OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.–The Oklahoma Warriors announce the hiring of Nate Weossner to the role of Assistant General Manager and Associate Head Coach.
Weossner, 39, from Bemidji, Minn. has been coaching hockey since 2009. He joins the Warriors’ staff immediately and will coach alongside General Manager and Head Coach Garrett Roth for the first time at Friday’s preseason game against the Corpus Christi IceRays. Weossner replaces Josh Berge, who stepped down to focus on his role with the Jr. Warriors youth hockey program.
“We wanted to make sure we found someone with high integrity and a passion to help develop players,” Roth said. “We were not in a hurry to bring someone on board if it was not the right fit. Fortunately, the timing could not have worked out any better to get Nate on our staff.”
Weossner brings experience at the high school, college, and junior levels. After getting a teaching degree from Bemidji State University, he took his education and jumped into coaching. Weossner’s most recent coaching stop was with Corpus Christi as head coach during the 2019-20 season. He spent last year in the North Iowa Bulls’ front office as Vice President of Business Operations.
“I love the interaction with players,” Weossner said. “I love the player development side of coaching. I love to learn these players’ stories and watch them grow in their game. Junior hockey is such an interesting time in their lives where they are going to experience a lot of changes. They learn to approach it like a career. Every one of these guys has goals and aspirations, and they are going to find out what they have to do to meet them. To help them through that and be there every day with them and for them is the best part for me.”
Weossner’s coaching travels have taken him from coast to coast. From San Jose, Calif. to North Charleston, S.C. and midwestern destinations in between. He has worked for teams in six different states, including Oklahoma. His coaching stops include the Charleston Colonials (2020-21), Corpus Christi IceRays (2019-20), Des Moines Buccaneers AAA (2019-20), Iowa Wild AAA (2018-19), USHL Des Moines Buccaneers (2014-18), San Jose Jr. Sharks AAA (2012-14), Concordia College (2010-12), and Bemidji High School (2009-10).
That gamut of experiences has allowed Weossner’s to learn about the hockey experience–for players and fans–in areas all across the United States.
“I know that there are passionate people here,” Weossner said. “I think they showed that last year. Mary Anne (Choi, Owner), Garrett (Roth), and Wade (Chiodo, President) have done an unbelievable job creating a culture here. They have established something that definitely has legs and can keep growing. (Blazers Ice Centre) is a cool rink, we have a great setup for the players, and Garrett really understands what it means to develop hockey players.”
Weossner and Roth met at Bemidji State in the late 2000s and have grown as friends as both have embarked on lengthy coaching careers. While the two have swapped stories and ideas many times over the years, this is their first opportunity to coach on the same staff.
“There has always been that camaraderie and friendship between us,” Weossner said. “The fact that this window opened for us to be able to work together was a no-brainer to me … Wade (Chiodo) and I have been friends for a long time, too. The potential to work with those two guys was an opportunity I could not pass up.”
Much like the players themselves, Weossner is taking the time to learn about the group on and off the ice every day as the season draws near.
“Nate has a great approach with players and he cares about them on a personal level,” Roth said, “Which is always an important part of continuing to build team culture and a positive environment for players to succeed.”
The Oklahoma Warriors host the Corpus Christi IceRays for a preseason game and fundraiser event on Friday, September 8 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the action at Blazers Ice Centre are $5 at the door and ticket proceeds will go to the Oklahoma Jr. Warriors.
