In 2019, while serving as Web Development Manager at RC Design, I led the development of the official platform for the NHL Coaches’ Association. The project demanded a robust, scalable solution to host high-value coaching intelligence, manage private member data, and serve as the definitive digital hub for the NHL’s coaching community.

 

The NHLCA required a dual-purpose platform: a public authority on hockey coaching and a private, secure repository for its members. The challenge was to integrate complex membership logic with a high-end visual experience that resonates with the elite standards of the National Hockey League.

 

I spearheaded the development of the Content Hub, a dynamic, searchable library of professional coaching resources.

Seamless Interactivity: Built using a blend of Ajax and Vanilla JavaScript, the hub allows for real-time filtering and content loading without page refreshes, ensuring coaches can find tactical data instantly.

Responsive Architecture: Using Bootstrap and HTML5, we ensured that elite training videos and articles are perfectly accessible on tablets in the locker room or desktops in the front office.

 

Exclusive Member Portals & Directory
A core component of the project was the creation of secure, logged-in environments for NHL members.

Member Management: I oversaw the implementation of custom logic to handle exclusive content access, ensuring that proprietary coaching materials remain protected.

Dynamic Coaches Directory: Developed the NHL Coaches page, which features a sophisticated directory of members. This involved complex data mapping to ensure contact information and bios are pulled dynamically and displayed through a polished UI.

 

Hybrid Development Approach
To maximize efficiency and design flexibility, I led the team in a hybrid stack approach:

Elementor + Custom Code: We leveraged Elementor for rapid layout prototyping while injecting custom PHP, jQuery, and custom widgets to handle the specialized functionality that off-the-shelf tools couldn’t provide.