Play for the Sabers - San Diego Sabers

The gold standard

Professional coaching and dedicated full-time staff.
46 regular season games, and the Las Vegas showcase
Daily practices and game film sessions.
Strength training with certified coaches in a professional gym.
Goaltending instruction with Nick Cafrelli of Framingham State Univ.
Skating treadmill to help master your skating stride, efficiency, and technique.
InStat reports providing real-time feedback and advanced stats.
Certified athletic trainers with military experience.
Hotel accommodations with pre and post-game meals every road trip.
Volunteer experience in the community.
Team building activities, including hikes, golf, and professional sports games.
Exclusive locker room with individual stalls.
Skate sharpening before every game.
Supplies & nutrition are provided for all games, including tape, wax, laces, healthy snacks, fruit, and sports-themed beverages.
Supportive billet families that have been vetted by the organization.
Media exposure through social media and live internet streaming on HockeyTV.com.
Development and player advancement through the USPHL.

Meet the Staff

JAMES SPAARGAREN

Head Coach

James Spaargaren, a native of Southern California hailing from Escondido, currently serves as the Lead Trainer at HDC San Diego. In this role, he mentors players ranging from the age of 6 to professional AHL players affiliated with the San Diego Gulls. Despite his hockey journey commencing at the relatively late age of 13, Spaargaren's dedication propelled him to compete at various levels, including Jr. Hockey in the NA3HL, NCDC, and NAHL circuits. These experiences culminated in his commitment to NCAA D3 Hockey at Arcadia University.

Opting for Arcadia University, Spaargaren was drawn by the opportunity to contribute to the establishment of a culture of triumph from the inaugural season onward. His freshman year proved monumental as he clinched the first-ever MVP award, a distinction that forever enshrined his name in the annals of school history.

Juha Kanervisto

Goalie Coach

Juha Kanervisto hails from Lahti, Finland, where his passion for hockey ignited at the tender age of 7 when he first stepped onto the ice as a goalie. Progressing through the junior ranks of his hometown team, he eventually secured a spot on the men's squad, now known as Lahti Pelicans in the Finnish League. At just 19 years old, in 1985, Juha earned his place as one of the three goalies for Team Finland's U20 squad.

Throughout the years, Juha has remained deeply involved in the hockey community, coaching goalies with various teams in San Diego, including a stint with the Sabers hockey club. Armed with a Level 4 USA Hockey coaching certificate, he eagerly anticipates the opportunity to help goalies enhance their skills and make more saves.

Tomas Kapusta

Director of Player Development, Associate Coach

Tomas served as a coach with the Jr Kings organization for eleven years and is currently the High-Performance Director for the Jr Reign in Riverside, Carlsbad, and Paramount. Tomas is regarded as one of Southern California's best youth coaches among his contemporaries.

He was selected by the Edmonton Oilers with the 104th overall pick in the fifth round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and competed in all three Junior World Championships between 1985 and 1987.

Throughout his 20-year professional career, Tomas represented the Czech Republic, notably at the 1993 World Championship in Germany and the 1994 Olympics in Norway. In 1993, He took home the Elite Finnish League scoring title. Tomas was also a part of each three winning teams in the Czech Republic Extra League.

He graduated from CSULA with a Degree in social science and from CSULB with a teaching credential. Tomas currently teaches at Excel Charter School Academy as an educational specialist.

Through his passion and love for the game, Tomas strives to help each player reach their full potential.

Jeremy Blumes

Executive Director

Jeremy Blumes serves as the Executive Director while also holding the positions of Head Coach and General Manager for the Ontario Jr Reign. With over 20 seasons of hockey experience, Blumes has demonstrated prowess in various capacities and is adept at building programs from scratch.

His remarkable journey includes leading the Wheatland Kings as Head Coach, where he orchestrated a notable turnaround story. Following a U18 Alberta provincial championship and earning the Hockey Calgary Coach of the Year award in 2014, Blumes took charge of the Kings, revitalizing the team and guiding them to a captivating playoff run.

Transitioning to the SJHL with the Nipawin Hawks and later serving as the HC and GM of the Golden Rockets, Blumes engineered significant successes. Notably, he transformed the Rockets from a struggling team to a formidable force, achieving milestones such as the club's first playoff appearance in four years and facilitating player advancement to higher levels of competition.

In his tenure with the Ontario Jr Reign, Blumes has overseen a rapid evolution, propelling the team from its inaugural season as a playoff-bound expansion team to becoming Pacific Division champions. Under his guidance, the Reign boasts an impressive record, ranked among the top 5 teams in the USPHL. Recently, the team clinched a Pacific Division title and secured a National Championship berth, showcasing Blumes' exceptional leadership and coaching prowess.

SCOTT HANSEN

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

Building champions in life through sport is Scott’s mission, and for the last 16 years, he’s helped hundreds of athletes from all sports reach their highest potential.

Prior to Resilient, Scott trained private clients at Equinox and was an educator in their Trainer curriculum for 10 years, while also working as a strength and conditioning coach at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, which was voted the #1 Gym in America by Men’s Health. He also served as the strength and conditioning coach of the Valley Junior Warriors (Haverhill, MA) of the EHL.

Scott graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a Certified Functional Strength Coach, and a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach.

Scott has been coaching high school wrestling at La Costa Canyon High School for the last 4 years and previously was the head wrestling coach for Malden Catholic High School in Malden, MA.

Scott resides in Carlsbad with his wife Shannon and, when he’s not coaching, you can probably find him at Beacon’s Beach, hiking, or watching the Patriots, Bruins, or Red Sox win championships.

Dr. Matthew Perry

Physical Therapist

Dr. Perry graduated with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) and also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology (human movement). He has worked with and trained various populations, ranging from general fitness enthusiasts to athletes to the elderly, in a diverse array of sports and rehabilitation settings since 2014.

With a fervent interest in exercise science, Dr. Perry employs a functional, hands-on approach to movement, aiming to enhance the overall health of community members.

Specializing in functional movement, Dr. Perry integrates real-world movements tailored to individual goals, aiming for immediate applicability to everyday life. He believes that anyone experiencing pain-free movement is capable of enjoying a high quality of life.

Sydney Kinder

Athletic Trainer

Strength Training

Resilient Strength & Conditioning is a high-performance training facility designed to take you to the next level, in both sports and life.

EXPERT COACHING THROUGH:

Soft tissue work and proper active stretching to identify and correct muscular imbalances and safely prepare the athlete for the workout ahead.
A dynamic warm-up with a focus on improving movement quality to minimize injury risks associated with hockey.
Speed Development with an emphasis on acceleration, deceleration, linear and lateral speed, running mechanics, and footwork.
Building explosive jumping and throwing power through a blend of plyometrics, medicine ball throws, and Olympic lifts.
Building functional strength in the upper body, lower body, and core.
Conditioning to make sure all our athletes are ready to compete hard from the first whistle to the last.