Bryan Hince
Bryan is a native of Kapuskasing, Ontario Canada. He has had an extensive playing career including NCAA Hockey and Professional Hockey. Bryan’s professional hockey experiences include time playing with the Connecticut Whale, Cincinnati Cyclones, Idaho Steelheads, San Fransisco Bulls, Greenville Road Warriors and the Knoxville Ice Bears. In 2015, while playing for the Presidents Cup Champion Knoxville Ice Bears Bryan was named post season MVP among other accolades. Bryan has been Coaching and Instructing youth hockey for over 15 years. Coaching teams to numerous spring/summer hockey tournament titles. While playing professionally, Bryan effectively developed Pro Vision Hockey Academy. Bryan is now Owner/Gm of Pro Vision Hockey Academy dedicating his time to youth hockey development in the South Eastern United States. Bryan’s coaching philosophy is one of commitment, teamwork, skill development, and accountability. Committed to excellence as a coach, and strives to get the best out of every single athlete.
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"No excuses, play like a champion"
Owner / Gm
John Thiel
Hockey Operations
I started playing hockey at the age of seven; a late start by Canadian standards, but nonetheless, from the moment I put on my skates, I fell in love with the game. I always say I lived the minor hockey dream; I grew up playing through my minor hockey system, was able to be the Captain of My Hometown Junior Hockey team and went on to play at the next level (Union College NCAA Div. 1 and WLU).
I got into coaching at an early age; I was an instructor for Blue-line Hockey School, ran by Joe McDonnell, a very respected NHL scout and admin. I loved the analytical aspects of helping a player improve on the ice, regardless of the skill. As I continued to play, my passion for skill development and off-ice conditioning grew. I have acquired over 10 certifications throughout my career, ranging from strength and conditioning, to functional movement training. I have been certified for over 12 years now and love helping young players get stronger, but also get healthier as well.
I have been involved with skill development training for over 20 years now, and genuinely love it. I have done a lot of different jobs throughout my career, but I always seem to get drawn back to hockey! Before I got this opportunity, I started a hockey business of my own called Puck Budget, which helped families map out their children’s player development, while helping the hockey family spend their hard earned money in the right places. I am hoping to add some of those elements to the Pro Vision Offerings soon, which is very exciting!
Suffice to say, I live and breath hockey! Helping your children develop elite skills is what I love, but at the same time, it is my job to help them acquire the skills it takes to be a leader in the community, not just on the ice. I am very happy to start my journey with Pro Vision Hockey Academy and I look forward to the days where we start putting some Tennessee players into the NHL!
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Frank Hart
Skills Instructor
Frank Hart hails from Timmins, Ontario Canada. In 2017 he graduated from Fredonia State University with a degree in Sports Management and Athletic Coaching. Frank joins our team at Pro Vision as a full time Skills Coach and Management Consultant after a playing career with experience at a variety of levels including Canadian Jr. A, NCAA, and Minor Pro in Europe.
His coaching experience began in 2014 where he was head and associate instructor at the Turcotte Stickhandling Hockey Schools. These teachings took place in his off seasons leading up to 2018 where Frank joined the training facility Discover Fitness and Performance located in his hometown. This gave him 4 more years of experience running hockey schools, small groups and private lessons. This took place on ice and synthetic ice. The summer of 2021 he ran skills for elite level players at the RHP facility located in Sudbury, Ontario Canada. Frank was on ice working with NHL drafted players, AHL players, OHL players and NCAA committed players.
While playing overseas he ran clinics and lessons for the local players of the city he played for. These various locations include Svenstavik, Brunflo and Hallefors in Sweden. Mannheim Germany, and most recently Groningen in the Netherlands. He Prides himself on teaching game specific puck handling moves, skating edgework warmups, fundamentals of passing and shooting. Frank also puts emphasis on the mental side of sport for a holistic approach to the game.
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Dillion Nickel
Youth Hockey Coordinator
Dillon is a native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Hockey started for Dillon when he was 12 years old. His mother was not able to afford to pay for hockey in the public school system. Therefore, a lot of his hockey was spent off ice on the concrete playing street and roller hockey. It wasn’t until Dillon’s mother enrolled him in a private boarding school for underprivileged kids called Milton Hershey School. While in Hershey, Dillon picked up playing ice hockey for the first time in eighth grade when he was 14. The next five years of Dillon playing hockey he had opportunities to not only train at elite levels for the first time due to the school covering the cost for him to play, but he developed at such an accelerated rate. In that time Dillon not only got the chance to play against elite junior travel talents, but he also had time to train with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, and train for multiple summers at Bob Hartley’s hockey camps in York, PA. Dillon’s hockey career would lead him to obtain an invite to play collegially at California University of PA. His career would come to an end due to an injury in 2013. He would then transfer to Lancaster Bible College to pursue a career in Ministry. Dillon is a certified coach with USA hockey and continues to play the game weekly.
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