UA Coaching Staff
Coach Brett Howden
This season represents Brett’s second with the Upper Arlington hockey program. Brett is originally from a small town in Ontario, Canada and grew up playing the game at a high level. Brett’s playing career included a season of major junior hockey (OHL) with the Owen Sound Attack in 2003 and a provincial junior B championship with the Thorold Blackhawks in 2005. Prior to moving to Columbus in 2015, Brett coached three (3) years of AAA hockey in Hamilton, Ontario – focusing his teaching and development on the finer points of the defensive side of the game.
Brett is a finance professional who is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Capital University. He resides in Upper Arlington with his wife, Alyssa and daughter.
Coach Hamish Baird
Coach Jack Hoogeveen
Coach Hoogeveen is looking forward to a successful first season with the Golden Bears. He grew up in the east end of Toronto, Ontario, where he played high school and junior hockey. Coach Hoogeveen played varsity hockey at BGSU in its inaugural three years, and earned a bachelor’s in political science and geography. He went on to obtain a master’s in city and regional planning at OSU.
For the past 20 years, Coach Hoogeveen has coached hockey at the youth level in Columbus as well as worked with adults and children teaching the basics of the game at the OSU Ice Rink. In addition, he has coached high school hockey at Gahanna and Olentangy Liberty, taking Liberty to three district championships and four conference titles.
Jack is retired from The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency where he worked for 33 years. He resides in Westerville with his wife, Jacquelyn, where they have raised five grown children.
Coach David Clarkson
David Clarkson is excited to serve on the coaching staff again for the Upper Arlington Golden Bears hockey team. He has a passion for developing great hockey players and young men, and is looking forward to another wonderful season. Growing up in the Toronto suburb of Mimico, Ontario, David played in a variety of leagues including the Ontario Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the Austrian League, and the National Hockey League. With an eye on the future, David is excited to watch the UA Hockey program continue to grow and be very successful.
Stephen Stern
Assistant JV Coach
Assistant Coach, Stephen Stern, is returning for his 5th year with the Golden Bear’s hockey program. He was a volunteer coach for his first two seasons with the Golden Bears Hockey Program. Coach Stern in addition to being a coach is a chemistry teacher at UAHS. This is his 21styear at UAHS and his 28thas an educator. He has been coaching hockey in central Ohio for the past 10 years as well as Officiating youth hockey and adult hockey for the past five years. Coach Stern has been coaching youth sports in various roles since 1987.
He is a proud graduate of the University of California, Irvine.
Steve Pileski
Assistant JV Coach
This season will be Coach Stephen Pileski’s first with the Upper Arlington hockey program. He was born in Detroit and raised as a huge Red Wings fan. After moving to Columbus, he began playing hockey at the Chiller Ice Rinks and continued through middle school. Coach Pileski enjoys playing in adult hockey leagues and can be found in the rinks two to three times a week.
Coach Pileski graduated from New Albany High School and attended The Ohio State University. Stephen works as a real estate agent in Columbus and lives with his family in New Albany.