John Parco coaches, trains

By Randy Russon
October 20, 2017
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He has a lot more to offer than just being the coach of the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League. A former star player at the major junior and European professional levels, John Parco is also a sports vision trainer and a world-class, kinesiology-educated, disciple of the game that he lives and loves.

The 46-year old Sault Ste. Marie resident returned to his hometown more than a year ago after a couple of decades living abroad in Italy, where he played and then coached pro hockey, met a young lady who would become his wife — and then have two children with her.

Since returning home and bringing his wife and their two elementary-school-aged kids with him, Parco has continued to immerse himself in the game that he grew up in as a west end boy in Sault Ste. Marie.

“I loved playing and coaching and living in Italy but I missed my home and my family here a lot,” relayed Parco, while guesting on a recent edition of the Hockey North Show on Sault Ste. Marie radio station ESPN 1400.

“I always wanted my kids to experience the Canadian way of life,” Parco continued. “It’s nice for them to have family in Italy and Canada and to experience the culture and way of life both here and there.”

Parco spent his first year back in Sault Ste. Marie — the 2016-2017 season — coaching his son in the Soo Pee Wee Hockey League and working with the Lake Superior State Lakers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association as their strength and conditioning coach.

He was unsure of his plans for 2017-2018 when an opportunity arose to coach the aforementioned Soo Thunderbirds of the NOJHL and after consultation with his wife, Parco took the job.

Parco, to be sure, is showing his coaching prowess with the Thunderbirds.

In what was supposed to be a major rebuilding season after the graduation and relocation of so many key players from the 2016-2017 edition of the Thunderbirds that finished atop the NOJHL West Division standings, Parco has the 2017-2018 Soo squad in first place through 17 games.

“They are a good group of players to work with,” Parco said of the 2017-2018 Thunderbirds. “It is a coach-able group and (assistant coaches) Toots Kovacs, Marc Disano and myself have been able to get a lot out of them so far.”

In the meantime, Parco has continued to coach within the Soo Pee Wee Hockey League, helping out head coach Dan Kurylo — and a staff that includes assistant coach Joe Caruso and manager Dr. Kevin Caruso — with the Atom Major Selects.

Parco has also taken the time to study a university course in Kinesiology and open up his own business, Superior Hockey Training, which he operates from a facility located within the John Rhodes Community Centre.

The affable, personable Parco has used his studies in Kinesiology to incorporate it with the usual weight and dry land training means of instruction that goes with being a sports trainer.

By definition, kinesiolgy is the “scientific study of human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, bio-mechanical and psychological mechanisms of movement. Applications of kinesiology to human health include biomechanics and orthopedics; strength and conditioning; sport psychology; methods of rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational therapy; and sport and exercise.”

The training of up-and-coming young hockey players is something that Parco has a clear passion for.

“There’s such a fine line for player development and advancement specific to how properly a player trains and takes care of himself,” Parco noted. “Little things can make a big difference.”

Among the players that Parco has trained are his cousin Frank Porco’s son, Nick Porco. A physical specimen of a 2001 birth-year forward, Nick was a first-round pick, fourth overall, of the Saginaw Spirit at the 2017 Ontario Hockey League draft.

“Nick has a lot of natural ability but the thing about him is the time and effort and sacrifice that he puts in to the game to try to make himself a better player,” Parco said of Porco.

But ability and determination are not what Parco likes most of young Porco.

“He’s a great kid and you can’t ask for more than that,” Parco beamed.

As his young relative is an emerging rookie in the OHL, Parco was no slouch himself when he played in the league.

Before going on to a decorated professional career as a player and coach overseas — mostly in Italy — Parco was a three-year scoring star as a centre with the erstwhile Belleville Bulls of the OHL.

Drafted by Belleville out of the Sault Major Hockey Association in the third round of the 1988 OHL draft, Parco produced 109 goals, 148 assists, 257 points over three regular-season campaigns with the Bulls.

A National Hockey League draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, Parco went on to a 19-year pro career, spending the majority of it as an A Division standout with HC Asiago in Italy.

As he was a team captain in the OHL with Belleville, he also wore the “C” on his jersey with HC Asiago. Parco also starred for Team Italy at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

After retiring as a player, Parco was the coach for HC Asiago for three seasons and led them to two championships.

Now, after so many years away from home, Parco is back where it all began for him.

“It’s a good situation for me and right now, it’s a good situation for us as a family,” Parco said. “We’re just taking this a year at a time.”

Parco did say that while he is “very impressed” with the caliber of play in the NOJHL and that while he really enjoys the every day challenge of coaching and developing players for the Thunderbirds, he “would love” to get an opportunity to coach in the OHL, be it as a head or an assistant.

“I grew up as a teenager in the OHL and I enjoyed three great years in Belleville playing for (coaches) Danny Flynn and Larry Mavety,” said Parco. “It would be nice to at some point have the chance to be a coach in the OHL.

“Right now though,” he wrapped up, “I love doing what I do.”

PHOTO: John Parco, in a press conference file photo, while coaching in Italy.