Tyler Casillo named Head Coach

SAN DIEGO, May. 31, 2022 – The San Diego Sabers are officially announcing that Tyler Casillo has been named the new Head Coach of the San Diego Sabers. Coach Casillo will be tasked to build off the success of previous seasons while continuing to grow the USPHL program. 

Coach Casillo began his journey in junior hockey by playing in the GOJHL before progressing to Junior A where he was named Assistant Captain for the Niagara Whalers. Afterward, Coach Casillo started his coaching career at the 18U level before moving to the varsity level, where he helped advance his team to a sectional final. 

Shortly afterward, Coach Casillo then shifted to the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, where he was named Head Coach of the Buffalo Regals Jr.B team. While there, he led the Regals to their best record in franchise history and led the GOJHL in NCAA DIII commitments as over ten student-athletes committed to play collegiate hockey at the end of his first season. 

Coach Casillo was named a finalist for Coach of the Year in 2020, thanks to his knowledge of the game, team management, and comprehensive variety of experience in junior hockey. 

Coach Casillo stated that he is excited to bring his wealth of knowledge and experiences to San Diego and looks to continue developing a winning culture and focus on player advancement. 

“I want to thank General Manager Domenick DiCicco and Team Hockey Director of Operations Tomas Kapusta for trusting me to lead this great franchise as the Sabers enter their 13th season. I’m proud to join the Sabers and look forward to helping develop this great hockey community located in San Diego’s North County,” said Head Coach Tyler Casillo. “I’m excited to work on developing a winning culture that has a strong emphasis on student-athlete advancement.”

Tyler Casillo being named Head Coach comes shortly after the announcement of Domenick DiCicco being named General Manager. These announcements prove exciting news for junior hockey in California as the Sabers continue to be a premier destination for player development with experienced and professional leadership in place. 

“We are excited to bring Tyler on as our Head Coach and believe his desire to win will help continue to build the program in the direction that we, as an organization, are working towards,” said General Manager Domenick DiCicco. “Tyler not only brings a wealth of experience with moving athletes into the NCAA ranks but also exciting energy, which we believe coincides with the Sabers' goals.”

The San Diego Sabers have shown they are off to a strong start after announcing several athletes committed to the upcoming season; Coach Casillo remarks that this is only the beginning, with more announcements to come.

“Starting today, as we move forward with our recruiting process are seeking out young men who are willing to put in the work day in and day out to achieve one greater goal. San Diego is a beautiful place to live, but more importantly will become a place opposing teams hate to play as the Sabers will be coming to battle every night, and I couldn’t be more excited to show our fans some great hockey this upcoming season.”