 2013.

Since that time, Marek has coached hundreds of goaltenders in Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond. Under Marek’s guidance, many are now playing at the most competitive levels in North America and Europe.

In 2018, Marek became the Goaltending Coach for the Newfoundland Growlers, the Toronto Maple Leaf’s afficiliate team in the ECHL. In this role, Marek helped three of his goaltenders win the prestigious ECHL Goaltender of the Month, three of his goaltenders were promoted to the AHL, and one goaltender tied a league record (third place) for most wins in a row. Marek was also part of the Kelly Cup Championship first-place team in 2019. Despite the league’s shutdown due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Marek has remained a consulting Goaltender Coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

When not coaching in Newfoundland and Labrador, Marek travels across North America as an in-demand Goaltending Coach for top agencies and NHL development camps. Marek also volunteers his time with Hockey NL where he has been a goalie coach for last few seasons.

There will be bi-weekly sessions offered on Thursday afternoons from 3:10 – 4:00 at the Feildian Gardens beginning the week October 22. The sessions will be offered to  U-9 and U-11 goaltenders in one group and U-13,15, and 18 in another. Each group would get ten sessions throughout the season for a cost of $160.00 per goaltender. You can register for these sessions on the Celtics website now by selecting this product through your Team Snap account.

If you have already registered for the season and would like to add this please email us at avalonminorhockey@gmail.com or info@avalonceltics.com to be given direction how to do so. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THERE IS A MAX OF TEN GOALTENDERS PER SESSION. THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR THESE SESSIONS IS OCT.10. AFTER THIS DATE WE WILL OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO OTHERS.

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