“Sean Allen isn't only a close friend; he was also my coach at UCLA.

From a pure coaching standpoint, Sean has a depth of hockey experience that's rare in any sport. He played at elite levels and now coaches at one. By the end of high school, I had honestly started to lose my love for the game. The pressure to perform and the sheer volume of ice time had drained the fun out of it, but Sean was a big reason that changed for me in college. Under his coaching, we made our first ever appearance at Western Regionals, ultimately falling by one goal in the final game. I can honestly say that season, and that playoff run, was the most fun I've ever had playing hockey. I'll always look back fondly on that year, in large part because of the positive energy Sean brought to every practice and game. He paid attention to every member of the team, from the first-line scorers to the locker room guys, and he was one of the first people I'd talk to before or after a game for encouragement or feedback.

I now coach youth hockey myself, and Sean is the coach I try to emulate every time I step on the ice. He develops players by making sure they're having fun. Sean brings a level of perspective, insight, and coaching that most youth hockey coaches simply don't have, thanks to his decades of experience and his commitment to putting kids first. When he says your kid will have the best summer of their life at Essaray, he means it. “