Hockey Champion’s Path Leads to the Reapers
Stanley Cup Champion Brett Lebda took on a new role in his coaching career when he accepted the head coach position for the Tier 1 Reapers Hockey program.
The Reapers was the first new Tier 1 hockey program to be established in Illinois for quite some time. Determined to set a strong foundation for the new organization, Reapers President, Steve Dry, brought in the talented and experienced Lebda to help establish the Reapers at the elite Tier 1 level. Lebda was hired to serve dual roles as both the head coach of the U15 and U16 Reapers teams, as well as the director of the Mount Prospect Ice Arena’s (MPIA) Midget Hockey program.
A Rich Hockey Background
Lebda’s background is noteworthy. He played college hockey for the University of Notre Dame from 2000-2004. After becoming an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Detroit Red Wings and played for its American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
In 2005, Lebda made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut with the Red Wings and three years later, went on to win the Stanley Cup. In total, he played 397 NHL games, amassing 76 points.
After retiring from professional hockey in 2013, Lebda remained connected to the sport through coaching. It was an unexpected, yet natural progression. “I never expected to get into coaching, but it’s something I took to right away and liked,” Lebda said.
Over the years, Lebda has coached several youth hockey programs including the Tier 1 Chicago Young Americans and the Tier 2 Highland Park Falcons. While coaching the Falcons, he built connections with the Reapers’ President Dry and General Manager Ryan Taylor.
“They were running their program and I jumped on board with them,” Lebda explained. “We meshed well and became very good friends. It’s kind of surreal that it has come full circle.”
Lebda’s experiences with past teammates, such as Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios, have been formative to his knowledge of the game. Former teammate, Red Wings defenseman, and three-time Stanley Cup Champion Brian Rafalski remains a sounding board for Lebda due to his experience as the former director of player development for Wisconsin’s Jr. Gamblers Hockey program and as current assistant coach for the EC Red Bull Salzburg Hockey Academy.
“The guys that I learned from were second to none,” Lebda stated. “I was very fortunate that I could sit back and just be a sponge and learn from them the appropriate way to handle yourself, both on and off the ice. I still talk Brian Rafalski weekly because he is in youth hockey as well and we get to bounce ideas off each other.”
Lebda’s prior coach, Mike Babcock,j has also been a source of inspiration. Babcock is credited with having the ninth most all-time wins in the NHL. Just as youth coaches’ styles can contribute to what their players do, Lebda found a way to incorporate Babcock’s style into his own coaching.
“I think he was ahead of his time and I think he was at the forefront of changing the way the game is played as far as Xs and Os,” Lebda said.
Joining the Reapers
Dry believes that bringing in coaches with great character and an exceptional hockey background is key to building a successful Tier 1 program. As the head coach of both the U15 and U16 Reapers as well as the director of MPIA Midget Hockey, Lebda has an important role to play in the development of the older players in the organization. Not only does Lebda have the professional playing experience behind his coaching skills, but he also has the passion to help the young players reach their goals.
“Parents pay us to develop and maximize their children’s abilities,” Dry said. “Whatever their potential is, our job is to get that out of them, and you can’t do that without top coaches. Brett wants to learn, he wants to be a great coach, he loves being around the kids and teaching them the game. That’s what makes him an integral part of the Reapers and why I pushed so hard to bring him over.”
Lebda said he has learned that every child is different when it comes to coaching and he teaches his young players to be themselves. “I really pride myself on letting each kid be who they are and also prepare them to be that player at the next level, whatever that may be,” said Lebda.
Lebda is integral to the acceleration of the program, as well as successfully moving players beyond the midget hockey level. Lebda’s impressive hockey experience allows him to help young athletes achieve their goals in hockey and beyond.