12U Team Red Coaching Staff

12U Head Coach - Tyler Snyder 

"I believe in two things as a coach - Moving is improving and competition breeds success. My goal is to take our players skating to the next level through constant overspeed skating and pushing the players outside of their comfort zone. We also want to have their skills improve by implementing small area games and competitive drills in alignment with USA Hockey’s development model, along with drills that make them compete and make decisions at full speed. This provides a competitive environment where players are challenged to get better by their peers, which promotes sound decision making and skill development in all areas of play." 

Playing Experience:

Tyler Snyder has 6 years of playing experience between the Armstrong Arrows, Pittsburgh Huskies and Kittanning High School before finishing his career at University of Pittsburgh Johnstown.   

Coaching Experience:

Tyler is currently the Belmont Complex Hockey Director. Tyler has 8 years of coaching experience which includes 5 years with the Armstrong Arrows National Bound Program and 3 years with the 18U Pittsburgh Huskies. Tyler has been head coach of the 14U Armstrong Arrows National Bound Team and the Assistant Coach with Coach Lee Grafton of the Armstrong Arrows 16U National Bound Team. 

Level 4 USA Hockey Coaching Certification

12U Assistant Coach - Joe Ford

Our objective is to help our players develop into outstanding athletes on and off the ice. We’ll achieve this by helping motivate and maintain a high level of commitment to pushing our athletes to the next level. We’ll continue to strive to achieve our players on ice goals alongside instilling mental concepts and approaches to the game.

Playing Experience:

Joe has 19 years of competitive hockey playing experience. His playing roots began as an Armstrong Arrow playing in the Belmont until Bantams. AAA Midgets with the Pittsburgh Predators and Pittsburgh Hornets and also a 4-year Varsity career with Kittanning HS. After a brief Junior hockey career with several stops, Joe settled in at Indiana University of PA for a 4-year career at the ACHA M1 level. 

Coaching Experience:

Joe has 10 years of coaching experience. He first got behind the bench while still playing in college with various levels of youth hockey, followed by being the Head Coach of the Indiana HS Middle School team for 3 years. He has 6 years of coaching experience at the college level. Two years as an assistant with the IUP M3 team, followed by 4 years as the Head Coach of the IUP M1 ACHA team. He brings great knowledge of the college recruiting process for athletes in our organization. 

12U Assistant Coach – Ethan Miller 

Coaching Experience:

The Armstrong Arrows welcome Ethan to our coaching staff. Ethan will bring the knowledge that he has gained from playing in the Armstrong Arrows National Bound Program for 6 years. 

Playing Experience:

Ethan started playing hockey at the age of 5 with the Armstrong Arrows Organization and continued his playing career with the Armstrong Arrows for 13 years. Ethan played through the Armstrong Arrows National Bound Program at 14U, 16U and 18U Levels. Ethan competed at the USA Hockey 18U National Championships with the Armstrong Arrows. 

12U Assistant Coach – Jim Rearic

12U Practice Coach - Lee Grafton 

 "My goal as the Armstrong Arrows “National Bound” Program Coordinator and Coach is to develop hockey players so they can reach their maximum potential through skill development, increasing their hockey knowledge and raising their compete level through hard work. I believe every player in the National Bound Program should give 100% all of the time. My coaching staff and I will push our players outside their comfort zone to become better players."

“I plan to build upon the Armstrong Arrows “National Bound” Teams’ success. As an elite Tier II Program, we will continue to compete for League, State and National Championships yearly. Our “National Bound” Teams will play in tournaments and independent games that will allow our players to showcase their talents to prep schools, junior and college hockey teams." 

Playing Experience:

Lee Grafton has 12 years of playing experience that includes the Armstrong Arrows, Pittsburgh Amateur Penguins, a 5-year varsity letterman for Armstrong Central / Kittanning and 3 years of Junior hockey for the Pittsburgh Junior Penguins, Pittsburgh Junior Renegades and the Casper (Wyoming) Junior A Wranglers. Lee has played in Nationals as a member of the Pittsburgh Amateur Penguins and the Penguin Cup Finals as a member of the Armstrong Central Cougars. He has been a captain for his amateur, varsity and junior teams. Lee was inducted into the Armstrong Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010. 

Coaching Experience:

Lee has 14 years of coaching experience that includes the Armstrong Arrows, Armstrong River Hawks Varsity, Kittanning Varsity and Team Pittsburgh hockey teams. The Armstrong Arrows “National Bound” 16U Team qualified for the USA Hockey National Championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018 with Lee as their head coach. In 2016, the Armstrong Arrows lost in the National Championship Game. In 2017, the Armstrong Arrows lost in the National Championship Semi-Final Game and the Quarterfinals in 2018. Lee also assisted on the Armstrong Arrows 18U Teams that qualified for the USA Hockey National Championships in 2019 and 2022.

The Armstrong Arrows 16U Team won 4 consecutive AA PAHL Playoff Championships 2017-2020.

The 2017-18 Armstrong River Hawks Varsity Hockey Team was the AA regular season and the Penguin Cup Champions in Lee’s first year as head coach of the River Hawks which eventually lost in the longest PA State Championship Game ever (5 Overtimes). Lee was also a member of the Kittanning Varsity coaching staff during the 2005-06 Penguin Cup Finals. 

Lee was an assistant coach of 2018 Team Pittsburgh that won America’s Showcase. 

Level 4 USA Hockey Coaching Certification / USA Hockey Director Certification

12U Practice Coach - Valentino Hernandez

My Goal:

I am excited to be a part of the Arrows National Bound Program! The achievements this organization has accomplished at the U18 and U16 levels is reflective of the commitment to excellence the organization and coaching staff have for the Arrows players. I look forward to instilling this at the U14 level. Through a combination of on and off ice training our players will be prepared to optimize their performance in games. Individual skill development and team play is necessary for players at every age to elevate their game. Our Arrows players will be given the tools to excel with respect to skill development and team strategy. By helping our Arrows players to grow as students of the game, they will be prepared as they advance to U16, U18, Juniors, and College. Ultimately, my goal is that my players not only become great hockey players but also grow into mature and responsible young adults.

Playing Experience:

I have thirteen years of playing experience at the AA, AAA, and Junior levels. My youth days were spent playing Mite AA/Squirt AA with Cleveland Heights (OH), PeeWee AA with Mentor (OH) then Shaker Heights (OH), Bantam AAA with the Cleveland Americans, one year of High School with University School (OH), and Midget AAA with the Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks. I participated at USA Junior Nationals three consecutive years. Two of those years were with the Cleveland North Coast Barons of the Central States Hockey League (CSHL) and one year with the Anaheim Jr. Ducks of the Western States Hockey League (WSHL). I was also selected to attend the USA Hockey Select 17 National Team Camp in Lake Placid, NY.

Coaching Experience:

I am a USA Hockey Level 5 Certified Coach with over 15 years of Coaching Experience. I have coached at the AA/AAA, High School, and Junior levels. I was a scout at the NAHL level for 3 years and the NCAA DIII level for two years. I have been involved with USA Hockey Mid Am for seven years with their Player Development Camps. I was an assistant coach at the USA Hockey Select 15 National Team Camp in Rochester NY. As Co-Head Coach of Team Cleveland we earned a Bronze Medal at the U18 Tier II USA Hockey National Championships. As General Manager/Head Coach I helped the Wooster Oilers grow from a Junior C team in the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League (GLJHL) to a Tier III Junior A contender in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MNJHL), North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL), and the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The last two years I have been coaching my son’s ADM Mite Vipers team and Freeport Mini Jackets ADM Mite team. I also served as Director of Coaches for Freeport Hockey this past season.