About Us

Charleston's Overspeed Hockey Training was established in 1995 in Chicago IL. We pride ourselves in providing hockey specific training that has been tested and proven to work with hard work, a plan and goal. We have been active leaders in providing many player development opportunities for both boys and girls hockey in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Our training will push you to become the player you want to be on and off-ice and help guide you in your player development.

Our teaching style is upbeat and positive yet demands a certain commitment to work ethic, working hard and smart with a plan and goal. We believe in off-ice Russian interval training while using the one well established fact; exercise science which involves training specificity. We believe that training must be specific to the range of motion, to the speed of motion, and to the direction in which forces are applied. Much of skating force is applied nearly perpendicularly to your target line. "Hockey players must train for a lower center of gravity, much lower than other sports."

We currently operate an off-ice training facility and on-ice training camps for mites up to professional athletes- Located in the New Hope Ice Arena - New Hope, MN.

STAFF

Dan Charleston

Dan grew up playing hockey in Chicago, IL until he was 14 years old. He then moved to Minnesota, where he played high school hockey for Benilde St. Margaret’s. Dan was fortunate enough to win a State Championship with the Red Knights and shortly thereafter landed a spot in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers and later the Chicago Steel. Dan moved on to collegiate hockey after leaving the USHL and earned a four year scholarship with the University of Nebraska-Omaha (WCHA) where he enjoyed a highly successful career and became 5th all time leading scorer. Upon graduating, Danny signed with the Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils. He played throughout their minor league systems and after his career ended in North America, he headed overseas to play in the Finnish Elite League. After his playing career, Dan was granted the opportunity to start coaching and won his second state championship in 2012 as an assistant coach for Benilde St. Margaret's. Now, Dan has been the head coach of the Armstrong-Cooper Wings Boys High School hockey program for the past 12 years, as well as the owner and operator of Charlestons Overspeed Hockey Training. Dan has had the great privilege to learn from and be influenced by some of the best people, coaches and trainers in the game of hockey.

Ryan King

Ryan played for Duluth Marshall and was captain two years before joining the University of St. Thomas team. After graduation, he completed a degree as a Doctor of Chiropractic. Ryan is a Level 5 Master Coach, a member of the Hockey Education Program Committee and authored the Minnesota Junior Hockey League’s protocol for concussions. He is the head JV coach for the Armstrong/Cooper boys hockey team and works with the ACYHA youth as a director of hockey operations. He also helps with skill development.

Mike Phillippi

Mike is a graduate of Hill Murray High School. He played two years in the USHL for the Indiana Ice where he was captain and rostered on for the USHL All Star Game. He attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha and worked as a referee in the USHL/NAHL for three years. The past two years, he has served as Assistant Coach of Team Northwest of the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. He has been the Armstrong/Cooper boys high school assistant coach for the past 6 years and helps runs skill development with the ACYHA youth.

Andrew Cooper

He has been coaching in the Armstrong-Cooper Youth Hockey Association for the last 8 years, working with ACYHA goalies at Mites through Bantams. He has been goalie coordinator for the last three years. He coached for 6 years at Hopkins Youth Hockey and two seasons of student-coaching in the Fargo Youth Hockey Association, while he attended college. He is currently the Armstrong/Cooper boys high school goalie coach and works with goalies with skill development at the youth level.

Don Babineau

Don has 19 years of junior coaching experience. He began his career at age 21, after playing three years of juniors in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MNJHL). Being a part of six National Tournament teams while playing and coaching; moving over 100 players on to the college ranks, including one NHL player and was named coach of the year twice while coaching in the MNJHL. Don has been working with Dan over the past 7 years helping with player development at summer camps and training programs.

John Evans

John played college hockey for 4 years at Augsburg College and won NAIA national championships in 1981 and 1982. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame. He signed a pro hockey contract in Norway, where his team won a national championship. He is apart of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, where he works to promote the economic and social benefits of sports throughout the state. John has been involved with skill development at ACYHA for over 20 years and has helped us run on and off-ice training.

STUDENT STAFF

Nicholas Gonrowski - NCAA III University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Erik Evans - ACHA II Iowa State University

Jack Campion - NCAA III Saint Mary's University

Ben Anderson - NCAA I University of Alaska - Anchorage

MENTORS