2022-2023 Competition Coaches

The MHA Board is pleased to announce the coaches for the upcoming Blue Devils season. We are excited to welcome back a solid group and add new, experienced blood to our line-up. 

10U Minor - Zach Gieszler has played most of his life. Chosen for USA Hockey Pacific Districts 15, 16, and 17, he also played BCHL Jr A for 3 years and NCAA D1/D3 for 3 years. His coaching experience includes Head Coach or Assistant Coach on multiple teams, 8U-16U, for a total of 8 years. He was Head Coach of East High School, has 10+ years of skating instruction, and 5 years of running Hockey Schools and camps in the US and overseas.

12U Minor - Jesse Johnson played for MHA for 6 years. An Eagle River native, he played for and graduated from Eagle River High School. Jesse played for the Matsu-Eagles 16U AAA, Alaska Jr. Aces 18U AAA, tendered NAHL, spent 2 years with the Great Falls Americans in the NA3HL, and is the reigning MAC Cup Champion. This past year he returned to his alma mater and was an assistant coach for Eagle River High School's Varsity squad.

12U Major - John DeCaro is a retired professional goaltender who played for multiple teams over his career in the EIHL and AHL, locally with the Alaska Aces, and was an attendee of the Nashville Predators training camp. His coaching experience includes 16AAA and the past 2 years with the 16U Tier II Blue Devils.

10U Minor - Zach Gieszler has played most of his life. Chosen for USA Hockey Pacific Districts 15, 16, and 17, he also played BCHL Jr A for 3 years and NCAA D1/D3 for 3 years. His coaching experience includes Head Coach or Assistant Coach on multiple teams, 8U-16U, for a total of 8 years. He was Head Coach of East High School, has 10+ years of skating instruction, and 5 years of running Hockey Schools and camps in the US and overseas.

14U Tier II Girls - Kate Wolgemuth has been playing hockey for over 20 years, initially in Anchorage on boys and girls youth teams, then high school hockey and competitive travel teams in Alaska and California, spending her senior high school year at North American Hockey Academy in Vermont. She played Division I at Colgate University as a defenseman, serving as team captain her junior and senior year and was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey All-Academic team. Following college, she played overseas in in Ankara, Turkey with the Turkish Ice Hockey Women's League and the Czech Republic to play within the Czech Women's League. Since returning to the United States, Kate has enjoyed playing and coaching with various leagues in Washington D.C., Anchorage, and Eagle River. 

16U Tier II - John DeCaro is a retired professional goaltender who played for multiple teams over his career in the EIHL and AHL, locally with the Alaska Aces, and was an attendee of the Nashville Predators training camp. His coaching experience includes 16AAA and the past 2 years with the 16U Tier II Blue Devils.