I think it is fair to say that as athletes we owe many of our successes to the people in our lives who have encouraged and supported us throughout our careers.  Rob Barletta and his staff are examples of people in my life who I hold in such regard, and further feel privileged to have played for.  Not only did these men make me and my teammates into better hockey players, but they also developed our skills as people in general.  I will never truly be able to express my gratitude for the impact they have had on my career and my life.  During my time in Jr. hockey I was exposed to four different leagues (throughout Canada and the USA) and without question the organization in Walpole is amongst the best and should be considered first-class in every regard.  They treat their players as if they were their own children on and off the ice. If I could sum up my experience into five words they would be (Team, Family, Character, Education and Respectfulness).

Almost six years later I still frequently keep in-touch with Mr. Barletta and many of my teammates from that season with the Express.  Some of them are still my best friends to this day - we weren’t just a team but rather a very large family. This organization has helped many hockey players over the years reach our goal of one day playing colligate hockey and even sometimes pursue those dreams further, like they did for me, into a career with the professional leagues.

I played with the Walpole Express throughout my entire junior career. Rob Barletta and his family treat their players as if they are one of their own, along with the rest of the organization and coaching staff. Playing for the Express and training under the expertise of Mark Kumpel in juniors has helped me develop into a complete hockey player; helping me tremendously today playing at the professional level. The endless hours of open ice where I was able to work on my individual skills, to the excellent off-ice training, I owe a lot of my hockey accomplishments thus far to the Express Organization. I couldn't thank them enough for what they've done for me."

Rob, I just want to thank you (along with Rob Reilly and Dennis Doherty) for taking me under your wing and helping me develop into the person I am today.  I can remember back to my first summer camps when I was 9 years old and then playing NEH a couple years later. Not only did my experiences help me excel on the ice, but off the ice as well; how you made sure every one of your players met their full potential. The coaching staff did not just shoot instructions at you, but guided you through the game until you fully understood what it meant to be a player on the ice. Rob, you along with your coaching staff have helped me become a smarter athlete with game sense, shaping me into the player I have become. Your coaching staff’s positive attitudes and encouragement made the experiences fun and allowed their passion for the game to pass on to me. I would not have the love for hockey I do today had it not been for RB & NEH Hockey.  A positive atmosphere constantly surrounded me, and my experiences have also given me exposure to new people and places. You have treated me like a daughter, making sure I was always maximizing my potential as both a student and an athlete, and I will never forget that. Thanks again Rob for leading me to succeed as a student-athlete, I would not be where I am today without you; you taught me everything I know. P.S. “Brush your teeth!”

Coach Rob I want to thank you for all the effort and time you put into me to grow not only as a hockey player but as a person to. From the endless ice time to the great power skating practices. It really helped my game as a goaltender and made me alot more well rounded on the ice and really developed my crease movement. I had a great experience playing for the Walpole Express. It helped shape the player I am today. I still remember the first phone call I had with you when I told you I was ready to commit to the Express. Your response was "chicka pow". I will remember that for the rest of my life. I had a great experience with you and the Walpole Express organization. I will never forget it. Thanks for everything!"

Coach Rob, thank you for everything you have taught me. While playing for you for two years for the Walpole Express I have learned a lot both on and off the ice from you. Your power skating clinics made me a faster and more powerful skater which helps me a lot in the college level. With your coaching style and endless amount of ice time I became a better player all around. Thanks!"

I played two years for the Walpole Express and spent time both as a student and a teacher. Power skating is critical in the development of young hockey players and my experience with the RB Hockey School was one of the best I have gone through. Rob cares about each kid personally which is something that not many clinics can say. He pushes you to do your best and is always behind you 100% which is why he has such a great relationship with his players. If there is one thing that can push a player to the next level, it is their ability to skate better than their opponent. Coach Rob's curriculum will set kids up for success and the only way it does not work is if you do not show up. Thank you for everything Coach Rob."

Whether it was learning skills as a pee-wee or instructing kids at his summer camps, Rob Barletta's Hockey School as played a very important role in my hockey career and a rewarding experience in my life."

