Coaching Staff
Cody Murphy - Hockey Director
Cody played AAA hockey in the chicago land area for Team Illinois, Chicago Young Americans, and Chicago Mission winning 7 state championships and his U18 year, losing in the national championship game. He played juniors in the USHL for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and Tri-City Storm where he played in over 175 regular season games. He earned a NCAA Division I scholarship and played for Miami University from 2011-2015 where he won a regular season championship in the CCHA and a playoff championship in the NCHC. After his college career, he attended the Washington Capitals NHL Rookie Camp and played four years of professional hockey in Sweden.
After his playing career, he jumped into the coaching ranks. Cody has spent time as a head coach in junior hockey in the USPHL Premier and North American Hockey Legaue. He more recently was the hockey director for the Northbrook Bluehawks from 2022-24 coaching two travel teams and running skills. Cody also runs his own hockey training company that runs weekly clinics and works on player development through privates and video coaching.
Cody is extremely excited to be back in Lake Forest, where he was born and raised. Cody lives in Northbrook with his wife, Sammie, his daughter, Hayden Jane, and two dogs.
Charice Paoli - Assistant Hockey Director
Charice brings a wealth of experience and passion to our Winter Club team. She grew up playing for the Chargers through the end of eighth grade, and she was a 12-time varsity letter athlete at Lake Forest Academy. Charice completed an undergraduate degree in elementary and secondary education to earn a K-12 teaching degree. She competed in the NCAA cross country and softball programs every season while also participating on club lacrosse and hockey teams.
During her time as a classroom teacher, she completed a master’s in instructional technology. Her classroom teaching roles transitioned into a district technology specialist role that served multiple K-4 schools on the North Shore.
Her commitment and love for coaching hockey have been evident through her diligence and commitment to organizations for over 17 years. She has worked closely with the Chicago Blackhawks for 10 years as a grassroots growth specialist by overseeing learn to play initiatives and events that continue to grow the game. Additionally, she has successfully served as the head field hockey coach at Stevenson High School for seven seasons.
Charice’s outstanding contributions have been recognized by accolades from the Blackhawks as an "Outstanding Community Member" and "Community Playmaker." Her membership in the prestigious NHL Coaches' Association further highlights her commitment and expertise in the sport.
Charice is widely known as one of the best youth hockey and powerskating coaches in the area. She provides coaching and technical support across the club's hockey and skating programs, specializing in skill development and personalized training for youth and adult players.
Claude Desgagne - Bantam Head Coach
Claude has a Degree in Kinesiology from Laval University Majoring in Biomechanics and Sport Psychology.
This is Claude's 4th season with the Scouts program. Claude has a extensive coaching resume in both Canada and the US and has been a important contributor to the LFHS players individual skills
1990-1995 owned and operated high altitude training camp in British Columbia
1991-1994 Okanagan Hockey school as Director of Hockey Development and Power Skater
1995-2001 Chicago Young Americans Skills Director and Off-ice Training Director
2002-2006 Chicago Young Americans Head Coach
2012-2015 Highland Park JV Head Coach
2016- 2018 Lake Forest JV Head Coach
2019-2020 Lake Forest JV Assistant Coach
Claude also owns and operates a training facility in Highwood since 2010.
Matthew Kunach - Peewee White Head Coach
Matt started playing hockey around 6 years old and played hockey for about 15 years. Matt's two most recent seasons he played for the Chicago Young Americans AAA. This last 2019/2020 hockey season he played junior hockey out in New York, out there he helped coach practices for all the youth teams. Matt is a young coach bringing a lot of experience to the players and will help each player develop and get ready for whatever there next level may be.
Dave Swarthout - Pee Wee White Assistant Coach
Sam Morgan - Squirt Green Head Coach
Aidan Glynn - Squirt Green Assistant Coach
Michael Blasucci - Bantam Coach
Denean Gorman- Figure Skating Director
Denean has over 20 years of coaching experience. She began coaching and doing choreography at a local rink her senior year of college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Since then, she has coached all levels of children through adult skaters. She has choreographed routines for individuals, pairs, and groups for multiple ice shows and various skating exhibitions. She also has experience as a competitive IS and US figure skating coach. She has been skating since she was 10 and completed her own skating career as a competitive Intermediate Ladies competitor before entering high school. Denean has a passion and love of the ice that emanates as she teaches all levels of skating. Denean also has been an elementary teacher for over 25 years and currently teaches 3rd grade at a local school.