Serious Goalkeeping Alumni

Ashleigh Bellefontaine

1. Hometown: Dartmouth, NS
2. Youth Club: Dartmouth United S.C.

1. Starting Goalkeeper St. Mary's University
2. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Halifax City S.C. - 2008 Canadian National Champions)
3. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)

"I started training with Mike when I was about 13 years old at high performance then began training at extra early morning sessions anytime they were available.

I never really choose to be a goal keeper but as time passed I began to love it more and more, and Mike is a key component to that. Training was always a challenge, nothing was easy, and if he thought it was too easy he would kick the ball harder, make you jump higher, jump further or run faster. He always pushed my limits beyond what I ever thought I could do but made me "enjoy" every minute of it.

Mikes technical knowledge, attitutide, skill and coaching ability is without a doubt among the best which helps both on and off the field."

Elizabeth Cook

1. Hometown: Halifax, NS
2. Youth Club: Halifax City Celtic

1. Canadian National Team (U17)
2. Atlanta Silverbacks (W-League)
3. New Jersey Wildcats (W-League)
4. Starting Goalkeeper University of Hartford
5. NSCAA/Adidas Academic All-America Third Team
6. America East Goalkeeper of the Year
7. America East All-Conference First Team
8. NSCAA/Adidas All-Northeast Region First Team
9. NEWISA All-New England First Team
10. Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week
11. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Athens United - 2002 Canadian National Champions)
12. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)

I trained with Mike pretty much from when I first realized I was a goalkeeper until I went off to play in college. His sessions and drills are like nothing I have experienced anywhere else and his commitment to his players is unparalled. Without a doubt, I would not have had all of the success that I have had were it not for Mike's coaching and mentorship, both on the field and off.

As a young goalkeeper, I loved going to his practices and hated when they were over; I couldn't wait to just get back on the pitch and make the saves that most normal people would have thought were well out of reach. Mike prepared me to play at some of the highest levels in women's soccer, he pushed me to be the greatest athlete I could be, and to never say (or think) 'I can't'.

Kyle Hartlen (Spidey)

1. Hometown: Fall River, NS
2. Youth Club: Scotia S.C.

1. National Training Centre Atlantic (NTC-A)
2. 2006 Soccer Nova Scotia Player of the Year
3. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Halifax Dunbrack S.C.)
4. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)

"I first began training with Mike when he invited me into the High Performance Goalkeeper training program (HPC) when I was eleven, and I still train with him to this day.

Having trained with some of the best goalkeeper trainers in Canada, Mike, in my mind is without a doubt the best of the best. What makes training with Mike unique is that despite the size of the group you are training with, he always manages to push you to your limit so you get the best out of the training session.

Although he focuses on technique, he also incorporates the mental side of the game into training, ensuring that you are prepared for game situations. This is why his training is so effective, and prepares you for whatever level you aspire to play.

In the HPC program, Mike taught me values I use today not in only in soccer, but in life. He taught me that a strong work ethic, a good attitude, professionalism, and maturity are the keys to success whether it be in soccer, school, or life.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have gotten to where I am now without his help."

Becky Hazen

1. Hometown: Halifax, NS
2. Youth Club: Halifax City Celtic

1. Canadian National Team (U15, U16, U17)
2. National Training Centre Atlantic (NTC-A)
3. 2005 NS Canada Games Team
4. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Halifax Dunbrack S.C.)
5. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U14, U16)

" My best memories of training with Mike was with the Serious Soccer Goalkeeping sessions that we had in the morning before school. These were 6am practices, and even though I am not a morning person, I still made it there! I remember training in a tiny gym in Dartmouth, that had turf laid down. Mike had this machine that would shoot out balls, so we could practice crossing, and we would always have people in front of the net to make it more challenging and realistic with people crashing into you while you went up for a ball. I remember having to do summer-salts and then getting up as fast as I could to make a save. I think my favourite drill was when we had the big cones set up with bars across them, so we had to dive over the bars and make a big stretch to get the save.

Doing break away saves, always brought a big laugh, when Kyle would always try to do fancy tricks and usually ended up giving someone a bloody nose!

Mike is a dedicated coach, and I believe the best goalkeeper coach I ever had. He is tough and hard while coaching, only because he wants to bring the best out of every player. I just want to say a big thanks to Mike for all of the time he put into my training, I would not have made it as far as I did without his training.

