Coach Kritsch all about development
When Brody Kritsch moved to St. Catharines 11 years ago he wasn’t even sure he wanted to get into coaching hockey. But the 43-year-old Ottawa native, who relocated to the area for a change of scenery in his life, soon found himself assisting at the minor level.
Kritsch quickly realized he loved being behind the bench and moved up the ranks, his big breakthrough being when he joined the St. Catharines Rankin Construction Falcons for three seasons as an assistant on head coach/general manager Frank Girhiny’s staff.
“I didn’t know if I belonged there at that point,” said Kritsch, who played at the AAA level until switching to soccer when he was 15.
But a gentle push from longtime minor coach/executive/scout Greg Cappellaro changed his mind.
“That was probably the best decision I ever made,” Kritsch said. “It’s right up there with being a head coach. Frank was a great mentor, I learned so much from him. And then you just come up with your own ideas and twists.”
Kritsch quickly made an impression on current Erie Otters assistant coach Wes Wolfe, who was working with the Falcons at the time.
“When I met Brody, he had just moved to the region. I could tell immediately that he was an intensely passionate and caring person — qualities that he brings into his coaching,” Wolfe said. He is a player-first coach, and very intentional about development.”
Wolfe admires Kritsch willingness to learn.
“The amount of time he spends trying to become a better coach and thinking about new ways to help his players is impressive. We go for coffee every week in the off-season and do regular check-ins throughout the year and he’s always asking questions, bouncing off ideas,” Wolfe said. “It’s no surprise he’s continued to have success advancing players, be it in the OHL ,U18 draft or to NCAA commitments and higher levels of junior.
“I have so much respect for someone who hones their craft like Brody. He has become a great friend and is someone I can see moving up the coaching ranks if that’s what he decides he wants to do.”
Kritsch spent three seasons with the Falcons before returning to minor hockey where he is wrapping up his third season as head coach of the Niagara North Stars U18 AAA squad with plans to return for a fourth.
“I want to essentially keep building it, just keep growing it,” Kritsch said of the U18 program. “Eventually, my goal is to coach in the OHL and I feel like I will get there one day. I’d like to pass it on to someone that would take pride in it like I do.
“Just keep developing young men, that’s what I want to do.”
Kritsch and assistant coach Francis Balah have done just that, moving almost 20 players on to the next level, including six key members of the this year’s junior B Falcons — Marcus Harris, Calvin Petrovsky, Mitch Dmytrow, Matthew Hlacar, Jordan Marconi and Hayden Jeffery.
“It’s the greatest joy,” Kritsch said of seeing players move on.
Kritsch said Balah’s input is key.
“Francis has been a tremendous help in developing the players. I’m looking forward to seeing him succeed as a head coach next season.”
Falcons general/manager coach Tyler Bielby appreciates working with Kritsch.
“Brody takes a lot of pride in his involvement with youth hockey. He is dedicated, well planned, and genuinely wants what’s best for his players,” Bielby said. “A great coach is a coach who doesn’t pretend to know it all. Brody has a humble ability to lean on those around him for advice and is constantly looking at the game from multiple angles.
“He’s always evolving and has his heart it the right place. For multiple years we have used players from Brody’s teams and he’s unwavering in giving them the opportunity when we call upon them. We are in constant dialogue about our APs (associated players) and Brody has been great to work with from that standpoint.”
Kritsch recently held a reunion of former players before a game and was thrilled to see so many players attend.
“My job is not done when they don’t play for me anymore. Players come to me and we meet when they are struggling. Multiple times this year guys have come to me and I have been a support system. It’s kind of like parenting where they can speak and I can help from a coach’s perspective from someone they trust and finding the solution rather letting it fester and build up and they don’t communicate properly.”
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