// Faculty & Coaches

Meet our Faculty

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Tiffany Hiedel

Academic Administrator

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Tiffany Heidel, is a graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in Fine Arts. She has spent many years teaching at a private school in Gwinnett County and is accredited to teach by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International). She is also GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) certified. Mrs. Heidel has taught Math, History (World and US), English, Economics, and American Government. Mrs. Heidel has also been a Learning Coach for Edmentum at a school for athletes in Duluth, GA for two years prior to helping start The Athlete Academy. She has been married for 27 years and has two boys who have played ice hockey at the AA, AAA, Juniors and college levels.Tiffany Heidel, is a graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in Fine Arts. She has spent many years teaching at a private school in Gwinnett County and is accredited to teach by ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International). She is also GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) certified. Mrs. Heidel has taught Math, History (World and US), English, Economics, and American Government. Mrs. Heidel has also been a Learning Coach for Edmentum at a school for athletes in Duluth, GA for two years prior to helping start The Athlete Academy. She has been married for 27 years and has two boys who have played ice hockey at the AA, AAA, Juniors and college levels.

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Nicole Lyke

Academic Administrator

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Nicole knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age. Throughout middle school and high school,  Nicole pursued many outlets to develop her skills as an educator through a variety of school–based volunteer opportunities, as well as spending many summers coaching gymnastics and teaching dance in her hometown of Poughkeepsie, New York. Upon completion of her Bachelors Degree in Education at the State University of New York at New Paltz, Nicole opted to put her teaching career on pause, and pursued a career within a family restaurant business. After seventeen years of experience in the restaurant industry, Nicole went back to pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher. Today, Nicole has just completed her fifth year as a teacher in the Henrico County School District in Henrico, Virginia, and looks forward to starting a new teaching journey at the Athlete Academy. Nicole is excited to begin working with high-level student athletes, and looks forward to providing all of her students excellent academics while making it engaging and relevant for the student athletes. Outside the classroom, Nicole enjoys spending her days with her husband RC, their two children Raegan and Liam, and their two Pit bulls P.K and Maggie.

Meet the Coaches

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Paul Flache

Hockey Performance Coach

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Paul Flache, a Peterborough, Ontario native has coaching and player development experience gained through over a decade of operating elite training facilities and coaching at various levels of the game. Paul grew up playing junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Brampton Battalion from 99-02 during which he was drafted to the NHL by the Edmonton Oilers (2002). Paul signed his first NHL contract with the Atlanta Thrashers and began his professional career in 2002. Over a 10 year span , Paul spent seasons in the AHL, ECHL and Germany. Upon retirement, Pauls coaching career began in 2012 with the TPH Thunder Program where he worked with the U16 and U18 teams developing and advancing student athletes to the next level. Paul then served as associate head coach of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League before returning back to Atlanta.

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Owen Clark

Hockey Goaltending Coach

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Owen Clark, a native of Oakville, Ontario played AAA hockey locally, and prep school at Cushing Academy where he trained exclusively under Brian Daccord of Stop it Goal tending. After Junior, he completed his freshman year at Miami of Ohio following a career ending foot injury. Coach Owen is committed to raising the level of goal tending in Atlanta and developing, mentoring and advancing goalies to the next level. He credits his knowledge to a wide-array of top flight goalie coaches which also includes four years at Jon Elkin Goalie School in Toronto. He is excited to share his knowledge and passion for the position to make Atlanta a hotbed of goal tending talent.

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Sean Bernhardt

Hockey Performance Coach

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Sean Bearnhard, a native of Webster, NY played locally in the Rochester, NY area before taking his talents to the NCAA D3 level at Suny Morrisville. After one season at Suny Morrisville, Sean elected to move to the greater Atlanta area and attend Kennesaw State University where he played hockey for their ACHA D1 club team. After Sean concluded his playing career, Sean then took over as the head coach of Kennesaw State’s hockey team where he was the head coach for five seasons. Thereafter, Sean then moved on to coaching at the Atlanta Madhatters Junior Program where he was the elite head coach and assistant premier coach. Today, Sean is a Level 5 USA Hockey coach with over 14 years total coaching and development experience in Atlanta Youth and Hockey and serves as an assistant coach and team coordinator for the Ice Mavericks program.

