skip navigation

Russo Takes Over As Amarillo Bulls Head Coach

By Anthony Lorusso, 06/18/17, 2:15PM EDT

Share

Two-Time Coach of the Year Heading to NAHL

Aston, PA -- The Philadelphia Little Flyers, proud members of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL), would like to wish reigning EHL Coach of the Year, Rocky Russo, the best of luck as he moves on to the next chapter of his coaching career.

After four seasons at the helm of the Little Flyers EHL team, Russo has accepted the head coaching job for the Amarillo Bulls, of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).  Russo will finish his Little Flyers coaching career with an impressive .757% win percentage, amassing 159 career wins in 210 games behind the bench.  Under Russo, the Little Flyers have been an EHL powerhouse, winning four consecutive South Division Titles, three EHL Regular Season Championships and advancing to the EHL Finals in back-to-back seasons.  Russo also won the EHL’s Coach of the Year award twice in four seasons.  “On behalf of the Giacobbo family and Little Flyers family I’d like to wish Rocky the best of luck as he moves up to the North American Hockey League as the head coach in Amarillo” said Little Flyers President John Giacobbo.  He continued “Rocky has been a great asset to our organization, he elevated our program to the top of the EHL during his four years as our head coach and general manager.  More important than winning, he brought in high character players that we are proud to call Little Flyers.  I know he will be very successful in Amarillo, his dedication to his craft and willingness to learn and get better is unmatched.  We are looking forward to having a good working relationship with the Bulls organization as our players try to move up the ladder of development under the USA Hockey umbrella to reach their ultimate goals of becoming NCAA Student-Athletes.  We will all be rooting for Rocky and want to see him continually succeed as he will always be a part of the Little Flyers family” concluded Giacobbo. 

“It has been an honor and a privilege to be the Head Coach/General Manager of the Philadelphia Little Flyers for the last four seasons.  I am proud of the success we have had on and off the ice, and even more so in the ability to advance our young men to the next level.  I am also honored to say I coached in the EHL, which is a prestigious league full of quality coaches and people.  It is a bittersweet feeling to be moving on; as I am extremely excited to join the Amarillo organization and return to the Texas panhandle, but sad to move on from an organization and community that I take so much pride in.  I would like to personally thank John Giacobbo and his family for all of their support as well as their friendship for the past four years; he is an owner that is second to none.  I would also like to thank George Lewis, Mark Catron, Ben Curley and TJ McCarthy for their help and friendship these last four seasons.  I truly hope I had as big of an impact on them as they did on me.  Finally I would like to thank Anthony Lorusso, Mike Cammarata, Glen and Lindsay Tendler and the entire staff at IceWorks for a great four years and all of their support.  The Little Flyers will continue to succeed on and off the ice, just remember to trust the process and stay FlyeredUp!” said Russo after the official announcement by the Amarillo Bulls organization on his new position. 

Russo, is very familiar with the Amarillo Bulls and their rich program history as he spent three years there as the Assistant Coach/Assistant Director of Hockey Operations.  In those seasons, the Bulls amassed a record of 153-41-20 that included two South Division regular season titles, three division playoff titles and a 2013 Robertson Cup National Championship.  Player development has always been coach Russo’s number one priority, with over 45 players advancing to the NCAA ranks in his four years with the Little Flyers.  Several players have also received league wide recognition under the guidance of Russo including two Goalie of the Year Awards, One Defenseman of the Year Award, Three First Team All Stars , and Seven Second Team All Stars.  Numerous players also received EHL Stars of the Week honors and have moved on to play in the North American Hockey League.             

In the very near future Giacobbo and the Little Flyers will be naming a new head coach for the EHL team that will take over for the 2017-18 season.