2014-15 Bantam Prospects Coach Drew Schaefer has shifted roles for the coming season as he now becomes Director of Scouting for the P-Pats. "Drew is an incredible scout and a great judge of talent," commented GM RJ Zeigler.  "But he also has two sons and would like the opportunity to see both of them play and develop a love for the game.  At the same time he truly believes in what we are doing here with the Patriots and wants to help the program grow and continue to offer a great experience for our players."  

    Schaefer had this to say regarding the promotion:  "The opportunity is now for the expansion of high level youth hockey in our area. The number of high end or elite players looking for and having the ability to compete at a higher level has increased exponentially as youth hockey has grown in northern Virginia. However, up until now the opportunity to play at that level has not followed that growth rate.  As a result of the Potomac Patriots successful affiliation with the United States Premier Hockey League at the junior level our program can now offer AAA level play in both the U14 and U16 age brackets. The USPHL is arguably the best Tier 1 hockey league in the United States and clearly a leader in the east coast. Our challenge now is to articulate the aggregate opportunity of playing Potomac Patriots hockey to all players who want and feel ready to take the next step in their hockey careers."

    Drew joins the new Potomac staff this year after coaching several years of youth hockey in the Northern Virginia region from Mite to Pee Wee including stints with Ashburn, Reston, Piedmont and most recently with the Potomac Prospects. In addition to coaching through the Fall and Winter months, Drew also instructs at a hockey school, Stride Envy Skating, in Yarmouth, Maine from June through August. He is an advocate in the "skills" attributes provided by USA Hockey's ADM teaching methodology in conjunction with concepts, strategies, and disciplines gained from his experience both coaching and playing the game. Drew is a Level 4 Certified USA Hockey Coach.

  As a native of Philadelphia, Drew played much of his youth hockey with the first iterations of the Philadelphia Little Flylers and Junior Flyers organizations as a goaltender. In the mid 1970's he was drafted by the Sherbrooke Castors Major Junior Hockey League after several succesful seasons with the Little Flyers. This included competing for the National Championship on several occasions at both the Pee Wee and Bantam levels. Throughout his Junior years with the Flyers, Drew was recruited by several top Universities and accepted a scholarship to NCAA Division 1 Colgate University where he played four years and graduated with a dual B.A. in both Geology and Fine Arts. Upon graduation in 1980 Drew was signed as an unrestricted free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs where he attended tryouts and subsequently signed with the organization. As one of the final cuts that year, he was assigned by Toronto to its top farm club, The Milwaukee Admirals of the International Hockey League. His playing career was cut short in 1981 after a series of concussions.

    Drew is married to wife Rebecca, a native Virginian from Upperville, and has two boys, both hockey players. Luc age 8 and Max age 12. The Schaefers own a farm on the Rappahanock River in Northwest Fauquier County where they have lived for the past nineteen years. Drew recently completed some 33 years in the business world managing operations in the capital markets and asset management in both New York City and Virginia.

    The Patriots have more exciting news to come in the near future!