Press Release

Alexandria Blizzard Announces New Director

Of Player Development Steve “Yuro” Yurichuk

Alexandria MN, May 28, 2015:  The Alexandria Blizzard are pleased to announce the addition of Steve “Yuro” Yurichuk as the new Director of Player Development. We, Alexandria Blizzard organization, have made this addition to help differentiate ourselves by focusing on the specific individual player development side of junior hockey along with winning games. Yuro fits our mission as an organization and league to help move players on to the next level of their career. A Blizzard player will now have skill sessions tailored specifically for their individual needs from one of the best in the business. Yuro will be putting his skills to use with our Junior Hockey team and Blizzard Hockey Academy in the summer.

Chris Canavati- Owner “Our players deserve the best skating and skills training available. Adding Yuro to the staff helps Alexandria achieve our goal of being the best place for players to continue their development as a hockey player”

Jeff Crouse- Alexandria Blizzard Head Coach “Junior hockey is about developing players and giving them the best opportunity to play at the next level.  Adding Yuro will only help our organization in achieving our goals as an organization.

Bio/History

Known in the hockey world as Yuro, The Toronto born coach is regarded as one of the best Skating and Skills development coaches in the game. Yuro has worked with some of the best players from around the world at all levels from the USHL, Major Junior, College to the NHL.

After playing juniors and college in both Canada and the US and pro hockey in Germany, Yuro ended his playing days in 2002 and took on the role as the director of hockey operations in Cedar Rapids, IA. During that tenure he helped build and coach a Varsity High-School program and developed and coached his Spring/Summer Yuro Stars EHC AAA program.

In 2006, Yuro moved to the Twin Cities area, where he started consulting for numerous hockey associations and high school varsity teams, while running camps, clinics and private lessons: all under his Yuro Sk8 Systems brand. During this time he co-founded the Reebok Nationals spring and summer AAA development program, which grew to over 18 teams. 

From 2009 to 2011, Yuro had the opportunity to work for the St. Louis Blues organization both in Peoria and in St. Louis serving as their skills development coach. Yuro also served as the skills development coach from 2009 to 2012 for the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers. 

In 2009, Yuro was asked to be the Director of Hockey Operations and help build the Northern Educate Hockey Academy.  Starting with only eight players in 2009, by 2013 he had built the program to its height of 140 players.  Yuro also built and coached the 2000 and 1999 Revolution Tier I teams. Yuro remained on as the Boys Hockey Director and Skills director (under new ownership B.E. Emerson) until March 2015.

In the summer of 2013, Yuro ran the CCM Skills Camps in the cities of Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis and Boston. He was featured in the official Total Hockey RBZ Skate video launch in all of the US stores.

Steve Yurichuk – “Player development has been my focus and passion for the last 22 years. I have been able to travel the globe and teach some of the best players and learn from some of the best coaches.  It’s great to be back coaching in such a prestigious league as the NAHL/NA3HL and to work for such a great hockey organization. I feel I can be a valuable asset to the Blizzard organization both in Brookings and Alexandria by helping each and every player realize their potential.  For the youth, it’s starting them on a path of building a love for the game that will carry them through the highs and lows of their hockey career.”