Our Coaches
Introducing our head coaches for the 2025-26 season!
8U
Lauren Landstrom
CO-HEAD COACH
This will be my second full year coaching and my second season coaching here at TGHA. Last season, I was an assistant coach for the 10U team. Before coaching at TGHA, I coached 19U girls learn-to-play hockey and skills clinics for players aged 8U to 12U. I also regularly work as a coach for Robby Glantz Powerskating clinics.
I have been playing all-girls hockey for the past 12 years, ranging from levels A to AAA. Currently, I am a sophomore Communication Strategy and Design major at Ithaca College, and I play on their co-ed club team. I grew up in New York City and playing in New Jersey.
Off the ice, I also work at Cass Park Rink during the fall, so please feel free to come in and say hi! I’m super excited to have this opportunity to teach and coach these girls and also learn from other coaches' experiences.
Samantha Zeltser
CO-HEAD COACH
I'm a rising junior at Cornell on a pre-med track. Originally from Long Island, I played goalie for 10 years before getting injured. Afterwards, I coached beginner players through the New York Rangers learn to play program.
I play club hockey at Cornell and have recently started playing pick up games in the Ithaca area, which has been so much fun! This will be my first season with TGHA and I'm so excited to meet everyone and be part of a great team!
10U
Shane O'Neill
HEAD COACH
This will be my second round of coaching 10U at TGHA after my older daughter Ella played 10U TGHA/Outlaws and my fifth year of coaching overall. I grew up playing hockey in New Hampshire, concluding my “career” after my senior year of high school. My wife Melissa, a TGHA and IHS alumna, and I moved to Ithaca eleven years ago. I love the game and look forward to working with the girls, helping them become better players and teammates and of course having a lot of fun.
12U Tournament-bound
David Burke
HEAD COACH
I'm entering my fourth year with TGHA and my first year as head coach as I take the helm of the 12U team. This isn't my first year as a head coach for a sports team. I have over twenty years of experience coaching various sports including youth, college, and men’s rugby teams, youth soccer, and most recently, high school track and field. I will leverage these experiences on the ice to instill short- and long-term goals for the team as well as the individual players.
My background in sports is as diverse as my coaching endeavors. I was a standout track and field athlete as well as an international rugby player. Despite my success in those and other sports, my love for ice hockey has been implanted since playing socially in college. I hope to bring the same opportunities and passion for hockey to the girls this season!
14U Tournament-bound
Alex Hayes
HEAD COACH
This will be my fifth season as part of the TGHA coaching family. We currently have three players in the program at 8U, 14U, and 16U. TGHA is a wonderful organization for girls hockey, with an amazing culture and a commitment to growing both the player and the person.
I have been coaching ice hockey for over ten years at IYHA, TGHA, and the Outlaws. At TGHA, I spent the past two seasons as head coach of 12U. Previously, I spent four years as head coach of the IYHA 8U and 10U Snowbelt teams. I am also an assistant coach for the Outlaws 10U and 12U programs.
As a youth, I played in Long Island and worked my way up through House, AA, AAA, and HS programs. As a teenager, I was a rink rat. To secure ice time at the local rink, I worked as a dish washer, janitor, concession attendant, counselor, and assistant trainer. In college, I played for the Cornell Club Hockey Team. More recently, I helped to found and manage the local A/B adult hockey league.
Professionally, I am the Albert and Jennifer Sohn Professor of Astronomy at Cornell University and Director of the Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science.
14U/16U Non-tournament-Bound
Josh Vorhis
CO-HEAD COACH
Hockey has been a lifelong passion of mine, starting right here in Ithaca where I grew up playing youth hockey and found a passion for the game. I’ve stayed actively involved ever since, competing in multiple adult leagues throughout the Southern Tier and continually working to expand my knowledge and understanding of the game.
Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of coaching both boys and girls teams at the 10U and 12U levels, serving as both an assistant and head coach. My coaching philosophy is rooted in recognizing and developing each player’s unique strengths, and I believe that building on these strengths helps them gain confidence both on and off the ice. Hockey is a demanding team sport that comes with its share of highs and lows throughout the season, so I place a high emphasis on teamwork and sportsmanship in everything we do.
I’m dedicated to creating a positive, supportive environment where every player can reach their full potential. I look forward to working with this year’s group of athletes, helping them develop their skills and instilling a lifelong love for the game of hockey.
Mark Lorentzen
CO-HEAD COACH
Bio coming soon!
16U Tournament-Bound
Jake Burns
HEAD COACH
I have been coaching in the girls hockey community for the last ten years. I bring a passion to develop young athletes both on and off the ice. I played this great sport while growing up and continue to play in both men's leagues and emergency services tournaments. This passion has transitioned into coaching both at the youth and collegiate leveld, as I serve as the head coach of the Ithaca College Club Hockey Team in my spare time. My emphasis is on skill development, teamwork, and sportsmanship. This upcoming season, my focus will be on building strong fundamentals, instilling a positive attitude, and fostering a fun, respectful team environment where players can grow in confidence and character.
Off the ice, I work in senior management for a large scale automation and material handling company. My hobbies include anything to do with my family, firefighting, hockey, and sports in general. I am proud to be a part of the TGHA family and look forward to helping each player reach their full potential this season.
19U Fall Season
Tyler "TR" Wagenet
HEAD COACH
I grew up in the Ithaca area through the 80’s and 90’s playing hockey with Ithaca Youth Hockey Association. I started coaching with IYHA in 2011 when my daughter Natalie started with the learn to play program, and I have coached all levels from 6U-19U with IYHA. In 2023, I took over as head coach for Ithaca High School Girls Varsity Hockey, and last season, I joined TGHA as head coach of 16U. I'm a Level 4 USA Hockey coach and the proud dad of Natalie (2008) and Ryan (2011). I'm very excited to be helping TGHA continue to grow and be successful at all levels!
