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TBJr STAFF

Brett Strot

OWNER - TAMPA BAY JUNIORS/
HOCKEY INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL TESTING & TRAINING

Contact:  Brett@HockeyInternational.net    Mobile (904) 424-5616

Brett, a native of Minnesota, is the Founder & President of Hockey International.  Hockey International is a leader in speed-training for hockey while utilizing specialized sensory-development techniques to help players of all ages develop in these areas.   Additionally, the on-ice and off-ice “testing” program provide an objective view of player development as it relates to in-season and off-season programs.   Visit www.hockeyinternational.net for more information.

USA Hockey:   Brett has also been part of the USAH Women's National program since 2014, working with the development camps.  Brett also was the Associate Head Coach of the 2018 Gold Medal USA Women's Olympic Team. 

Coach Strot  played 10 years professionally in the ECHL, UHL, ACHL, IHL & WHA2 and was a three-year letter winner at the University of Minnesota. After retiring from the game in 1997, Strot became the general manager/coach of the Jacksonville Hammerheads (Southern Elite Hockey League) to start his coaching career.  Subsequently, Strot teamed up with families from the southeast to form an independent U14 AAA team that reached the USA National Tournament in 2006-07.

Prior to moving into junior hockey, Brett was an assistant coach for the Jacksonville Barracudas of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) working with former NHLer Ron Duguay (head coach). During the 2003-2004 season the Cudas won the regular season title and the President's Cup playoff championship.

After another strong season with this AAA program this team jumped into the juniors as the Jacksonville Ice Dogs in the 2008-2009 season finishing runner-up in the tough MJHL and heading to the USAH Junior national tournament. Four of those players are now playing NCAA Div-I hockey with one local Jacksonville FL player, Brian Ferlin, signing an NHL contract with the Boston Bruins in 2014 with others moving on to NCAA Div-III and ACHA clubs.    

The move of the junior organization to the Tampa area in the 2010-11 season took the family to Bradenton florida where Brett and his wife, Tammy, have two children, Maverick Bretson & Aspen Rae.

Garrett Strot

 Head Coach

Garrett Strot is a native of Minnesota and has been with the Tampa Bay Juniors since 2013.

Prior to coming to Tampa Garrett coached 5 years in the NAHL as Head Coach of the North Iowa Outlaws and Coulee Region Chill and an assistant with the Aberdeen Wings.    While in the NAHL, 26 of his players went on to play NCAA Divison-1 hockey.

Prior to the NAHL Garrett spent 14 years as Head Coach of Osseo (MN) High School.   While there, another 14 players went on to NCAA Division-1 and 6 went on to play professionally.  Overall Garrett has 30 years of coaching experience.

Garrett has a B.A. in Physical Education from Bethel College (MN) where he played 4 years and held NCAA Div-III record for most games played in a career.    Garrett and his Wife Jen now reside in Wesley Chapel and Garrett has a son Jesse who lives in California.

Contact:  strothockey@comcast.net

Kevin Wolter

General Manager
kevin@hockeyinternational.net

Also a native of Minnesota, has been coaching and coordinating player
development programs in both MN and in his current resident state of FL. He has worked with numerous USAH Select programs, Select Teams and is the
USAH Associate Coach-in-Chief in the Southeast District/FL.

Filip Kuba

Associate Head Coach

Filip Kuba is a native of Czech Republic.  Drafted by the Florida Panthers at the 1995 NHL Draft, Kuba played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League from 1998-2013 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. In 2004, he was selected as an NHL All-Star as a member of the Wild.  

Kuba appeared in 836 games, recording 70 goals and 333 points.   He was also a part of Team Czech Republic for the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. 

 

Filip currently resides in Tampa Bay with his wife Iveta and son Filip Jr.  His eldest son, Ed, also resides in Tampa.

Contact:  17fkuba@gmail.com

Mateusz Wawrzkiewicz

Assistant Coach

 

Mateusz, a native of Bytom, Poland, begins his second season on the staff with Tampa.  Prior to coaching “Wawa” played for TBJ from 2017-2022.

Currently, educating himself on the motor preparation of athletes in dynamic and contact sports such as hockey and football. He is accredited by completing courses such as:

-PFS Personal Trainer

-PFS Gym Instructor 

-PFS Mobility from Brain's perspective (workshop)

-BLACKROLL (Workshop)

-EPI Phase I

Next he will be completing EPI Phase II, EXOS Phase 1 and Phase 2. with the goal for next 5-10 years is to open a sport center where he will be working with Pro and Junior athletes and host many courses to acknowledge them in how their body works and how to take care of it.

Dwayne Roloson

Goaltending Coach

Dwayne, a native of Ontario, Canada, was a Hobey Baker Award Nominee while playing College Hockey at UMass Lowell. Dwayne then signed as a free agent with the Calgary Flames in 1994.
He played 16 seasons in the NHL from 1996-2012 with Calgary, Buffalo, Minnesota, Edmonton, NY Islanders and Tampa Bay.  In 2004 Roloson was named to the All Star Game as a member of the Wild and in 2006 led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Roloson appeared in 606 NHL games posting a career 2.72 gaa and .908 save %.

NATALIA ZAGORODNIKOVA

Skating Instructor

Tasha is a native of Moscow, Russia. She specializes in Figure Skating, Power Skating, and Off-Ice Training.

Tasha skated professionally for seven years as a Principal Performer with the Russian Ice Theater, Russian Starts on Ice, and Disney on Ice. During this time, she also coaches figure skating in various locations as she travelled around the world. After moving to the United States, she began to coach ice hockey, also.

Certifications:

USA Hockey – CEP Level 4 Ice Hockey Coach and Certified Ice Hockey Director

Certified “Master of Sport” (Moscow)

Ken Meindl

Play by Play Announcer

 

Lexi Sturr

Director of Marketing & Public Relations 

Lexi is a native of Michigan. She is currently a senior at The University of Tampa, Sykes College of Business. She is pursuing a career in business management, with a focus in professional sports.

Nick Laurila

Director of Hockey Operations

Laurila spent the previous six years at WCHA-member Michigan Tech, where he served as video coordinator for five years.
In his time at Tech, he was responsible for video analysis, pre-scouting opponents, live game breakdown, as well as assisting in the day-to-day operations of the team.
He also currently works with USA Hockey serving as the video coordinator of the U.S. Women’s National Ice Hockey Team, and has attended various events and camps in that role. 
Additionally, Laurila spent time with the Chicago Machine of Major League Lacrosse from 2008-09, assisting the organization in a marketing and video capacity.

A native of Carol Stream, Illinois, Laurila earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan Tech in 2010 and his MBA from UAH in 2016.

n.laurila@att.net

Michael Merren - Team Athletic Trainer

Michael currently works for Florida Hospital of Wesley Chapel Center Ice as the Head Athletic Trainer and Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach.

He specializes in injury assessment, injury prevention, along with athlete education, rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, and functional/sport specific training to help return athletes back to play.

 

Certifications & Licensures:

  • B.O.C. Certified Athletic Trainer: #2000015502
  • Licensed Athletic Trainer with the State of Florida: #AL3817
  • Board Certified Massage Therapist (NCBTMB): #603853-11
  • Licensed Massage Therapist with the State of New York: #025540-1
  • Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT): #E2063155
  • Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS): #7248034608
  • Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA): #7236381011
  • TRX Certified Group Suspension Trainer
  • CranioSacral Therapy: Level 1 (CS1)
  • Certified in Total Motion Release: Spinal Manipulation
  • BLS Instructor: American Heart Association: #01150296073
  • CPR/AED& First Aid Certified: American Heart Association