skip navigation

PRINCETON TIGERS ASSISTANT CAPTAINS JOINS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TEAM

By KOHA Staff, 10/03/17, 10:30AM EDT

Share

KOHA's Skills Team packs more power

KOHA Skills Development Team Adds More Experience
 
KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association (KOHA) has compiled an impressive staff to help lead on-ice development for the 17/18 season. Early on, formulating the Skills Development Team focused on Travel (A/AA) & House B nights; now, the focus has turned to our 6u/8u/10u/12u/14u Weekend Warriors (House C) with Skills coaches that can fill the gaps as needed on Monday & Tuesday nights as well.
 
KOHA is pleased to announce the addition of Garrett Skrbich to our Skills Team. Garrett is a June 2017 graduate of Princeton University, played four years on the Tigers' Division I Collegiate Hockey team, having served as Assistant Captain during the 2016-17 season.
 
A Hermantown, MN native, Garrett began playing hockey at 4 years old on the outdoor rinks near Duluth. Growing up, he played soccer, baseball, golf and spent quite a bit of time wakeboarding. He didn't specialize in hockey until after his Junior year of high school.
 
 
After graduating with a Chemical & Biological
Engineering degree, a great opportunity with Pfizer brought Garrett to Kalamazoo. "I am looking forward to helping younger kids develop their skills and having the opportunity to share my hockey knowledge. Working with KOHA will also be a great way to become part of the hockey community in the area," says Skrbich.
 
Giving back to the community is important to Garrett; while at Princeton, he coached and mentored Skate with Youth Hockey and Mercer County Bulldogs, a hockey team for children with autism. He also participated in Weapons of Mass Construction, a varsity student-athlete volunteer effort.
 
Aside from his playing experience, Garrett was an Assistant Power Skating Instructor mentoring under DI Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs Skating Coach, Bronwyn Pichetti, as well as coaching at Minnesota summer camps, and assistant coaching for the summer AAA Ice Dogs High School hockey team.
"We are fortunate to have someone with Garrett's playing experience and passion for the game interested in working with our young players," says KOHA's Interim Hockey Director, Matt Kakabeeke. "He is clearly a very driven, goal-oriented individual who enjoys giving back and working with kids. He will be a terrific addition to our Weekend Skills Team staff, and as someone who can step in on Monday and Tuesday nights as needed throughout the season."  
 
Keep an eye out for Garrett around the rink and help us welcome him to Kalamazoo and KOHA!
 
KOHA'S SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TEAM BY THE NUMBERS
 
Division I Collegiate Hockey Games: 450
Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Games: 231
Professional (NHL, AHL, ECHL, IHL): 1500
 
We are fortunate to have this level of playing experience on the ice with our players & coaches as KOHA looks to be a regional destination and national leader in youth hockey.