Mario Cicchillo has settled in nicely as YOUR Renegades head coach for the upcoming season.

With an impressive coaching career that spans decades at nearly every level of hockey, Cicchillo brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and passion to the Renegades’ bench.

He is excited to get the season started and said he was pleasantly surprised at the level of talent the team’s management has assembled this season.

“The guys look great. Some real skill on the team, for sure,” Cicchillo said. “We want to be a hard team to play against. Compete every night. There is no reason why we can’t continue the good run the team has been on the past few years.”

When asked about his coaching philosophy, Cicchillo’s approach is simple: play fast, stay disciplined, and always respect the game.

“I’ve never been a dump-and-chase guy,” said Cicchillo, who has a small amount of GMHL experience with the Brantford Rattlers. “Why give the puck away when you already have it? I want my players to attack, protect the puck, and play with confidence. And above all, respect your opponents and the officials.”

Cicchillo’s resume speaks for itself. From guiding the Mississauga IceDogs to the OHL finals to coaching at the Maccabi Games in Israel, to guiding Team Canada to gold at the World U17s, coach Cicchillo has built a reputation for success.

Along the way, he had the chance to coach NHL stars such as Tyler Seguin, Jeff Skinner, Alex Pietrangelo and Tyler Toffoli — experiences that stand out as career highlights.

Cicchillo credits several mentors with shaping his coaching journey. Early on, he learned under Frank Carnavale with the Brampton Capitals, where he coached for seven years. Later, working alongside former Calgary Flames coach Greg Gilbert with the IceDogs, he gained valuable insight from a coach who had just come from the NHL.

He also partnered with Mike Kelly as associate head coaches in Niagara, experiences that he says prepared him to lead at the highest levels of junior hockey.

Though Cicchillo’s playing days were spent as a steady defenseman in Tier 2 junior, it was a twist of fate that launched his coaching career. After turning down a possible tryout with the New York Rangers in the late 1970s, a friend asked him to help coach a minor hockey team in Woodbridge.

Newly married at the time, Cicchillo agreed — and led that team to an all-Ontario championship. From there, he built a coaching path through the GTHL’s Vaughan Kings and Toronto Marlies organizations, and Brampton Capitals of the OJHL, setting the foundation for a lifelong career behind the bench.

For Cicchillo, the decision to join the Renegades was about more than hockey. He wasn’t actively looking for a coaching job, having stepped back to help care for his daughter, who was battling brain cancer. Now in remission and recently married, she encouraged her father to return to the game he loves.

“She said it was time to get back behind the bench,” Cicchillo said. “Her support, and the support of her husband, means the world to me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to join the Renegades family.”

As YOUR Renegades prepare for the upcoming season, they do so with a new leader at the helm — one who combines experience, resilience, and a deep love for the game.

Welcome, Coach Cicchillo! You are now #unitedinred