New England Storm Basketball Club

STORM COACHING STAFF

Rick Gorman

Coach Gorman has almost 25 years of youth basketball coaching experience. He is presently active as a volunteer coach for Methuen High School as well as Vice President of Methuen Youth Basketball. He has coached in the communities of Lawrence, North Andover, Winthrop and the city of Boston He also is served four years as the president of the Merrimack Valley Youth Basketball League . and is presently the Development Director for M.V.L. Rick is also the founder of BST Basketball Academy which provides skill development for ages 8 thru college. Rick has spent 10 years coaching AAU Basketball for the New England Spirit, Mass Rivals and New England Storm .Rick is married and the father of two, Michael (17) and Lyndsey (13). He works as the Executive Director of the North Andover Youth Services.

John Vitulli

Coach Vitulli has over 15 years of youth basketball coaching experience, including 3 years of AAU coaching, 5 years of coaching with Methuen Youth Basketball and 15 years of coaching CYO basketball. John also serves as the director of the Merrimack Valley Catholic Basketball League. Coach Vitulli works in the real estate appraisal business. He is married and the father of three boys, John (26), Tony (21) and Michael (17).

Josh Peters

Josh joined the Storm team in 2008 as the Operations Manager. Josh has been running travel tournaments, AAU tournaments, fall and summer leagues since graduating college. Josh is also the founder of Fundamental Hoops, which hosts the largest Christmas Tournament in New England as well as the MA State Travel Tournament. He currently works at the North Andover Youth Center as the Recreational Coordinator.

Bert Hammel

Bert Hammel has been Head Coach of Merrimack College for 28 years and has won over 400 games. Bert played his college basketball at Bently where he scored over 1200 points. Bert runs the popular Merrimack Warrior camps along with the nationally recognized ABA (academic basketball awareness) camp. Bert gives endless amount of time and energy to the Lawrence Boys Club. Bert and his wife Jill reside in Londonderry Nh with their three children, Alexandria (17), Lucas (16) and Cooper (13).

John Miller

Coach Miller is currently an assistant basketball coach at Merrimack College. Over the past 10 years he has also been involved in various youth basketball programs and has been involved in coaching AAU for the past 4 years. A graduate of Assumption College, Miller was a four-year starter for the Greyhounds basketball team. John is married and is the father of four, Melissa (17), John (16), Brendan (14) and Christopher (12).

John Warden

John is the current (and long-time) varsity assistant coach at Westford Academy, where he also served as the junior varsity coach. He is also a former varsity coach at Littleton High. John is currently involved with the North Andover High off-season basketball programs and is currently in his 4th season as the coach of the North Andover 7th grade travel team playing in the Cape Ann League. John is married (wife Pam) and the father of four, John (18), Sarah (17), Jim (16), and Jeff (14).

Jeff Nelson

Coach Nelson is currently an advance scout in the NBA for the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, and the Washington Wizards. Prior to is scouting assignment in the NBA, Coach Nelson coached Reading High School Boys Varsity Basketball for 5 seasons and led them to a 60-47 record including postseason appearances. Before that Coach Nelson coached for 5 seasons at Tewksbury High School where he led the Redmen to the Small Conference Championship in 1993 and was named Coach of the Year. Coach Nelson also served as an assistant basketball at Harvard University, Babson College, and Salem State College. Last AAU season Coach Nelson led his 11 and under AAU team to a 3rd place State Championship place as well as an undefeated 5th grade travel team MVC championship in Haverhill. Coach Nelson resides in Bradford Massachusetts with his wife Anne Marie, and has a daughter Alyssa and son Tyler. He has taught math at Reading High School for the past 27 years.

David Ruffen

Coach Ruffen has been coaching youth basketball in Salem NH for over 10 years. His recent coaching experience includes 5 years of coaching travel basketball from grades 4 through 8 and 2 years of coaching AAU basketball. He also is serving in his 5th year as the President of the Salem Basketball Organization. He is currently on the board of Merrimack Valley Youth Basketball League and has been a past President and grade coordinator. Coach Ruffen works as a software engineer for Juniper Networks in Westford MA. He has been married to his wife Cheryl for 22 years (who also coaches youth travel basketball) and he is the father of two, Kyle and Andrew. He has lived in Salem NH for over 35 years where he attended Salem HS and graduated from the University of New Hampshire.

