David was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and started skating around 3 ½ -4 years old and began playing hockey around five. For two years, he played in-house league, and by seven years old, he played competitive travel hockey until he was 20. David mentions, “When I was nine years old, I was very fortunate to be introduced to a certain junior player in the organization named Vitali. All the skills and knowledge that I had now stemmed from the building blocks put in place when I was 9-10 years old. Looking back, I use most of the techniques and methods of coaching I learned with him with the Colorado Extreme. I want to be able to connect with kids and be a friend in the same way.”

Hockey has always had a significant influence on David’s life, and he expresses that by sharing, “I have been playing hockey for as long as I can remember myself, so I really do not know what life without it is like. I have had some of my greatest and worst moments on the ice. Everything I did revolved around hockey for a long time, and I have met most people involved in my life through the game." As hockey has brought David some of the greatest moments in his life, he mentions that it also brought adversity. When he did not get into a prep school while in U16, he explained that he was devastated and thought his hockey career was over. But he notes that “This was much the opposite. This “failure” really taught me about perseverance, determination, and discipline. But the most valuable lesson it did teach me is not to worry about things that I cannot control.” David lives by the motto, “We are our own best friends but also our own greatest enemies. What you can do for yourself, both good and bad, cannot be matched by anything or anyone else. Eventually, you must take life by the horns.”

A unique routine that David had during his practices and game preparation was to listen to the same music playlist with the same songs in the same order and would do each drill to a specific song down to the second. He mentions that “It would keep me in the zone and prepared mentally for the game. I probably did this from about 12 years old to the time I went to college.”

Coach David strongly values diversity and inclusion but mentions a common obstacle: "Everything from equipment to coaching to ice time has always been expensive and reserved to those who are more well off than others.” He states that “hockey is for everyone; I truly believe that. If someone wants to play hockey, money should not be a barrier. Neither the color of your skin nor your religious affiliation.” Graciously, David shares a personal experience where he felt singled out during his hockey career. He expresses, “When I was younger, I would be picked on for being a “Russian jew,” even though I wasn’t Russian and there were other Jewish players in the area. I can only imagine what other people with different nationalities and complexions face. There is something to learn from everyone, and you do not know the kind of effect someone will have on you and your future.” In order to accelerate diversity and inclusion, David believes that “The faster we introduce our kids to cultures different than ours, the faster our kids will understand that good people are good people, and we are all the same, no matter who they are and where they are from. Hockey is truly for everyone.”

Through the gift of coaching, David hopes that all our players have long and successful hockey careers, even if they do not choose to play competitively. “If I can teach a kid how to be disciplined and determined, be kind and have humility, have to care for their teammates, and how to persevere through any tough circumstances, I would feel that I have done my job. These are the young men and women of the future, and hockey is a stepping stone for them to be positive contributors in society.”

David also adds that the family we have at Colorado Extreme is what he loves most about our organization. He feels that "the love that exuberates from everyone that participates in our program is unmatched. From the kids to the parents to the coaches, we have developed a family where we love and care for each other. I have played hockey for many years in many successful organizations, and nobody is doing things like the Colorado Extreme.”

After speaking with Coach Carlos who hired David, he happily explains why he is a perfect fit for Colorado Extreme. Carlos explains that he hired David because he has a lot of high-end hockey experience and was his college and junior teammate. Due to their previous history as teammates, Carlos could trust that David would be a dedicated and reliable coach for Colorado Extreme. Carlos also mentions that “David is great with kids; he brings a lot of great positivity to our staff. He’s not only great with kids but great with hockey. He’s a first-generation American citizen, and he’s very diverse. He brings more diversity to our coaching staff and program. He joined in October 2022 and was with us for five weeks last season.”

Colorado Extreme is proud to have David as a coach and member of our family. He not only shares personal stories of adversity and inclusion but takes his lessons and implements them into his work to improve young children's lives.