Butler and Freeport varsity hockey have plenty in common these days.

Both have been consistent winners in recent seasons.

Both are returning a top scorer.

And both have promoted assistants to varsity head coaching positions for the 2016-17 season.

Cory Sakolsky, 23, has been a varsity assistant coach under Patrick Hammonds at Butler for the past two seasons. Hammonds resigned following last year's 12-7-1 campaign and Sakolsky was named his replacement.

Sakolsky becomes one of the youngest head coaches in the PIHL. He was a standout player at Plum High School — winning numerous awards there — and played in the PIHL All-Star Game in 2011.

“This is a tremendous opportunity,” Sakolsky said. “We know we will be a competitive team. We also want to be a team known for hard work and character.

“How we carry ourselves off the ice will be as important as what we do on the ice. I'm already stressing that. We've taken too many penalties in recent years, so on-ice discipline will be stressed as well.”

Sakolsky is a social studiers teacher at the Center Avenue school in Butler.

Ryan Cooper has been with the Freeport program for four years, the last two as a varsity assistant. The Yellowjackets finished 16-5-1 last year under Mel Reichenbaugh, who resigned after the season.

Reichenbaugh was 27-13-3 in two years after replacing longtime Freeport coach Dave Hepler.

“We will have significant turnover this year in players,” Cooper said. “Both of our goalies have graduated, but we have two younger guys coming up.

“Our goals haven't changed. This program wants to win.”

Like Sakolsky, Cooper teaches in the same district he coaches. He is a chemistry, astronomy and earth science teacher at Freeport High School.

While Reichenbaugh's son, Rob, returns to the Yellowjackets following a 28-goal, 72-point season, Butler returns 16-goal and 35-point scorer Trevor Gilliland to its roster.

“We actually have seven players still here from our run to the Penguins Cup Finals two years ago,” Sakolsky said. “Those guys have been leading the way in practices and workouts.

“They want to get back there.”

Those seven players are Gilliland, Ben Rodgers, Sam Gross, Chris Martin, Josh McGowan, Gavin Morrison and Ryan Rebmann.

Butler had voluntary workouts in the gym three days a week during June and July. Those workouts became mandatory this month.

The Golden Tornado are also on the ice once a week this month and will increase that to twice a week in September.

“In terms of conditioning and preparation, we feel like we're ahead of a lot of other teams right now,” Sakolsky said.

This weekend, Butler hockey is participating in a leadership camp in Laurel Highlands designed to create team bonding.

“Cell phones won't work there. The guys will have to get to know each other,” Sakolsky said.

Freeport will not have a junior varsity team this season, though its mini-Jackets developmental program and middle school team will continue.

“We will still have 18 to 20 rostered varsity players. Our numbers are good,” Cooper said. “Our goal is to win and to make the kids better players on the ice and better people off the ice.

“Hockey has always been a big part of my life. I played at Hempfield and I'm still involved in some leagues. I want that structure, discipline, pride and passion to carry over to the high school team.”

Butler and Freeport have one more thing in common. Both coaches plan to stick around for a while.

“I'll have to be here for a few years to make a name for myself before I can think of moving on,” Sakolsky said. “There's a lot we want to accomplish. Our talent base is good.”

“I'm planning on being here for a while,” Cooper said of Freeport.”I taught a lot of these kids as freshmen and sophomores, now I get to coach them as juniors and seniors. I like watching them grow and mature.

“I definitely want to make the program a little more stable.”