Cail MacLean became the head of Kimball Union’s girls’ program after a 16-year career in professional hockey. As a professional player, Coach MacLean played 747 games over 11 seasons at the AHL and ECHL levels. He then graduated to the coaching ranks where he spent 3 seasons behind the bench in the ECHL. For 2 years, Coach MacLean served as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for the South Carolina Stingrays. As a first-year head coach in 2009-2010, he represented his conference at the ECHL All-Star Game and was runner-up for ECHL Coach of the Year. Most recently, he spent two years as an assistant coach in the AHL with the Calgary Flames top affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat. Coach MacLean has lived and breathed player development for over 20 years since he himself left his home in Nova Scotia as a high school sophomore and began balancing academics and athletics.

As he applies his knowledge and experience to the Kimball Union program, Coach MacLean strives to develop players as individual players, teammates, and human beings. Fast-paced practices are dedicated to improving individual fundamentals and overall hockey sense through skill drills, carefully crafted game-like scenarios, and small area play. Off-ice video sessions, strength training, sport psychology, and nutritional counseling are integral components of individual development in the program. Professionalism, discipline, and respect for the process are constantly reinforced to help prepare student athletes for college athletics.

“I have played and coached through the pressures of high-level athletics and I am excited to be in a position to help student athletes prepare for those rigors. My goal is to develop athletes with a healthy self-image and the tools to maximize their potential at the next level.”

Over the years, Coach MacLean has been involved in numerous youth hockey programs and camps. His passion to “teach” the game makes him a great fit for the prep school schedule which provides ample opportunity for quality practice time.

“Establishing strong fundamentals is still so important at this stage in an athlete’s career. At KUA, we hope to provide young women the athletic foundation to succeed in hockey and the self-esteem to succeed in all aspects of life.”

Coach MacLean lives on campus with his wife Keri Coco and their daughter Ashton.