Tampa Bay Juniors - USPHL

OWNER - TAMPA BAY JUNIORS

ULTIMATE HANDS HOCKEY (https://www.ultimatehandshockey.com)

HOCKEY INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL TESTING & TRAINING
 

Contact:  Strot.Brett@Gmail.com    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 & Aspen.

Head Coach - Premier

Garrett Strot is a veteran hockey coach with over three decades of experience developing players at the high school, junior, and national levels. He currently serves as the Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Juniors in the USPHL, a role he has held since 2013. Originally from Minnesota, Strot brings a deep understanding of player development and team leadership, having previously coached for five seasons in the North American Hockey League (NAHL). During his time in the NAHL, he led teams such as the North Iowa Outlaws and the Coulee Region Chill, and also served as an assistant with the Aberdeen Wings. Under his guidance, 26 players advanced to NCAA Division I hockey.

Before transitioning to junior hockey, Strot spent 14 successful years as the head coach at Osseo High School in Minnesota. There, he helped over a dozen players reach the NCAA Division I level and six players move on to professional hockey careers. His coaching philosophy emphasizes creativity within structured systems, encouraging players to use their instincts and originality while maintaining a high level of discipline and teamwork. He also promotes a values-driven culture through the Tampa Bay Juniors’ “PRIDE on the ICE” model, which focuses on Positive Attitude, Responsibility, Integrity, Desire, Excellence, Imagination, Cooperation, and Emotion.

Strot played collegiate hockey at Bethel College (MN), where he earned a B.A. in Physical Education and set the NCAA Division III record for most games played in a college career. Now based in Wesley Chapel, Florida, with his wife Jen, Strot continues to draw talent from his native Minnesota while helping players grow on and off the ice in what he describes as “hockey paradise.”

Garrett has a son Jesse who lives in San Diego, CA.

Contact:  strothockey@comcast.net

General Manager
TampaBayJrGm@Gmail.com

Also a native of Minnesota, for over 45 years, Kevin has been involved in hockey 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.

Head Coach - Elite

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

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 Lev 4 Coach and Certified Hockey Dir

Certified “Master of Sport” (Moscow)

As one of the best skating coaches in the U.S., if you would like to contact her about private lessons, contact her at:   CoachSkating@Yahoo.com

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 %.

Director of Social Media 

Nicole is a hockey-loving girl who turned a passion for the game of hockey and social media into a full-time career.

She has been rinkside, online, and everywhere in between — creating content that brings the energy of the sport to life. Whether it's capturing behind-the-scenes moments, building hype for game day, or managing team socials, Nicole thrives on connecting fans to the sport they love in real-time.

Nicole didn’t follow the traditional path — she made her own. What started as posting highlights and player edits turned into a hands-on career in digital content, social strategy, and fan engagement.

Hockey is more than a game — it's a community. And Nicole is here to help teams, brands, and players show up strong online.

Michael currently is an independent Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach and the Tampa Bay Juniors head Trainer.

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

Play by Play Announcer

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, he is 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.

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