Best of luck to you Mike! "

Thomas Lindley

1. Hometown: Tantallon, NS
2. Youth Club: Halifax Dunbrack S.C.

1. Sheffield United F.C. Academy, UK (U17,U19)
2. Canadian National Team (U15,U17,U20)
3. Starting Goalkeeper Simon Fraser University
4. Victoria Highlanders F.C. (USL)
5. 2001 NS Canada Games Team (Bronze Medal)
6. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15)

Graham Little

1. Hometown: Halifax, NS
2. Youth Club: Halifax Dunbrack S.C.

1. Starting Goalkeeper Acadia University
2. 2006-07 - MVP Acadia Men's Soccer
3. 2006-07 - AUS 2nd team Allstar goalkeeper
4. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Halifax City S.C., Athens United)
5. 2006 Allstar Goalkeeper NSSL Premiership Men
6. 2008 Allstar Goalkeeper NSSL Premiership Men
7. 2008 NSSL Premier Men Provincial Champions - Halifax City
8. 2009 NSSL Premier Men Provincial Champions - Halifax City
9. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)
10. 2003 Under 17 Provincial Champions - Halifax Dunbrack Soccer Club
11. 2004 Under 18 Provincial Champions - Halifax Dunbrack Soccer Club

"Mike Hunter was my goalkeeper coach at various times during my youth soccer career, specifically for the Nova Scotia provincial team. Mike has helped my game significantly over the years and even after playing in the AUS for three years I still remind myself constantly of the fundamentals which Mike instilled in me. Mike is an excellent communicator and uses this skill to convey his knowledge of goalkeeping from both a technical and mental perspective. I have relied heavily on these two aspects during my career whether in practice or provincial finals."

Laura Longard

1. Hometown: Halifax, NS
2. Youth Club: Halifax City Wanderers S.C.

1. National Training Centre Atlantic (NTC-A)
2. Starting Goalkeeper Troy State University
3. Set school record - career shutouts
4. Holds record - most saves in a game (21)
5. Troy State - Team MVP
6. Sun-Belt Second Team All-Conference
7. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Scotia S.C.)
8. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)
9. 1999 National Silver Medallist (U15 Club Championships)

"Mike coached me for several years, at both the Soccer Nova Scotia High Performance Center and when I trained with the National Training Center-Atlantic. Once I began training with Mike, I grew immensely as a player, and give him a lot of credit for what I’ve accomplished in the game.

He truly made me a well-rounded player, by not only working on technique and tactics, but by demanding that I be aggressive, fearless, vocal, and to be a leader on the field. I have been coached different styles of goalkeeping throughout my soccer career, but I was never more successful than when I stuck to the aggressive, confident style of goalkeeping that Mike helped me to develop.

When I was playing at Troy University if I was ever struggling, or when I started coaching goalkeepers myself, I would often think back to what Mike had taught me and use that to try to improve my own game, as well as that of the players I coached, because experience tells me that it works.

Mike was always very dedicated to all of the goalkeepers he coached, and frequently went beyond what was required of him, whether it was the extra early morning practices before school, or taking the time to sit down and talk with each of us about our strengths and weaknesses so that we knew what we needed to focus on in order to perform at our best.

He always encouraged and pushed me to be better. It is evident that Mike is very passionate about soccer and in helping the players that he coaches to attain the highest level possible. By looking at the success of many of the goalkeepers he has coached, it shows that he does just that.

Nick Nightingale

1. Hometown: Cole Harbour, NS
2. Youth Club: Cole Harbour S.C.

1. Canadian National Team (U17)
2. National Training Centre Atlantic (NTC-A)
3. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Dartmouth United Dave Doolittle's, Valley Kings Arms S.C.)
4. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)

Tyler Putt

1. Hometown: Cole Harbour, NS
2. Youth Club: Cole Harbour S.C.

1. Starting Goalkeeper Mount Pearl Molson, NFLD Premiership
2. Starting Goalkeeper Memorial University
3. Memorial University Most Outstanding Player Award 2008
4. Memorial University Co-Captain 2008
5. Former Goalkeeper Saint Mary's University
6. 2001 NS Canada Games Team (Bronze Medal)
7. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Athens United S.C.)
8. Team Atlantic Captain 2001
9. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)

"Mike Hunter took me under his wing and started training me exclusively before, during and after Canada Games. He's pretty much the man who helped me get where I am now. Where I was a hockey goalie before, I didn't really have my soccer skill. Just agility I guess. Mike formed me into a goalkeeper. I trained with him two to three times a week just to progressively get better and better. He's been great with me - patient when I was younger, and just helping me out now that I am older."

Corey Yantha

1. Hometown: Dartmouth, NS
2. Youth Club: Dartmouth United S.C.

1. National Training Centre Atlantic (NTC-A)
2. Starting Goalkeeper Mount Allison University
3. NSSL Premiership Goalkeeper (Dartmouth United Dave Doolittle's, Halifax City S.C.)
4. 2005 NS Canada Games Team
5. NS Provincial Team Goalkeeper (U15, U17)