I wanted to take this opportunity to say Thank You for all you have done for me. I attribute my hockey skills to the summers spent at your boarding camps. I attended my first boarding camp when I was 11 years old and every year after that I couldn’t wait to come back again. You took personal care to make sure we all left better hockey players, and your philosophy of positive encouragement made me want to work hard every time I stepped on the ice. You taught me how important a good off ice program and proper nutrition was to my development. I am especially thankful for the summer I was injured that you let me spend a few weeks just skating and shooting with no contact in order for me to get my strength back before my first year playing junior hockey. My skill level took its biggest leap after that summer. You helped me to realize my goal of playing college hockey, and now that I have graduated I am hoping to advance to a higher level. Thanks again.

Being able to develop my skills and skating abilities in some of Rob's camps when I was young is one of the reasons I have gotten to where I am today. Rob was great in teaching me the fundamentals of the game that are habits of mine still today. This along with playing on an NEH team gave me the extra practice and competition I needed to make it to the next level."

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Coach Rob and many of his staff members (Rob Reilly and Dennis Doherty in particular) that were able to help me in my development as a person and a player during my time with NEH and the Walpole Express organization.  As many other alumni have alluded to, it was never enough for Rob and his staff to just teach us the game of hockey.  He wanted each one of us to excel off the ice as well, whether it is in the classroom, the gym or a job, and he would personally go out of his way to make sure we were all doing well.  I have the privilege of knowing Rob at a very personal level in having my mother work at Iorio, and he has treated me like a son since the beginning.  He has helped to shape me into the person I am today, and I will be forever grateful for that.  Though I no longer play, my success as an official at the collegiate level dates back to all the skills sessions and camps I went through under Rob and his staff.  Similar to playing, as an official you have to be able to excel with your skating to get to that next level, and many of the edge work drills I learned through Rob and Dennis I still use everyday.  Not to mention the lifelong friendships I have made in seeing hundreds of players walk through the doors of Iorio Arena each year.  Attending Robs camps as a youth player was an unforgettable experience for me and I know all of my friends that I shared those experiences with feel the same way.  Thank you again, Rob.  Chick-A-Pow!!

Coach Barletta, I wanted to thank you for all the time you spent working with me on power skating over the last few years. Not only did you take the time while I was playing for the Express, but you have taken the time to work with me every summer since to help prepare me for Division 1 Hockey. As a hockey school student and instructor, I can confidently say that you are one of the most energetic, enthusiastic and passionate coaches I have ever worked with. You make sure that everyone you work with walks away from the hockey school a better skater and a better hockey player with skills that will be with them for as long as they are playing. Thanks again Coach Barletta."

Rob, I have to say that it was my two years with NEH hockey that created my foundation as a player and a person. Not only did your coaches engrain the necessary skills and work ethic needed for me to be successful on the ice, but pushed me to be a better person off the ice. I have been lucky enough to play Prep School hockey and Division 1 hockey, and I know that your organization does it right. Thanks for making me successful on and off the ice."

Coach Rob, I wanted to thank you for all of your help in my development. I loved attending the RB hockey camps and found the skill sessions and dynamic skating beneficial in my hockey development. Without those camps I would not be where I am today. While you taught me how to be a great hockey player you taught me how to be an even better person. Being around you throughout the summer taught me how to act like a professional. Ill always be ready to Rock & Roll baby.
Thank you Rob, and hope all is well.. hope the family is doing great!"

Just wanted to show my appreciation for all you've done for me over the years. Attending your hockey camps growing up, I gained a lot of hockey knowledge and experience. This enabled me to eventually accomplish one of my dreams in being invited to attend the Boston Bruins training camp in 2008.

Not only am I thankful for what you've done for my hockey career but appreciate the relationships I've built in the process. Thank you so much for all you've done for me."

10 years ago our daughter , Natasha, was new to hockey. I am from South Florida, my wife is from Southern California, and we knew nothing about hockey. Natasha was totally ignored in our local town hockey program. We brought Natasha to your Sunday clinic at the canton Sportsplex in Walpole. You took the time to work with her, and make her believe she could be a good player. She attended those clinics religously for the next 4 years. Now she is a junior in high school. She just got back from the Czech Republic playing for the US National U18 team in the World Championships, winning a silver medal. She was the only 16 year old defensman to make the team. She also recently committed to Harvard for hockey.

