Official 2024-25 Coaching Changes

[BP]

Please inform the forum of any changes!

1) Holy Family - Zach Friedli
2) Faribault -
3) Northern Edge -
4) Farmington - David May
5) St. Michael-Albertville - Sean Fish
6) Cambridge-Isanti -
7) Simley -
8 - Northern Lakes -
9) Alexandria -
10) Orono -
11) Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato -
12) Hibbing -
13) St. Thomas Academy - Mark Strobel

[ClassAGuy]

Faribault from early this year winter unfortunately can be added

[High Heat]

Please inform the forum of any changes!

1) Holy Family -

Is this confirmed?

[Hockeygoon00]

Westrum out after just 3 years.

[bardown27]

Northern Edge is open

https://edpost.stcloudstate.edu/EdPost/ ... ing=Hockey

[BP]

Farmington added. This could be a solid job - great group of Bantam AA's coming up in the weakest AA section.

[nightrangerguy]

add STMA to the list

[steelheader]

Cambridge-Isanti position is posted.

[oldmaverick]

HF - New coach Zach Friedli - Former assistant coach and D coach at Chan HS and CCHA youth hockey coach.
Really solid hire for HF.

[O-townClown]

HF - New coach Zach Friedli - Former assistant coach and D coach at Chan HS and CCHA youth hockey coach.
Really solid hire for HF.

Thanks for the update! They return a lot of juniors and had a very strong JV. At least the cupboard isn't bare.

[OldManRiver]

It appears that Simley should be added to the list.

" Austyn Kryzer ·
5 days

Simley High School has an opening for a Boys' Head Hockey Coach. For inquiries. please contact Will Short (Activities Director) at 651-306-7002. Or, visit the ISD199 school website.

I have been BLESSED to have had the opportunity to serve as a Hockey Coach at Simley High School over the last 13 years and am super excited for what's next! I love coaching. Know that I appreciate each one of you and what you do for your schools and communities!"

[headsupsticksdown]

HF - New coach Zach Friedli - Former assistant coach and D coach at Chan HS and CCHA youth hockey coach.
Really solid hire for HF.

Thanks for the update! They return a lot of juniors and had a very strong JV. At least the cupboard isn't bare.

Who says this is a solid hire? If what I’m hearing is correct, the HF AD has lost his marbles. Apparently there was a solid pool of candidates, but if this is the staff they’ve chosen…

Sure there’s always a few kids here and there that leave after a change in staff, but I’ve already heard of kids looking elsewhere.

Probably not related, but also heard CC’s top Bantam is going to CDH along with another high profile kid. If true CDH will be loaded!

[oldmaverick]

I'd be interested in the "pool" of candidates that you know of - please share. There were kids looking to leave prior to Friedli being hired - if he can keep a couple great, i'm sure he is reaching out to the ones he wants to keep (some i'm sure doesn't) - The CCHA bantams would have no evolvement with coach Friedli so if they are going to CDH great best of luck to them. I do have some experience with coach Friedli on and off the ice which has been positive. He has had solid experience with good CCHA Bantam teams, some good hockey connections as a previous ushl scout, he is personally invested in the kids from what i've seen / i.e. cares more about the kids then just hockey. Now he was given the keys to the Cadillac when he started coaching at CCHA and then at Chan HS with the talent of kids that were coming through at the time. The private HS coach role is as much salesman as it is coaching having continually bring kids in and then having to manage those expectations (players & parents) year after year. HF has tons of potential for the right coach and staff.

[headsupsticksdown]

I'd be interested in the "pool" of candidates that you know of - please share. There were kids looking to leave prior to Friedli being hired - if he can keep a couple great, i'm sure he is reaching out to the ones he wants to keep (some i'm sure doesn't) - The CCHA bantams would have no evolvement with coach Friedli so if they are going to CDH great best of luck to them. I do have some experience with coach Friedli on and off the ice which has been positive. He has had solid experience with good CCHA Bantam teams, some good hockey connections as a previous ushl scout, he is personally invested in the kids from what i've seen / i.e. cares more about the kids then just hockey. Now he was given the keys to the Cadillac when he started coaching at CCHA and then at Chan HS with the talent of kids that were coming through at the time. The private HS coach role is as much salesman as it is coaching having continually bring kids in and then having to manage those expectations (players & parents) year after year. HF has tons of potential for the right coach and staff.

To each his own, Maverick. He could end up working out. My personal opinion is that Chan had an unusually strong group of kids and looking at what they have down through the Bantam and PW levels, of which they really have been mediocre at best, Chan could very well drop back down to where they were 3-4 years ago. As a private HF can pull kids from a much wider net but I’m not expecting an upward trend at HF. JV might not be viewed as much, but if the rumor is true there I see it as a horrible horrible hire.

I could very well be wrong but that’s my take on it!

[oldmaverick]

Agreed to each his own - What rumor are you referring to specifically that would make this a horrible hire? The unusually strong group is correct and that's what I meant by keys to the Cadillac for Bantams and Chan. It is easy to look good as a coach when you inherit good teams no doubt. The current Chan staff will find that out in the upcoming years. A big name doesn't always translate to a good coach - We have witnessed this with both Chaska (Cooke) and HF (Westrum) recently. Hopefully, it works out for the players and HF.

[WestMetro]

All i know is Zach has a heckofa track record the last few years -

- HC for the 2021 32-7 CCHA BAA squad that got to state semi before being upset by Wayzata . That team now has over a dozen D1s I think. He's got to get some of the credit for that success .

- Asst Coach to Chan HS program that got to section 2 finals two years in a row , and won this year. During that period , went 1-3 against Tonka who was #1 in state , 3 of the 4 games were OT I think . In first trip to state , Chan got to the finals and played Edina tight for 2 periods with a chance to win it . Again , he's got to get some of the credit

Quite a resume for moving up to a HC job somewhere . Can understand why the Fire was interested . And Carver county was a good fit for him . Hope he succeeds .

[CakeScout17]

'heckofa'?

Listen...'round these parts its HECKUVA!
As in, "Geez, yah - dat McKinnon sure has a heckuva burst thru da neutral zone 'dere"!
We love ya tho Westy! Like a long lost 4th cousin.

[ClassAGuy]

Big Time Class A Opening

Next years Northern Lakes team is loaded with talent

https://www.applitrack.com/njpa/onlinea ... rict=40127

[ClassAGuy]

Another Huge Opening in 6A

Alexandria is now open....

[Zamman]

Big Time Class A Opening

Next years Northern Lakes team is loaded with talent

https://www.applitrack.com/njpa/onlinea ... rict=40127

What happened to the Northern Lakes coach?

[BSUBeaver]

Another Huge Opening in 6A

Alexandria is now open....

Wow, I haven't seen or heard anything on this, yet.

EDIT: Yep, on the AAHS Employment Openings page.

[ClassAGuy]

Sean Fish is now the new STMA Coach

Orono is now open.

Alex, Orono, Northern Lakes all open for Class A some big time openings

[ClassAGuy]

Litchfield Dassel Cokato & St Thomas Academy are both Open now

[ClassAGuy]

Former University of Wisconsin assistant head coach, Mark Strobel, will be the STA new head coach.

[feranged]

Any word on what's going on in Hibbing? According to the April 17 School Board meeting Head Coach resigned, and with what is to be one of their stringer groups in years coming through.