Tier I Coaching Staff for 2023-24 Season
The Nashville Jr. Predators are excited to announce the Boys Tier I Coaching Staff for the 2023-24 Season! Our coaching staff was assembled to balance playing and coaching experience with a focus on character development to advance our athletes in and beyond the game of ice hockey!
11U AAA (2012) Patrick Murray
Patrick grew up playing hockey in his hometown, Rochester, NY, where he spent thirteen seasons playing in the Webster Cyclones Youth Hockey Program. From there, he played a season of Junior A hockey for the Syracuse Stampede. Following the Stampede, Patrick attended SUNY Canton and earned a degree in Sports Business Management which led him to a job with the Nashville Predators Youth Hockey programs. Pat has been a private skills coach here in Nashville since 2017 and has been a Head Coach within the Nashville Jr. Predators for the past three seasons.
12U AAA (2011) Greg Austin – Head Coach
Greg Austin is originally from Nova Scotia and has been a part of Hockey Canada and USA Hockey as a coach for 25 years. Team levels coached include ACHA Division I as an Assistant Coach at Ohio University; Midget AAA with the Valley Wildcats as Head Coach in the Nova Scotia AAA league; Tri-State Spartans as Head Coach/GM of the 18U AAA, and most recently, the 15O AAA team both teams playing as members of the NAPHL.
Greg has a Master’s and a Ph.D., both from Ohio University and was a college professor for more than fifteen years in the field of Sport Management at various institutions of higher education in Canada and the United States before moving into hockey full-time. Greg is entering his first season with the Nashville Jr. Predators.
Tim McAllister – Assistant Coach
Tim is entering his sixteenth season with the Nashville Jr. Predators. He will serve as an Assistant Coach and the Director of the 8U Development Program.
13U AAA (2010) Andy Callaghan
Andy Callaghan, a native of Erie, PA, is a USA Hockey Level 4 certified coach with fourteen years of experience coaching and mentoring players at multiple levels and age groups, including the collegiate and preparatory school levels. He came to the Nashville Jr. Predators in 2018 after four years at Iowa State University, serving as their associate Head Coach and Director of Recruiting. Andy is entering his fifth season with the Nashville Jr. Predators, having served at the 13U, 14U, 15O, and 16U AAA levels as a Head & Assistant Coach.
14U AAA (2009) Ty Johns
Originally from British Columbia, Canada, Ty played three years of Junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). After his Junior career, Ty played four years at Utah State University, ACHA II going to nationals all four years. He is heading into his eighth season of coaching and is a Level 4 USA Hockey certified coach. Ty is entering his third season with the Nashville Jr. Predators.
15O AAA (2008) JP Dumont
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, JP Dumont had a very successful 12-year NHL career playing for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, and the Nashville Predators. JP has been a part of the Nashville hockey scene for the last fifteen seasons as an NHL player, youth coach, and junior coach. In addition to his coaching role, JP serves as the Director of Hockey Operations for the Nashville Jr. Predators.
16U AAA (2007) Michael Berra
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mike has spent the last six years with the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL). During that time, he has served as a Director of Player Development, Assistant Coach, and currently as a Scout. Coach Berra has also spent six years with Synergy Hockey Skills as the Director of Hockey and Lead Instructor and ten years with the St. Louis AAA Blues as a Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. Mike is entering his second season with the Nashville Jr. Predators.
18U AAA (2005/2006) Karlis Zirnis
A native of Riga, Latvia, Zirnis previously served as a coach in the Thunder ‘AAA’ program following his retirement from the professional game in 2010. Since his first stint with NJP, Zirnis has enjoyed coaching stops at junior, collegiate, and international levels. He has captured a Robertson Cup Championship as Head Coach of the NAHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs and has spent three seasons as an Assistant Coach at the NCAA Division I level, first with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and then at his alma mater, the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Additionally, Karlis has coached with the Latvian Hockey Federation since 2014. Zirnis also serves as the Director of Player Personnel for the Amarillo Wranglers (NAHL). Karlis is entering his third season with the Nashville Jr. Predators.