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RC Lyke

Hockey Performance Coach

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R.C. Lyke, a native of Poughkeepsie, NY grew up playing AAA hockey for the Ramapo Saints. R.C. played for Suffern High School for two years where he was a standout defenseman leading his team,the county, and district in points for defenseman. For his efforts R.C. was selected to the All County and All District teams ,while helping lead the perennial NYS powerhouse to two Final Four appearances two years in a row. After a successful youth and high school campaign, R.C. was selected to play for New Jersey Devils Junior B team where he was an All Star defenseman in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey league (MJHL). Thereafter, RC was drafted in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and played for the Springfield Jr. Blues where he helped his team win a NAHL regular season and playoff league championship. As RC continued to improve and climb within the junior ranks, R.C. took his talents to the Bismarck Bobcats of the American Frontier Hockey League (AFHL) where he was named captain and led his team in points for defenseman and penalty minutes. For his efforts R.C. was selected as an AFHL All Star and played in the prestigious King of the Hill tournament with the NAHL and USHL. In his final year of junior hockey, RC played for the Syracuse Crunch of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (OPJHL) selected as a captain of the team while leading his conference and team in points for defenseman and penalty minutes he was selected as an OPJHL All Star. R.C. had a very successful Junior A career earning himself a full athletic scholarship to play NCAA D1 hockey at Mercyhurst University. While at Mercyhurst, R.C. quickly gained the respect of his teammates as he was a vital part of their defensive core that backboned their MAAC Championship and trip to the NCAA Division 1 National Tournament. R.C. was selected for the "Hardest Hitter Award" all three years by his teammates while also leading his team in hits and plus minus two out of his three seasons at Mercyhurst. Years after graduating, R.C. was inducted into the Mercyhurst University Hall of Fame for his accomplishments while on the hockey team. Once RC’s NCAA Division 1 career concluded, R.C. would go on to play 7 years of professional hockey ending his playing career in the SPHL for the Richmond Renegades as a player coach for his final two seasons. After R.C. finished his professional playing career he quickly transitioned into his coaching career. R.C. coached and evaluated at various age levels in USA hockey select festivals and was the Associate Head Coach of the Hudson Valley Empire State Games Hockey team for 4 years. In mid 2009, RC started the Richmond Generals AA/AAA Youth and Junior A hockey organizations. Over the last 12 years, RC has built the Richmond Generals Youth and Junior organization into a nationally recognized developmental program. R.C. has been the only Head Coach and GM in the Richmond Generals Junior A programs 12 year history. RC has earned the right to have been named coach and program of the year multiple times while holding a record of 702 wins, 331 losses, and 35 overtime losses in 1,068 games. RC has built an incredible reputation as a true development coach while being one of the winningest coaches behind the bench in the last 12 years anywhere, at any level. The thing that R.C. is most proud of is his ability as a Coach to help his players move onto the next level and develop them as successful young men in life.To date,RC has helped over 600 players achieve their dreams of playing in the CHL,USHL,NAHL,CJHL, NCAA and CIS College hockey programs, and the professional hockey ranks including the NHL. Today, RC serves as the Director of the Ice Mavericks Tier 1 AAA program and the Associate Head Coach of the U16 & U18 teams. Coach Lyke also scouts for the following teams and programs: Aberdeen Wings (NAHL), Old Grizzlys (AJHL), Twin City Thunder (NCDC).
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Brian Leonard

Hockey Performance Coach

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Brian Leonard, a Chatham, NJ native grew up playing for the New Jersey Penguins and Bridgewater Bears as well as for his local high school where he won two state championships before moving onto play junior hockey. Brian played for the Richmond Generals for three seasons under Coach Lyke before committing to play NCAA D3 at Castleton University. While at Castleton, Brian played a vital part on the team and was named to the New England Hockey Conference All-Academic team each year he was there. In addition, Brian received the Krampade/AHCA All-American Scholar award for his work on the ice and in the classroom. After graduating from Castleton University in 2020, Brian returned to the Richmond Generals program where he was named the Head Coach of their U18 AAA and the Assistant Coach on both the Richmond Generals Junior A Elite and Premier teams in the USPHL. In the last three seasons with the Richmond Generals organization, Brian played a critical role in their championship run. Additionally, Brian excelled in player recruitment, player development, and player advancement for the entirety of the junior organization which was a key factor to their success. Today, Brian serves as the 16U Head Coach as well as an Assistant Coach for the 18U team and the Assistant Strength Coach for the program. In addition Coach Leonard serves as a scout for the Twin City Thunder in the NCDC.
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Tyler Casillo

Hockey Performance Coach

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Tyler Casillo, a Buffalo, NY native grew up playing hockey for Cheektowaga Warriors before moving on to play for the Buffalo Regals and Niagara Whalers of the GOJHL. After a successful junior career, Tyler went on to play at Erie College before getting into coaching in his early twenties. In Tyler's first year of coaching, Tyler guided his u18 team to a sectional final and was able to help a number of his players advance into the junior ranks. Due to the work Tyler did in his first year coaching, Tyler was offered the opportunity to take the head coaching job of his former junior team, the Buffalo Jr. Regals of the GOJHL. In Tyler's first year as the coach the Buffalo Jr. Regals, Tyler guided his team the best record in franchise history, and was named a finalist for coach of the year. In addition to having a successful record, Tyler is most proud of the 14 NCAA commitments that he was able to help his player reciceve while playing for him that season. After a successful campaign with Jr. Regals organization, Tyler elected to take his coaching talents to the sunny state of California where he took the bench for San Diego Sabres of the USPHL. Once again, Tyler was able to set a franchise record for wins by taking a team that had only 15 wins in the previous year to a 33-11-2 record, as well as a franchise first ever playoff experience. Today, Tyler is the performance coach at the Athlete Academy, and a scout for multiple Tier 2 junior organizations.

Administrative Support

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Karen Diffee

Accounting

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