Coaching Staff and Contact

Ashley brings a wealth of experience and passion for the game, and I am confident that her leadership will propel our team to new heights. Ashley comes to GCDS after two seasons coaching the Mid Fairfield Stars u14 team Tier 1 team. Prior to that she spent time coaching in the NEPSAC at both Choate and Thayer Academy. Her playing career started in California before attending boarding school at Choate and playing four years at Middlebury College. From there, she spent several years playing in Sweden’s professional women’s league before transitioning behind the bench. Ashley focuses on athlete development through tactical technical and team skills. Her vision and dedication to player development will bring our program to the next level, and I have no doubt that she will inspire and guide our players to success both on and off the ice.

Sarah enters her 4th season with GCDS GVH as the assistant coaching with experience that develops our athletes both on and off the ice. She currently is also the Director of Hockey for Stateline Hawks and her prior coaching experience comes from being Ashley's assistant coach at Choate Rosemary Hall. Her playing career picked up with the Connecticut Polar Bears before propelling her to play four years at the Frederick Gunn School winning two NEPSAC championships during her time there. After Gunnery she continued to play Ice Hockey and Lacrosse at Elmira College where she earned CCM/ACHA First Team All-American and Elmira College Athlete of the Year Awards. Post Elmira, she played a few years in the NWHL with the Connecticut Whale and she currently is a Gold Medal winner and member of Team USA Women's Ball Hockey Team. Sarah has a Master's degree in Sport Psychology which she uses as another tool in her kit to developing our GVH athletes.

Since the announcement of our new division, Rick has been an active and engaged leader in the work to build the high school program, structure, and community. As Assistant Head of Upper School, Rick works closely with faculty, staff, and students to promote an outstanding student experience and school culture. Rick moved to our Upper School after 20 years on the Old Church Road campus where he served as a math teacher, coach, and Head of Middle School (grades 4-6). Rick chaired the former Upper School Math Department and helped to shape culture and program across disciplines and divisions as a member of the administration. M.Ed. Wagner College B.A. SUNY Binghamton where he played and Captained the Men's hockey team.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Joel Lynch is responsible for the physical training for all students as well as the maintenance and scheduling of the weight room facility on the Stanwich Road campus.  

“My goal is to give student-athletes the opportunity to excel in their respective sports as well as in life. As a department we strive to instill discipline, accountability and a growth mindset to help drive personal team success. I believe in a comprehensive approach to strength and conditioning where we include sports nutrition, mental skills training and sports science help all student- athletes. With this in mind, this will allow improvement in all areas of athletic performance including speed, power, strength, agility, coordination, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness. Accomplishing this will potentially mitigate the risk and severity of injury.”

“Within the weight room, there will be an environment where student-athletes are challenged appropriately, given honest evaluation and positive reinforcement. My core values are communication, consistency and integrity.”

Ives is bringing three years of professional and four years of collegiate playing experience with her to the bench amongst years of goaltending coaching for our athletes between the pipes.

No stranger to Nutmeg State, Ives spent the last three seasons playing for the Connecticut Whale of the National Women's Hockey League and the Premier Hockey Federation. Over 33 professional games in net, she posted a .903 save percentage and a 2.46 goals-against average, to go with a 22-10-0 record and three shutouts. Ives backstopped the Whale to an appearance in the 2022 Isobel Cup Final.

Prior to her professional career, Ives spent four seasons tending the crease just up the Merritt Parkway at Quinnipiac. When she graduated, she ranked third all-time in program history with 14 shutouts. Across 102 career games with the Bobcats, Ives posted a .925 save percentage and a 1.79 goals-against average, on the way to a 46-41-13 record. She was named the team's MVP as a senior.