Coach's Corner - Head Coach Mario Sousa

Letter from the Coach

Henry Ford once said, "coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is success."

Our program promotes sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline, commitment, respect for self and our opponents, the importance of control, confidence in physical skills apart from winning, and a sense of responsibility to our sport, our fans and the community.

To grow and move on into the future I believe a player needs more than just talent. Aside from playing smart and controlled, he needs to be a team player, display a strong work ethic, be well rounded, show leadership, and he must display professionalism. If you don't know where you are going how do you expect to get there, hard work, dedication, discipline, and organization will take us where we want to be.

In order to succeed we must first believe that we can. I believe that all sports teams start their season with the objective of winning their championship. This is definitely going to be our objective each year. However, along with this objective there are some additional ones that I want for the teams that I coach.

Physical Conditioning - Daily living does not provide much physical conditioning and hockey players will probably never be in such good physical condition as during their hockey career.

Social Education - Players learn a great deal about social interaction when they become part of an organized team. They will develop and nurture many friendships, and in turn, these very friendships will allow them to develop their social skills.

Commitment and Discipline - Commitment and discipline shape's one's character. Teaching my players to be at all practices and games develop their responsibility, teaching them to take direction develops discipline. Behaving according to established guidelines will help them to enhance their responsibilities to themselves as well as to others and what it is to be an elite hockey player.

Striving for Perfection - Teaching my players to do their best and to never be satisfied with where they are but to strive to be as good as they can be if they tried harder. All I can ask for is that they perform and participate to the best of their abilities as they cope with the pressures and standards of playing Elite Roller Hockey.

Head Coach Mario Sousa's Bio

Mario Sousa was born and raised in Toronto , Canada and has always had hockey influence in his life.  He began playing hockey at the age of six and continued to do so through his high school years.  In 1991, Sousa moved to California and began his roller hockey career in 1993 where he played amateur roller hockey and began his coaching career as a goalie coach.  In 1995 and 1996 Sousa spent two seasons with the World Champion San Jose Rhinos in the RHI and had the privilege of dressing in a few games along the way.  In 1996 Sousa started the Northern California Mustangs and coached several youth traveling teams that were ranked amongst the top teams in Northern California for five years.  

Sousa is now the President and Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs in the AIHL (American Inline Hockey League).  However, Sousa will be the first to tell you that his job is about more than success on the rink.  "Looking back, I don't remember the score of every game, but I remember the letters that former players have written to me, telling me how much Mustang hockey meant to them," Sousa said.  "That's why I coach.  My advice to new coaches is simple: be a sponge.  Learn from everyone you can.  Work your butt off.  In this field, if you don't love it, you can't do it."  

Roller hockey is favored in Sousa's eyes over ice hockey.  "It's a quicker game in the aspect of not having as many whistles and it's much more of an open game," Sousa said.  "The game of roller hockey allows players to develop at a much quicker pace than ice hockey particularly due to the fact that you can almost practice anywhere.  One of my many dreams was to see players that I had an influence on make it into the professional ranks and I am now living that dream."   

Roller Hockey Resume   

2011-2012 President /Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Elite & Minor Divisions) 

Pacific Division Coordinator & Executive Board Member         in the AIHL - American Inline Hockey League 

2010-2011  President /Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Elite Division)

Assistant Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Minor Division)

Pacific Division Coordinator & Executive Board Member  in the AIHL - American Inline Hockey League 

2009-2010 President /Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Elite Division)

Assistant Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Minor Division)

Pacific Division Coordinator & Executive Board Member  in the AIHL - American Inline Hockey League 

2008-2009  President /Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs AIHL - American Inline Hockey League (Elite & Minor Divisions)  

2007-2008 President/Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs PIHA - Professional Inline Hockey Association (Pro & Minor Divisions)   

2000-2001 Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs (Squirt, Pee wee, Bantam & Junior Divisions)  

1999-2000 Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs (Squirt, Pee wee, Bantam & Junior Divisions)  

1998-1999 Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs (Pee wee, Bantam & Junior Divisions)  

1997-1998 Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs (Squirt, Pee wee & Bantam Divisions)  

1996-1997 Head Coach of the Northern California Mustangs (Pee wee & Junior Divisions)  

Third string goalie for the San Jose Rhinos RHI - Roller Hockey International   

Starting goalie for Fresno RPM (NIHA Bronze medal finalist's Amateur Roller Hockey)   

1995-1996 Head Coach of the San Jose Renegades (Bantam Division)  

Third string goalie for the San Jose Rhinos RHI - Roller Hockey International (Murphy Cup World Champions)  

Starting goalie for the San Jose Tremors (Amateur roller hockey)   

1994-1995 Head Coach of the San Jose Renegades (Bantam Division)  

Starting goalie for the San Jose Tremors (Amateur Roller Hockey)   

1993-1994 Goalie Coach for Team Gremic

Back-up goalie for Team Gremic (Amateur Roller Hockey)