I know you are frequently hearing from complaining parents, problems with schedules, etc. I wanted to let you know you made a big difference for our daughter. She never would have made it as far as she has in hockey without your taking the time to work with a 6 year old.

Jacob Rachlin

NEH and the RB Hockey clinics were the significant difference in my hockey career. I can honestly say that I would not be playing on a National Championship hockey team without the fundamental instruction of Rob and his staff. The coaches are knowledgable, personable, and they put in the time to assure that you meet your highest potential. There wasn't a day I stepped on the ice under Rob's instruction that I didn't step off better. From skating to stick-handling and everything in between, my skills were fine-tuned to a noticeable extent. NEH not only made me a more skilled hockey player, but a smarter one. I came to see the game in a whole new way and this vision enabled me to compete at the collegiate level. Rob truly cares about each individual player and investing in his league has paid dividends for my career. Thank you for everything, Rob."

I’d like to take this time to personally thank Coach Rob for all the help he gave me during my two years with the Walpole Express. Rob was able to help me take my game to the next level. He didn’t try to tweak my entire skating style. Instead, he helped lengthen my stride to fully maximize my speed and full potential. He also spent a lot of time with our team doing edge work as well. I was 19 years old and it was the first time I had an instructor show me the importance of working on my edges. I immediately noticed the benefits and became a better skater every time I worked with Rob. It’s my belief that Rob’s tutelage helped me go on to a successful collegiate career. I also was fortunate enough to be an instructor with Rob at his camps and NEH practices. He brings a passion and a love of the game every time he steps out on the ice. He cares about the success of each player he coaches and his enthusiasm is unmatched."

I met Coach Barletta when I was very young and decided I wanted to become serious about playing hockey. I started by going to skill sessions when his school was very small and he had only a few coaches and students which made it easy both to get to know him and for him to give me personal attention as a player. That next season I started playing in his league as an alternate with the opportunity to play in some games if I worked hard. Recently I finished my second year with his Junior A team, the Walpole Express. In both seasons we won the regular and post-season championships, with the organization winning another post-season championship the year before I arrived. When deciding which junior team to play for my past experience made my decision really easy. I knew Rob would continue to provide every opportunity to both accomplish my personal goal of playing college hockey as well as our group goal of being a championship team. Because of my choice to play juniors with Coach Rob I now get to continue my hockey career at Colby College as well as say that I was part of an organization that in the past three years has produced nothing but championship teams. It is obvious Barletta’s Hockey School has grown since I started but from working along side Coach Rob these past two years at skills and camps I can say he still gives each kid the same personal level of attention and promise that if you are willing to work hard he will do everything he can for you both on and off the ice."

Being recruited to play in Walpole for Rob's organization was a great step in the right direction for my hockey career. Rob and his staff offered all of the guidence, tools, and preperation for me to succeed and accomplish my goal of playing Division I hockey at Canisius College. Without their help I would not have been able to accomplsih my goals. I owe much of my success to both Rob and his staff."

Coach Rob has been an influential coach and friend since he first gave me power skating lessons in 1999. He always stressed the importance of building character both on the ice and in the classroom. Having played for the Express for 4 years, I have seen RB Hockey, the Walpole Express Organization and NEH Hockey develop to the prestigious levels that they stand today. Thank you Rob for helping me achieve my success as a student-athlete."