Michael Moroney

Michael has coached youth basketball and baseball in North Andover for the last 5 years. One year of AAU coaching experience. Married to Carol and is the father of two, Katelyn (17) and Michael (15).

Hank Smith

Hank has been Head Coach at Emerson College since 1994. Prior to that Hank coached at Framingham State and Salem State. Hank, twice was voted GNAC coach of the year. Hank, his wife Pam and children Colby and Lindsey reside in North Andover. Hank assists the Storm in program and player development.

Paul Daley

Coach Daley has over 12 years of youth basketball coaching experience. He has been involved with the Cape Ann and Merrimack Valley Youth Leagues as well as the Andover and Lawrence YBL Programs. Paul is GM of Toshiba Management Services with offices in Boston and Wilmington. He has lived in North Andover for the past 15 years with his wife Mary and three children, Chris, Daniel, and Brett.

Marc Bradanese

Coach Marc has been involved with the Billerica Youth Basketball program for the last 9 years. He has coordinated and coached all grade levels from kindergarden basketball up to the 8th grade. This past season he coordinated the 6th grade travel program for the Merrimack Valley League while also coaching the Billerica Green 5th grade team. Marc grew up in Medford but has lived in Billerica for the last 10 years. He is married to his wife Debbie and has five sons Eric (19), Nicholas (17), Patrick (16), Josh (12) and Tyler (10).

Tom Sipsey

Tom is the Head Coach of Whittier Regional High School. Prior to being named Head Coach of Whittier Tom served two years as lead assistant to Rick Nault at Central High School. Tom was a four year member of the Merrimack College Basketball team and was named captain as a senior (only the second time a walk on to be named captain). As a senior Tom was named to the NE 10 All-Academic Team. Prior to Merrimack College Tom was four year varsity player at Central Catholic High School where he led the Raiders to the State Final game in 2003. Tom is single and is an English teacher at Methuen High School. Tom volunteers his time with the Lawrence Boys Club, Haverhill Boys Club and Merrimack Colleges's ABA camp.

Mike Grillakis

Coach Mike has been involved with Lowell Travel Baskeball for the past three years. He has also coached other youth programs in Lowell for the past seven years. Mike was born and raised in Lowell and was a member of the Lowell High Raiders power house basketball teams in 1984 and 85. Mike resides in Lowell with his wife Julie, son George (11) and daughter Elayna (10).

Dave White

Coach White has over 7 years of youth basketball coaching experience with the North Andover Booster Club. Coach White grew up in Lexington where he played for Lexington High School. Dave is currently one of the coaches for two of the Merrimack Valley North Andover travel teams. He is married to this wife Suzanne and has 4 kids Kyle(14), Cam(12), Tyler(12), and Ariel(12).

Mickey Burtnyk

Burtnyk returns to Merrimack for his first year on the men's basketball coaching staff following an illustrious career under Coach Hammel (2004-08) in which he guided the Warriors to 54 total wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in his final year. Over the course of three seasons at Merrimack, Burtnyk tallied 830 points.

Coaching Merrimack to over 400 wins, Hammel introduced Burtnyk as the ninth assistant coach in the Bert Hammel era on Thursday, September 10. Following former assistant Joe Gallo as the second consecutive former Warrior point guard, Burtnyk feels fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the 29th year coach.

“It’s great to be back at Merrimack and be part of such a rich basketball tradition,” Burtnyk said. “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with Coach Hammel and some of the guys I played with as a senior.”

With the departure of Gallo, Hammel is a believer that Burtnyk will follow in his footsteps as a great asset to the program.

“Micky is what Merrimack basketball is all about,” Hammel said. “His strong work ethic and commitment to getting our program to the next level is what will make him so valuable. I think it will be a smooth transition because [the players he played alongside] respected him on the court, and that will translate into respect for him as a coach.”

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