Indy native trains hockey stars of tomorrow

by Martin McConnell

Under the direction of Independence native Tom Goebel, the Cleveland Athletic Academy in Parma has helped to make Northeast Ohio a youth sports hotbed, especially in the world of hockey. Goebel, president of operations for the academy, and his staff have worked tirelessly to train the next generation of collegiate and professional athletes.

The academy’s Hauserman Road facility, Goebel said, is made up of a volleyball gym, a general training center and a hockey rink. Having played collegiate and professional hockey, Goebel said his student training methods come from all around the world.

He played in the North American Hockey League at age 15, and played NCAA D1 hockey for Michigan State University and The Ohio State University. His professional career includes playing in the American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League, according to clevelandathleticacademy.com.

“We’re trying to give kids the opportunity to go and play against the best of the best in the country,” Goebel said. “We’re focused on skill development; making these kids better players, better stick-handlers, better skaters … and putting them against the best competition and seeing what they can do.”

Goebel’s son, Tommy Jr., is a hockey talent himself and is currently on a travel team. Tommy Jr. hopes to travel to Edmonton, Alberta, for a world tournament later this year.

Goebel explained that the academy building used to be a facility for the Cleveland Browns before his father, also named Tom, opened it up as a general-use sports facility.

“My dad [Tom Sr.] opened it. I believe way back in the day it was a Browns training center,” Goebel said. “Now, it’s hockey and volleyball. The building is for the Barons organization. The Barons [are] a higher-level hockey organization, trying to provide opportunities for kids to reach the college hockey level.”

Goebel’s professional hockey career took him first into the NHL’s minor leagues, before he traveled through Europe, he said. He played his final season in 2012 in Sweden, which he said is known for its extremely refined player development system.

Since returning to the United States a decade ago, Goebel and the Cleveland Athletic Academy have helped over 20 players go on to play in the NHL, and have had nearly 200 play collegiate hockey. Goebel said the academy’s biggest success story is two-time United States Olympian Kelli Stack.

Goebel said he tries to get as much exposure as possible for his athletes. As the players get older, he said, the academy’s league goes national, stretching from coast to coast. Putting the best against the best consistently allows for players to grow, even through private training academies.

“Our goal here is to offer this opportunity for Cleveland kids,” Goebel said. “Our league is a national league. It goes from California all the way to Boston. We meet, and it’s a showcase-based league, so the competition level is the best of the best.”

Even on the national level, Goebel’s academy has come to stand out, he noted. The Barons system won a national championship in 1998, and has consistently ranked as one of the best systems in the country. For Goebel, he hopes to keep that momentum going.

“I love the game of hockey,” he said. “All my friends, everything, has come through this game. So, to be able to help out and give back, and try to help these kids and give them that opportunity, it’s special.” ∞