Season Overview:
- Full Season with 50+ Games
- Tournaments with exposure opportunities with prep schools and college scouts
- New York State Tournament Bound Team
- Two team practices per week (Full and Shared)
- One Skills clinics by RIC Academy & NAHL Jr. Amerks per week
- Goaltender clinics by New Edge School of Goaltending throughout the season
- Off-ice training with Next Level Strength and Conditioning
- Team building and community service events
Stephen Gionta is returning as coach for the 2025-26 season.
Gionta retired from professional hockey in 2019 after a 14-year professional career. He played in over 750 professional games, including 300 NHL games for the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders. He finished his career with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL and is currently a scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
A Rochester-native, Gionta grew up playing hockey in Rochester and then moved on to play for the USA Hockey Development Program team in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He went on to play his college hockey at Boston College.
Coach Gionta is dedicated to girls hockey and hosts a girls hockey summer hockey camp in Rochester each year.
Scott McDonald moves up to lead the 16U Girls team after coaching in the Jr. Amerks girls program for the past two seasons. Prior to that, he spent two years as head coach of the 2010 AAA/AA team. This season, he also takes on a new role as head coach of the inaugural women’s NCAA Division III team at St. John Fisher University.
Scott brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience. From 2006-2018, he served as head coach of the RIT Women’s Hockey Team, compiling a 205-154-29 record over 12 seasons. He remains Division III’s all-time leader in winning percentage (.835) and is RIT’s all-time leader in coaching victories.
A 2000 graduate of Niagara University, Scott played defense for the Purple Eagles from 1996-2000, helping lead the program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance during his senior season.
With a strong background in player development and a deep understanding of the girls game, Scott continues to be a key leader in growing girls' hockey within the Jr. Amerks program.