Coaches Bios

Carl is a level 5 USA hockey certified coach and has over 20 years of experience including 10 years at WWYHA as head coach of Squirt AA, Pee-Wee AA and Bantam AA teams and 5 years as head coach of the Fairfield COOP High School team. While coaching Fairfield COOP High School team, he was named 2017 FCIAC coach of excellence, 2021 FCIAC coach of the year and 2021 all-state coach of the year.  

Armand began his hockey coaching career in middle school, as a young volunteer for the CT Storm team, teaching special needs children and adults how to skate and play the game. He continued coaching later for the University of Indiana Club Hockey team while completing his undergraduate studies. He began his own skating career at the Mite level in Bridgeport, and was part of the debut Squirt A Wizards team in 2003. He continued playing youth hockey until he went to Avon Old Farms School in Avon, CT, where he joined the Varsity Team and served as its captain his senior year there.  After high school, Armand's playing career took him to Junior hockey in Canada in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) for the Cowichan Capitals. He returned to play additional Junior hockey in Boston and Springfield, MA for the South Shore Kings and Springfield Pics before entering the University of New England in Biddeford, ME as a student and member of their hockey team. Armand continues to love the game, and credits the top coaches, players and trainers he was fortunate enough to study under for developing his passion, skill set, and work ethic. His goal today is to share those with current youth hockey players and help them develop their game.

Pete is a native of Montreal, Quebec, and played at Concordia University. He has over 10 years of coaching experience in youth hockey, with several years in the WWYHA. Prior to coaching for WWYHA, he coached at the Atom and Pee Wee level in Montreal as part of the Lac-St. Louis Hockey Association before moving to Connecticut. Pete is a highly accomplished coach, winning State Championships at the Squirt, Pee Wee and Bantam levels. He enjoys the development of the athletes at a young age and strives to ensure they want to continue to play at the next level. 

Coach Bryan has been involved in hockey for 40+ years.  His hockey career started in youth hockey at GBJHA right here at Wonderland! He then went on to Notre Dame High School Fairfield then finishing his high school career at Trumbull High School. Bryan played 2 years of ACHA hockey at Western Connecticut State University. He has enjoyed playing in various adult leagues in the past 25+ years.  Bryan has coached, assistant coached or volunteered his time at all ages of youth and high school level hockey with with several local programs and multiple spring teams, including high school preseason/captain practices and private lessons for the past 12 years. Bryan is certified as a Level 4 USA Hockey Coach.



Michael Simes has been involved in sports coaching for over two decades, with a particular focus on hockey and soccer. Growing up in Central Florida, where youth hockey was not widely available, he developed a strong interest in the sport through his father's connection to the game. His father, a goal judge and rink assistant for the Hershey Bears in the late 1940s, introduced Mike to hockey at an early age, and Mike began playing ice hockey during his first year as a law student at the University of Michigan, where he joined the University's Intramural team.

In addition to his hockey experience, Mike has a long history of coaching youth sports. Starting at the age of 16, he coached a U10 travel soccer team in his hometown of Ormond Beach. While in college, he also assisted in coaching goalkeepers at his high school alma mater, where he had been a varsity soccer player.

Before relocating to Wonderland, Mike coached youth hockey teams and has continued his involvement in the sport through his son’s participation in hockey. His coaching background spans multiple sports, and he remains dedicated to fostering the development of young athletes.



JR Bria is an experienced hockey coach with a deep passion for developing players both on and off the ice. He was a junior defenseman on Notre Dame-Fairfield's first Division I state champion team in 1999, which laid the foundation for his successful hockey career. JR went on to play two years at Colgate University and two years at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, competing at the Division I level. Following his collegiate career, JR transitioned to professional hockey, playing parts of five seasons in the Central Hockey League (CHL), East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), and Federal Hockey League (FHL).

Locally, JR has coached at the youth level and has served as the head coach of St. Joseph's High School and a top assistant coach for both the Notre Dame-Fairfield and Fairfield Ludlowe/Warde boys’ hockey programs, where he helped guide players to success and personal growth. 

Outside of hockey, JR is a proud father of six children, five of whom are active players with the Wonderland Wizards. His family’s involvement in the sport fuels his dedication to developing young athletes and helping them grow both as players and individuals.