Head U16 Hockey Coach Shawn Lynch ’13. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.
Northwood history will be made on September 13, 2025, when the boys’ 16U hockey team restarts after a multi-year hiatus. The new 16U team begins its inaugural season with a two-game series against the Buffalo Jr Sabres in Utica, New York.
For the last three years, Northwood has only run two boys’ hockey teams – Varsity and Prep. Last year, a decision was made to add a 16U team for the 2025-26 season to bring younger players to the school. Before this decision to add a new team, a number of the Prep players were 18–19-year-olds who would only attend Northwood for one season. The addition of younger players prioritizes long-term development and helps build the hockey program for years to come. Head U16 Coach Shawn Lynch ’13 states that they are looking “to bring in the right kids that we see potential in. If we do things the right way, the 16U team will ideally turn into a feeder for Prep.”
The coaching team for 16U consists of Lynch, who served as the Assistant Coach for Prep last season, and Assistant Coach Justin Felhaber ‘14, who was previously an Assistant Coach with Varsity last season. Both coaches previously played Prep hockey at Northwood.
Recruiting for the team occurred from October 2024 to May 2025. Coach Lynch notes that “there were a lot of potential players that we had to work through, which led to some tough decisions being made. We are happy with how the team was put together.” The team consists of players from the USA, Canada, Russia, and Germany. Goalie Everett Marin ‘28 said, “I heard of Northwood through some people that are currently here, and the deciding factor for me was the great education, as well as great hockey with high-end coaches, exposure, experience, and support.”
The team will be playing in the Northern Schools Hockey Conference (NSHC) this season as their main conference, while also competing in many high-quality showcases and tournaments. Some of the notable tournaments they will be attending are two BEAST league showcases, the USHL Cup in Rochester, the CCM challenge in Quebec, two Player’s Group events in New Jersey, and our own Northwood Invitational. These events are all extremely competitive and showcase the strength that has been brought into the hockey program.
With the start of the season this weekend, it is an extremely exciting time for both coaches and the team. It is the start of a new tradition at Northwood, with 16U hockey looking to develop into a program that helps move players onto Prep and higher-level hockey.
