Former NCAA Hockey Captain and Standout Shawn Pauly to Lead Chicago Center of Excellence

TPH is pleased to announce the hiring of Shawn Pauly to the position of Director and Head of Hockey for its Chicago division. Pauly joins TPH-Chicago after three seasons as the Assistant Men’s Hockey Coach at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, where he supported Head Coach, Peter Belisle, in virtually every aspect of running the Beacons’ hockey program. TPH Center of Excellence CEO, Alan Keeso, believes Pauly, the Director role and its Chicago location are a perfect fit.    

“On behalf of all of us at TPH, we are thrilled to welcome Shawn to the team,” Keeso said.  “Shawn oozes with leadership, intelligence and passion that our student-athletes will gravitate towards.  He has worn virtually every hat in his young career that a successful TPH Director has to wear to be successful at executing our company purpose, which is to advance, in and beyond the game, the next generation of impact players. Everyone we spoke to about Shawn, from former teammates to former coaches, made it clear that he himself is an impact player. He will set a tremendous example for our staff and student-athletes to follow.”

“Oozing with leadership” likely references Pauly’s ability to, throughout his career, use hockey as a vehicle to grow himself as both a student and a person. A graduate of the University of Connecticut, Pauly helped the Huskies transition from the Atlantic Hockey conference to the always-competitive Hockey East conference in 2012. He spent four seasons at UConn, tallying 20 points or more every season. What’s more impressive is that Pauly earned Dean’s list honors in three of his four seasons, and capped off his college hockey journey, serving as a captain his senior year. 

A 2016 graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Pauly went on to enjoy a three year professional playing career, skating with the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks from 2015-2017, before making the jump overseas to play with the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL for the 2018-2019 campaign. Impressively, while a member of the Blaze, the Bellingham, WA native completed his MBA at Coventry University, setting a perfect example for TPH student-athletes who are striving each and every day to achieve their academic and athletic goals at the same time.  

Pauly says he wants to take his passion for culture and mentorship, his most recent experiences in coaching, player development and hockey administration at the collegiate level, and mesh it with his desire to make TPH-Chicago a positive, structured environment for student-athletes to grow in.  

“I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to be the Director and Head of Hockey for TPH-Chicago,” Pauly said. “The partnership between TPH and the Windy City Storm, the caliber of hockey instructors involved, the commitment and care of the on-site academic team and the possibilities that exist within the current academic space are truly impressive. But what makes this a special opportunity for me is knowing what the Center of Excellence can do to create a holistic experience for both hockey players as well as all student-athletes, regardless of their age, their skill level or their future aspirations. I want the CoE to be a destination for student-athletes across Chicago, as long as they are willing to buy into a culture built on the bedrocks of hard work, discipline and acceptance. I can’t wait to dig in and put words into action.”  

Pauly’s goal is to be on-site before the conclusion of the 2022-2023 academic year. In the meantime, prospective TPH-Chicago families who would like to learn more about TPH’s Study – Train – Play Center of Excellence model can request more information or arrange a time to chat with Shawn by clicking here.   

About TPH

Founded in 2001, TPH seeks to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through sport. TPH platforms include association management, elite prospects programs, tournaments and showcases, camps and clinics, and its hallmark Center of Excellence academy model, serving over 10,000 student-athletes annually throughout 16 U.S.-based divisions. TPH prides itself on taking a holistic approach, one that emphasizes the development of the individual in four ways: (1) as a player within a team setting, (2) as an athlete, dedicated to reaching their physical potential, (3) as a student, working to achieve their academic goals, and most importantly, (4) as a person, striving to win the ultimate game, and that’s the game of life.