Select Hockey Staff

JD LaRocca will serve as the Head Coach for the Columbus Capitals 8U Select Hockey team. He is entering his 6th season as a youth hockey coach at the house and select levels and has earned his level 4 USAH coaching certification. He has a passion for sharing his love of hockey with the youth players and is excited for another season on the ice!

His coaching philosophy is centered on the development of the players and teaching them how to become a team. At these younger ages it’s so important for them to have fun which then helps create a lasting love for the game. While he believes in developing a strong foundation of skills that will serve as the framework for their future hockey success, he also believes that through hockey we are creating and developing future leaders off the ice. 

Bio Coming Soon

Mike Betz has coached in CAHA for the past five seasons and has been coaching youth hockey at various levels for the past twenty years. Mike played goaltender for the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he holds the all-time records for career wins, saves, shutouts, and minutes played.

After his career at OSU, he played professionally for parts of two seasons in the East Coast Hockey League.

Mike earned his PhD in Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics in 2011 and is now an Associate Professor at Ohio State in the Department of Human Sciences. He lives in Worthington with his wife and three children.  

Jim Polchow is currently the coach of a Bantam House & Select team. He will have coached 25 house and select teams for CAHA at the end of this year. Jim has a passion for learning and coaching which was strengthened when his two sons became interested in hockey. He has also coached club level soccer and various other sports but has always favored hockey. 

Jim's hockey ‘career’ was done by the time he entered high school but as an adult he has played over 700 recreational games. With this unique perspective he understands hockey is about playing for the love of the game, building friendships, and competing at your individual potential. Jim's sense of humor, depth of knowledge, and unique ability to help players improve has made him a favorite of past players. He takes pride in fostering a team environment and developing integrity in his players.

Jim holds a Level 4 Coaching Certificate from USA Hockey, has ran checking clinics in the past, and has helped the Dublin Scioto High School Hockey program with skills based practices. He is a Graduate of The Ohio State University and has an MBA. Jim resides in Dublin with his wife and two sons, and currently works in the Financial Services industry.