Leeds Knights: How coach Ryan Aldridge hopes to identify and nurture best emerging hockey talent in the north

Until January this year – when he replaced Dave Whistle as the Knights’ head coach – Aldridge’s coaching experience had largely been concentrated in the south of the country, chiefly around his native Swindon, but also including spells at Basingstoke Bison – in the Elite League – and Bracknell Bees.

In recent years, Aldridge has established a reputation for nurturing young talent, chiefly through the Swindon-based Okanagan Hockey Academy but also, briefly, as an assistant coach with the Great Britain Under-16 team.

His experience in working with youngsters was one reason Knights’ owner Steve Nell brought him up to West Yorkshire mid-season, given the relatively young roster he had put together to compete in NIHL National.

Now, ahead of relocating to Leeds later this summer after agreeing a two-year deal to remain as the Knights’ head coach, Aldridge is keen to establish links in the area with players, something he hopes will prove mutually beneficial.

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Sunday’s trial at Elland Road Ice Arena – for which more than 30 players initially applied – could potentially unearth one or two hidden gems that Aldridge may then wish to add to his team for the forthcoming 2022-23 season.

But, even if that proves not to be the case, Aldridge hopes the initial introduction to his coaching methods will benefit all those attending in some way.

“It was an open invite to players aged 16 and over,” said Aldridge. “There will be some of our players on the ice, as well as some guys I might already be looking at.

“It’s about seeing if there is anybody that would interest us to work with this year – not necessarily to be a starting player but maybe somebody who we believe can work their way up to this level by the end of the season, or even the start of following season.

“It’s also about creating coaching relationships with younger guys that I might be able to help out in some way, maybe not this year but somewhere down the line.

“I obviously know quite a lot about the guys that are available down south but I don’t really know many in the north. So this is a good way to see what we can do both for our team and maybe what I can do for them as players.”

Aldridge already has four names inked for next season, veteran defenceman Sam Zajac earlier this week joining forwards Kieran Brown and Lewis Baldwin and netminder Sam Gospel on his roster.

More names are expected in the coming weeks – including others from last season – but Aldridge also has his eyes on the long-term future of the team, wishing to make Leeds the place where all British players want to come.

Sunday’s trial is one small step on the way to achieving that aim.

“It’s about looking to the future, for us as a team and for them as players,” he added. “I’ve signed for two years but I’m not moving my family up just for two years, I’m here for the long haul.

“And it’s those younger guys who are probably going to play a massive part in that, so I’d like to identify them early, work with them early so we can create players for us in a couple of years time, or even further down the line. I’m looking forward to it.”