Former Professional Player, Coach and Manager, Ryan McGinnis, to Lead TPH-Cincinnati & Tri-State 18U

TPH Center of Excellence is excited to announce the hiring of Ryan McGinnis as Director & Head of Hockey for our newest location in Cincinnati, OH. McGinnis brings a blend of Major Junior and professional playing, as well as professional coaching and management experience to the position.  

 

In addition to his role as Director & Head of Hockey, McGinnis will serve as Head Coach of the Tri-State Spartans 18U team, as the organization begins a new chapter, transitioning its 18U squad to becoming a Cincinnati-based and academy team that will participate in the Center of Excellence experience. 

 

TPH CEO, Alan Keeso, believes that the company’s core purpose, which is to lead the world in the holistic development of student-athletes – advancing in and beyond the game – the next generation of impact players, and McGinnis himself, are a perfect fit.  

 

“Ryan McGinnis checks all the boxes we were looking for in this unique position that combines being a TPH Director with being the Head Coach of a team we have high hopes for,” Keeso said. “Ryan has experienced all levels of hockey, whether that be as a Major Junior and professional player, or as a coach, mentoring young athletes, right up through to adult professionals.  The knowledge he has gained from various vantage points in the game will be a tremendous asset to our student-athletes in Cincinnati, as well as those who play for the Spartans. Starting today, Ryan will inject detail, structure and methodology into both the Spartans program and our Cincinnati division. We are confident future TPH-Cincinnati student-athletes, Spartans players and their families will gravitate towards Ryan McGinnis the hockey man, and Ryan McGinnis the person.” 

 

Like all Directors, McGinnis’ role with TPH will require the wearing of multiple hats, something the Flint, MI native is quite familiar with. For the past five years, he has served as an Assistant Coach in the ECHL, first with the Indy Fuel, from 2017-2019, and then with the Norfolk Admirals from 2019-2022. Prior to the start of the 2020-2021 season, McGinnis was promoted to the role of General Manager, overseeing all aspects of Admirals hockey operations, while staying connected to the ice and bench as an Assistant Coach. Before entering the pro game as a coach and manager, the 35-year-old spent two seasons supporting the development of youth players, coaching Tier I ‘AAA’ hockey for the Florida Alliance and Phoenix Jr. Coyotes. Furthermore, Ryan has run his own hockey training business, McGinnis Hockey Development, and has coached at the USA Hockey Select Festival held annually in Buffalo, NY.  

 

Before embarking on his coaching journey, McGinnis spent five successful seasons as a player in the Ontario Hockey League, suiting up for the Plymouth Whalers and Oshawa Generals. An additional five playing seasons followed for McGinnis, at both the AHL and ECHL levels. In ten combined Major Junior and professional playing seasons, McGinnis was part of two championship teams, in the OHL with the Whalers, and in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades, served as an alternate captain in Oshawa and was selected in the sixth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings. 

 

Much like CEO Alan Keeso, Tri-State Spartans Co-Directors Judi Kremer and Chris Lipsett, who also serves as an Assistant Coach with the 18U Spartans, feel McGinnis brings both “vision” and “range” to TPH, and that all student-athletes under his tutelage will gravitate towards that.  

 

“Ryan has vast experience and a great bank of knowledge that our kids will be able to pull from,” Lipsett said. “He has a vision for TPH-Cincinnati and the Spartans, and is a careful planner who will make our student-athletes and Spartans players feel like they are in their own version of the NHL each day. I look forward to working directly with Ryan to build TPH-Cincinnati and the Spartans program into a top destination for student-athletes who want to reach their potential in all areas.”

 

“We look forward to working directly with Ryan to build TPH-Cincinnati and the Spartans program into a top destination for student-athletes who want to reach their potential in all areas,” stated Kremer.

 

Ryan, his wife Jill, and their three children will be relocating to the Cincinnati area later this Spring and is looking forward to channeling his experiences and passion for “holistic development” in a direction that positively impacts TPH-Cincinnati and the Spartans.

 

 “I’d like to thank TPH for believing in my abilities to make TPH-Cincinnati a success,” McGinnis said.  “Sharing very similar values about leadership has made this role appealing to me.  Our goal is to ensure the CoE is a place where our student-athletes are given clear direction to learn, execute and have fun.  As also the Head Coach of the 18U Spartans, I feel being together as a team each day will allow me the opportunity to have the biggest impact on their development, both on and off the ice.”

 

Prospective TPH-Cincinnati and Tri-State Spartans families are invited to join Ryan McGinnis, TPH Center of Excellence COO, Francis Anzalone, and Spartans leadership for a free on-site open house event tonight (Monday, April 25th) at 7pm EDT. 

 

This unique opportunity will take place in the future Center of Excellence academic wing inside Sports Plus. Take the next step and reserve your seat today.  

 

Unable to attend? Stay updated on the progress of TPH-Cincinnati as we are thrilled to share this journey with you!