I was 12 years old when I decided to make the switch from state league hockey to the Northeast Elite Hockey league; only one season after the league was first established. My family and I made the switch because I decided I wanted to be serious about my goals in hockey and NEH was the place to build my skills. In meeting the Robs (Rob Barletta and Rob Reilly), I quickly learned how serious they were about their passion for developing their players in not only hockey, but life as well. These guys take all of their players under their wings and take the time to make sure everything is going well. They are quick to step up and tell you when you’re getting off track on and off the ice. For the first time in my hockey career I could actually feel myself getting better on the ice from the quality of hockey I was playing and the quality of coaching I was getting. The NEH professional coaching staff is phenomenal; I say that from first-hand experience. Coming into the league I was just another player from a state league hoping to make his high school team, coming out of it, I was a junior hockey player for the Walpole Express. If someone told me when I was twelve that they were going to make me into a junior hockey player, I would have not taken you seriously. But the Robs were those guys and wouldn’t let me fail. When I was cut from my high school team my junior year, I called the Robs for a place to play and, with no questions asked, they quickly found me a team to play on. These two men were the ones who drove my passion for the sport, if I never met them, that would have been the end of my days as a hockey player. With a chip on my shoulder and years of RB Hockey skills under my belt, I made the Walpole Express Junior B hockey team the following spring. The Express program, wwned and run by Rob Barletta, took me in as a player who they thought had potential and turned me into a completely new person, on and off the ice. Throughout my two years of playing for the Express I learned mental toughness, perseverance and the importance of working harder than the next guy to receive playing time. Rob’s Express program helped me reach my dream of being a college hockey player. I will never, ever forget what the Robs have done for me as a person and as a player. I can stand by these statements since I have been an employee of RB Hockey School the past 3+ years. In working for the camp and interacting with current NEH players, I can see the excitement and ambition in the kid’s eyes that I once had because of the coaching style that the Robs convey. Each and every player receives our complete attention in making sure they are making the right plays on and off the ice. I have now completed my junior season at Assumption College and still use lessons learned throughout my years of playing for Rob, only now I’m a Hound. I still make a point to keep these men in my life as mentors and friends, I still learn from them today."

I can still remember the first day I met Coach Rob Barletta in Walpole when I was twelve years old. It wasn’t until then when I attended my first boarding camp and started to take the game of hockey seriously. I wasn’t sure of how good or bad I was but it was through hard work and perseverance at camp that Rob and his staff made me realize that I could become a good hockey player. As time went on I went from a kid who showed up for one week of camp, to a kid that spent the majority of my summers in Walpole, and someone the Barletta’s couldn’t get rid of. As I progressed through High School I saw myself continually improving and it was starting to pay off. Nothing was better then when I would see Rob and Chrissy make the trip to come watch me play High School games. As my time playing High School was beginning to expire I got an opportunity to continue my career at the New Hampton School, an opportunity that I may have not been able to have had if it had not been for Rob Barletta’s Hockey School. As the year ended I found myself with options to extend my career even further, and no better option than to play college hockey, something I’d been dreaming of for a long time. I am now enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University and have the privilege of being able to represent the University on the hockey team and I owe a lot of that privilege to Rob Barletta’s Hockey School. Growing up and developing through Rob’s camps I assure you that there is no comparison to the amount of time and attention that Rob puts into every student to continue their development as a hockey player whether it be on or off the ice."

Playing for the Walpole Express for my last two years of Junior Hockey not only made me a more mature person off and on the ice but it helped me improve a lot of parts of my game. For example, we did a lot of power skating work with Rob during practices throughout the year and it helped not only my stride to improve but my acceleration as well. I would recommend it to everyone that wants to be a better skater. I am proud to say that I played for the Walpole Express and I will always remember my wonderful experience in Walpole."

Coach Rob, I just had to take the minute to thank you for everything you have done for me my three years in Walpole. From the power skating clinics, to the unlimited amount of ice time and to the work you gave to me I can not thank you enough. You and the Walpole organization shaped me to be a college athlete and student and to be prepared for my college career."

Coach, I was just thinking about where I am today and how I got here and all the people who helped me along the way to become a Division I hockey player. Four years of training at RB Hockey School boarding camps improved my skill and game so much and enabled me to take my game to this level. The camps were always so much fun even when we were working so hard. Thanks again coach. Your impact is lasting.”

Hey Coach Rob, I wanted to reach out to you and say thanks for all your help in my hockey development. I loved RB Hockey, and I still remember the first year you coached me for the St. Moritz Devils in 1999. I learned so much from your camps and had so much fun every time.”

The year I played in NEH really helped me develop as a hockey player. Having access to a great coach (Adam), expansive ice time and well-organized skills sessions was really beneficial and set me on a course for success.”

Coach, I just wanted to tell you how appreciative I am for all your help. From my time at NEH with you as head coach to the many boarding camps I attended, I was able to get to know you and your coaching style. I know for certain that it helped me become a better player on the ice and a better person off the ice.”

Coach Barletta, I wanted to take a moment to thank you. As my first coach you taught me the most critical skills I needed to learn, from how to skate on the outside rink to the game of hockey itself. Your positive reinforcement and your patient instruction helped me develop into the player I am today.”