Are you new to Jr hockey? Or have you gone to a Jr program or two (or more?) and it wasn’t what you were told? Are you looking for honesty? Maybe a good coach who really cares about his players? A program with a track record o devloping players and not only moving them up but pushing them up?
Look no further than Cliff Graziano, Owner/GM & Head Coach of his NJ Renegades program. TJHN has gotten to know Cliff, his program; and his players. Leadership starts at the top, and you won’t find a better leader of young men in this crazy Jr hockey world.
Lets talk about value, the kind that can be measured by player experience. Renegades players stay at first class hotels. Team meals are catered, and we arent talking about junk food, we are talking about food for an athletes body. The Renegades offer tons of extra ice time beyond practice, working with players individually on and off the ice during the week.
The Renegades have a professional off-ice coach who also happens to be an alumni player of the program and runs Big Bear Strength & Conditioning, Connor Harrington. Connor also helps get the players “that are ready” to college practices as well as higher level Jr teams practices.
A beautiful locker room and a video review room with a 90” projector. Their FloHockey setup is unbelievable with different angles and instant replay, along with a long time broadcaster Pat Milam who also happens to be an alumni of the program. They are a true hockey family, from alumni, to players, coaches, billets, and community.
Amenities are nice, but they only tell part of the story with Coach Graziano. Upfront and honest are words that even his competitiors use to describe him and the Renegades program.
There is no sugarcoating or misleading players or parents, a straight shooter, who is also a hockey dad. Preaching discipline and responsibility year in and year out. This is why his teams are the most disciplined in the league when it comes to penalties on the ice. He holds his players accountable for their actions and gives them the much needed structure in their lives at such a crucial age.
Because his program is small (they only operate a Jr team and an 18U Jr Development Program), they are a small entity that only worries about 40-50 kids max.
Here’s what Cliff had to say about this, “With any program or business, when you are small, the quality control stays in tact. It’s when programs get too big that there’s a disconnect and you lose that quality control because you’re depending on others to act as if you would. I believe the attention I show my players, because we are small, is a benefit to them. I recently had a player I was recruiting tell me he was going to a local 18U tier 1 program. He’s now complaining to me about that program that they don’t do any video, or off-ice training and they only get two 1 hour practices a week. I wished these kids and parents would just understand that it’s about ice time, coaching and a coach that cares about them”.
The NJ Renegades are located at the beautiful SportsCare Arena in Randolph, NJ.
If you’d like to contact Cliff Graziano, and boy do I recommend that you do, because this guys is a true class act, his contact info is below as well as a few links for you to review.
Email: [email protected] / Cell # (973) 479-2403
ALUMNI: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/3512918-alumni
ENDORSERS OF THE NJR PROGRAM!!!
– Pro Players: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/5750169-professional-players
– Collegiate Players: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/5750171-collegiate-players
– College Coaches: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/5750171-collegiate-players
– Programs: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/5750172-notable-programs
– Recent Players: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/5750170-current-players
PLAYER INFORMATION: https://www.njrenegades.net/page/show/3510201-news
PLAYER INTEREST FORM: https://njrenegades.sportngin.com/register/form/725213930
