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Club Sports

Director of Club Sports

Ruthann Cantile, Director of Club Sports, grew up in Cheboygan, MI.  Ms. Cantile played hockey in Cheboygan and the Ice Arena is named after her father, Ralph G. Cantile, who coached and managed the arena for many years. Along with hockey, she played boys soccer, volleyball, and softball at Cheboygan Area High School.  Ruthann continued playing and coaching club hockey in college at Western Michigan University, where they won a National title in 1998 in Lake Placid, NY. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education.  Ms. Cantile coached/managed at many levels and has been in on the ground floor of most of these programs.

Historically, she was the youngest NCAA DI Head Women’s Hockey Coach in the country at Bemidji State University. After coaching at BSU she went on to coach at Minnesota State University, where their staff earned Western Collegiate Hockey Association WCHA Coach of Year honors in 2004.  Ms. Cantile coached both of her kids, Mariah (25) and JD (18) in their various youth sports. She earned a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration in 2006, and in 2010 she began her own financial consulting business. Ruthann is a passionate, self-driven, competitive spirit that aspires to bring students with the same qualities to Lake Superior State University and provide them with the opportunity to play the sport they love.

As Director of Club Sports, her goal is to bring exposure to the University and comb the region looking for the most qualified coaches and student-athletes that fit the culture of LSSU. By cultivating strong relationships and creating a bond with these folks awareness, participation, pride, and funding become present and strengthen the community. For the 2020-2021 season, the first two sports we are offering are Men’s and Women’s Hockey, and plan to add two new teams every year for the next 5 years.  Soon we will announce the sports teams LSSU will endorse in 2021-2022.

Men’s Club Hockey Coach

Steven Kaunisto, born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie played his youth hockey in the Soo AND played NCAA DI hockey for the Lakers. Steve earned his BA degree from Lake Superior State University in Finance and Economics with a minor in Marketing. Steve went on to play 10 years of professional hockey in the ECHL, CHL, and SPHL.

Steven’s wife, Abby, is the Clinic Coordinator at Bay Mills Health Center. When Steven isn’t playing or coaching hockey he enjoys being with his family and two dogs.

“Coach Kaunisto’s biggest strength is his wealth of knowledge of the game and the ability to teach hockey skills and systems to his players. He also has an honest, compassionate, direct communication style that players respect and appreciate. Along with being the Head Coach of the men’s program he will also assist the women’s hockey program with scouting, recruiting, campus visits, and practice planning execution.” Ruthann Cantile, LSSU Director of Club Sports

“I am very excited to be able to stay in the game of hockey and to help the student-athletes continue to grow both on and off the ice. I am also looking forward to be able to grow the sport of hockey in my hometown that helped make me the person I am today. I am looking for student-athletes that strive to push themselves to be better in the classroom as well as on the ice.” Steve Kaunisto, LSSU Men’s ACHA Head Hockey Coach

Women’s Hockey Coach

Matthew Parker, born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, played his youth hockey in the Soo as well AND has been a proud supporter of the LSSU NCAA DI team since birth.  As a USA Hockey Certified Level 4 Coach he has over 15 years of coaching experience with the Soo Firehawks, JR A Hockey, St. Ignace Firehawks, midget hockey, and the LSSU ACHA DII men’s hockey club. His wife Abby is an ER Nurse at War-Memorial Hospital and supervises Nursing Clinicals at LSSU. Matt and Abby have two daughters that enjoy skating, being outdoors, and working on projects with their parents.

“Coach Parker’s enthusiasm, dedication, and loyalty to Laker Hockey shines through and through. We look forward to him sharing that passion in the recruiting process with our current and future student-athletes. He is a student and a teacher of the game.  His ability to connect with people and maintain solid relationships are a huge asset to our program. He will do well serving the LSSU community with his time and talents.  Along with being the Head Women’s Hockey Coach he will also assist our Men’s program with scouting, recruiting, campus visits, and practice planning execution.” Ruthann Cantile, LSSU Director of Club Sports

“I am beyond ecstatic to be offered this opportunity to be a part of this ground-up program at LSSU. I look forward to the challenge of creating a competitive team but more importantly helping young people develop on and off the ice. This is going to help draw more positive nationwide attention to the University and give the students a great college experience.” Matt Parker, LSSU Women’s ACHA Head Hockey Coach

Linda Bouvet

Contact info

Softball Coach

The Lakers are coached by Linda Bouvet, who founded the Sault High softball program and served as its head coach for 24 years. She is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, where she serves in the mentoring program and is a 1 ½ star master coach. She is also a former sports information director at LSSU and currently works for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Pep Band Director

Casey Snyder began his journey into music at age 9 when he started receiving his first piano lessons. In 5th grade, Casey picked up the tuba, and never looked back. In 2005, Casey was accepted into Mansfield University of Pennsylvania’s music education program, where he received his Bachelors of Music in Music Education. While at Mansfield University, Casey was a member of the Spirit and the Pride of Pennsylvania, the renowned marching band at Mansfield. He was also a member of the Mountie Sound Machine (the pep band), symphonic band, and concert wind ensemble.

In 2017, Casey was hired at Engadine Consolidated Schools as their new Band and Choir Director. Tasked with rebuilding a program that had fallen to shambles, Casey began the rebuild. At the end of the 2020-2021 school year, Engadine bands consistently took Class C and Class B music to Festival and received overall ratings of II. Casey also started the choir program that saw its first student go into a music program.

Head Coach for Shooting Sports

Terry Carr joins the Laker Club Sports program as the Head Shooting Coach.  Carr is from Burlington, in Southeastern WI.  Carr’s high school accomplishments include Wisconsin State Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Championship, and several SCTP National appearances.  Carr was a member of the Bethel University shooting team in McKenzie, TN, where he competed while earning a B. S. in Business Administration from Bethel.  After graduating from college, Carr spent a year managing the shooting range Bethel used for practices.  Carr was the founder and part owner of a family run landscaping business in WI. Carr’s response of why he chose LSSU, “I took this coaching position to provide students the opportunities I had, while earning a 4 year degree.  I look forward to the challenge of starting a program from the ground up, and I have the vision of coaching the LSSU inhouse team as well as the travel shooting team”. Carr has his level 1 NRA shotgun coaching certification.  In his spare time Carr enjoys fishing, hunting, disc golf and spending time with his family.