ANNVILLE, Pa. – Lebanon Valley's ice hockey program is embarking on a year of exciting evolution. After competing in the ACHA the past six seasons, the men's program is on the verge of making the move back to the NCAA after competing as a Division III member from 1998 to 2010. With the introduction of a new women's ice hockey program also set to begin NCAA play this fall, LVC will soon sponsor 25 intercollegiate athletic teams.
Former men's ice hockey captain Spiros Anastas '10 is one of a number of LVC followers thrilled with the prospect of the program's growth and the opportunities that lie ahead. In the years since his graduation, Anastas has had great success as a coach in both the collegiate and professional ice hockey ranks. After getting his start as an assistant coach for the Flying Dutchmen, Anastas worked his way up through the AHL and is currently the head coach of the Korean national U18 team. With his alma mater set to enter a promising new era, it was only fitting to catch up with the Calder Cup-winning coach.
Q: Can you describe your ascent through the coaching ranks since leaving Lebanon Valley College?
A: My first coaching job actually came during my senior year at LVC. I was out due to injury and there was a coaching change in January of the 2009-10 season. I was asked to finish out the remainder of the season as an assistant coach. From there, my career moved pretty quickly. After staying at LVC for a year, I took an assistant position at the Division I level with Western Michigan University, where we won the 2011-12 CCHA Championship. The 2012-13 season was my first of two as an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, an affiliate of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. We won the Calder Cup in 2013.
I decided to pursue my first head coaching position at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. There was a direct connection there as Mike Babcock and Bill Peters of the Red Wings organization also began their coaching careers at U of L. They guided me into that position and I gained valuable coaching experience. While I had to take a couple steps down to gain that experience, I have become a better coach because of it and have my sights set on making a return to the professional ranks as a head coach. I have been fortunate to work with some of the best in the business, including current NHL head coaches including Babcock (Toronto Maple Leafs), Bill Peters (Carolina Hurricanes), and Jeff Blashill (Detroit Red Wings).
Additionally, my schedule at U of L has provided me the opportunity to work on the international level and the IIHF. I was an assistant coach for Canada at the 2015 World University Games and I currently work with the Korean national programs as the head coach of their U18 team, as well as an assistant for the men's national team.
Q: You were a member of LVC's hockey program during a time of great change. Can you describe what that time period was like for you as a student-athlete?
A: It definitely wasn't the easiest time in terms of hockey experience. I was named a team captain my freshman year and retained a letter on my jersey all four years. That was a challenge in itself because it seemed like I was leading a new group of guys each season. I came in with a freshman class of 16 players and was one of only two from that original group to graduate from LVC. In my four years there, I saw nearly 80 players come and go with the majority of them not finishing their hockey careers or their education at LVC.
Nevertheless, there was still a lot of good in it. I proved to myself that I had a level of commitment and loyalty that would help me in my future career. It forced me to seek and find a number of other positives of college life on the LVC campus and enjoy the process of becoming a well-rounded individual. It taught me how to persevere through trying times while doing my best to keep a smile on my face.
When the change to ACHA Hockey was announced, I took it pretty badly. I voiced some very strong opinions and even challenged some school administrators. Looking back on the situation, I really learned a lot from that experience, particularly in how to deal with those things in better manner. It also strengthened my ongoing commitment to LVC ice hockey as I refused to turn my back on it.
Q: Did that time at LVC help prepare you in any way for the challenges you've faced as a coach?
A: For sure it did. On every team, in every season, in every game, and even in every shift there is some kind of adversity. It is a very complex game and nothing ever goes 100 percent your way. My experience at LVC taught me many things that apply to my current career. It taught me how to adapt, stay calm, and focus on the process in order to become better. I learned a lot about "what not to do" and it helped me understand that commitment is necessary to build a strong program. I took over a team at the University of Lethbridge that found itself in a very similar situation to the one I walked into at LVC during my freshman year. During the building process of my current team, I always refer back to my experience at LVC and think about what I needed as a student-athlete during my playing days. Without the ups and downs I experienced through those tough years, I may not have been as successful in rebuilding a program as I am now, knowing the two ways it can go.
Q: What do you think about LVC's recent success, including this year's run to nationals, after the program's down period of a few years ago?
A: At the time of the transition from NCAA to ACHA, I saw that as more of a down period itself than the abundance of losses experienced in the previous years. But my perspective has changed since then. The team's recent success was great for ice hockey at LVC. It showed that something can be built there and that a commitment was made to the program. It allowed for a great student-athlete experience and earned the positive attention needed to revive the program. This year's run to nationals was exciting, I watched the games on my iPad at home. The character and resilience shown in that last game was a joy to watch. The landscape of NCAA Division III hockey has really changed and I believe it's more welcoming to LVC at the moment. The success the program had in the ACHA can only help it hit the ground running upon its return to the NCAA ranks.
Q: As an LVC ice hockey alum, are you excited for the men's team's return to NCAA Division III play, as well as the implementation of a women's program next year?
A: I am ecstatic about the return to NCAA Division III. It makes me proud to see the team I invested so much time in playing at the highest level it can. I believe that things can be very different this time around as everyone has learned from the experiences of the past. I love hockey and I love the growth of hockey. Many other schools are also adding the sport over the next couple of years. I also think that it's fantastic that LVC is starting a women's ice hockey program. I think it will root the sport deeper into the culture of the school with both programs making their marks.
