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2020-2021 Staff: Executive Director Doug Plocki

By WLC Staff, 04/03/20, 10:00AM EDT

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The Little Caps are pleased to announce Doug Plocki will continue to serve as the Executive Director for the 2020-21 season. This will be his 12th season with the club.

Plocki began coaching WLC Midget teams in 2009, and is proud of the players he helped develop.  He accepted the Director role in 2015, tasked with building a toolset to help stabilize the Club.  “We completely overhauled our internal processes, and built tools to improve hockey operations – the WLC Player Development Model, the WLC Coach Education Program, for example.  We brought in a new Hockey Director in Matt Thomas, and added other key staff- Director of Scouting (Flip Collins), Director of Player Development (Lyon Messier), and Marketing Director (Ryan Yoon).” 

Now, Plocki will step away from the bench for another season to oversee the Club’s transition to the new Ion International Training Center in Leesburg, VA.  “This is an exciting time for the Club.  The move to Ion provides the opportunity to build a complete development program – a single, organized development path from entry level up the ranks to midgets and on to junior and college hockey.  From the first moment a young player enters the rink, he or she will see a clear path that allows them to play here, stay here, and get where they want to go.  The development model is organized, deliberate, and focused on player development and advancement.  There are few like it in the country combining learn-to-play elements, A, AA, and AAA programs in a cohesive development model.  The folks at Ion are as committed to this model as we are- we have the chance to do something unique and exciting that will improve hockey in this area.” 

“The move also allows us to re-invest in the Club to address some critical areas.  We’ve done that by hiring a full-time, professional coach Justin Friedman (2007), and added local hockey icon Craig Desjarlais to our staff as Director of Professional Development.  Craig will bring his immense knowledge and experience – over 25 years in the game – to help our coaches.  He will act as mentor, advisor, and a resource offering hockey knowledge and an impressive array of contacts in the junior and college hockey ranks to help our players advance.”

Plocki will also have the chance to get on the ice with all WLC teams.  “I love being on the ice, and now can do that with every team in the program.  It’s a great chance to work with all of our players.”

As a Little Caps coach, Plocki helped several Little Caps players reach their dream of playing college hockey, and placed players in top junior leagues in the United States and Canada.  His teams also collected some hardware along the way.  He helped Little Caps teams win four Southeast District titles in nine years, advancing to the USA Hockey National Tournament each of those seasons.   His teams have won titles in the Tier-1 Elite Hockey League, North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL), and National Junior Prospects Hockey League (NJPHL).  Players on his teams have been regular fixtures at the Atlantic Youth Hockey League All-Star games, and multiple league All-Academic Teams.

Plocki is a Pittsburgh native who began coaching in 1992 with the State College Youth Ice Hockey Association.  He returned to Pittsburgh to coach at his high school alma mater and the local Tier-I programs.  Plocki began coaching in the DC area in 2006 with the Kettler Capitals youth program.  He helped coach Kettler's Tier-1 Development Camps beginning in 2008 before joining the Little Caps.  “These past few years we’ve moved players into the USHL, NAHL, OHL, multiple Division I and III programs, and have seen many young men and women earn college degrees and launch what are sure to be successful futures.  I’m looking forward to continuing that trend.” 

Plocki is a USA Hockey Level 5 certified coach, and has coached at the USA Hockey National Development Camp for the past three summers.  “The National Camps are an awesome experience- to connect with so many talented players and coaches is a massive learning opportunity and a real honor.  I can bring what I learned there to the Little Caps.  It’s a great way to help our players and coaches.”  

Plocki graduated from Penn State University in 1996 with a BS in Administration of Justice, and earned his JD from George Mason University School of Law in 2002.  He owns and operates a law firm in Fairfax City, and lives with his wife Ayana in Arlington.