Eric Ditto
Head Coach & General Manager

Eric Ditto is entering his 8^th season with the Delisle Chiefs Franchise. After two seasons as a player, he now begins his 6^th season as Head Coach. This season also marks his first year as the General Manager.

“Being named the GM of the Delisle Chiefs was a huge honor. It’s going to be a new set of challenges for myself but I look forward to it. I’m stepping into a role that was already in a good spot. Ryan Marushak and the rest of the Organization built a great foundation which will make it an easier transition. It’ll be a bit of a learning curve but new challenges are something I’m always up for.”

As a player with the Delisle Chiefs, Ditto was a member of the record setting 2011-12 team that went on a remarkable 23-game win streak in the Regular Season. The Chiefs would go on to win the North Division Championship that year and he would finish the season as the Prairie Junior Hockey League scoring Champion with a record 108 points on 43 goals and a record 65 assists. He would end his junior career as the All-Time leading scorer in PJHL history collecting 273 points in 146 games.

In his teen-age years, he took an early interest in coaching, mostly because of his love for the rink. “I got into coaching when I was 16, helping my dad. It was simply because I loved being in the rink and being on the ice.” Hanging out with his dad, Rick, afforded him the opportunities to learn the game from a different perspective. “My dad coached me most of my minor hockey years and pushed me every step of the way. My parents always encouraged me and pushed me to be my best but most of all they taught me how to enjoy the game

Ditto is very much a student of the game. He spends hours scouting players, watching the game and analyzing it. He watches every level to soak in how they run their systems. He’s also built a staff that is familiar and always in contact with each other talking schemes. “Knowing the other coaches and having familiarity with them allows us to share ideas and opinions openly and be on the same page.” They simply enjoy being around each other.

During Ditto’s tenure, the Chiefs have seen a steady improvement, as an organization and in the standings. They’ve invested a lot of time to make sure they have the right people in the right places. “I’m proud of the team in the sense that we continue to strive, year after year, to be the most successful program we can be.” 

Ditto guided the Chiefs to a record setting year in 2018-19, his 5th season as Head Coach. The Chiefs finished the campaign with a PJHL record tying 38 wins (40 games) and established a new PJHL mark of 77 points in 40 games. The Chiefs were the PJHL Regular Season Pennant winners and North Division finalists.

Outside of hockey, Eric works for the City of Saskatoon and enjoys spending his off season at the lake with family and friends. He enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing, boating and all the things that go along with the lake life.

Eric and his wife Dana, have 2 dogs named Bandit and Pugsley and make their home in Saskatoon.