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Otter Girls Hockey Coach Resigns

By Zach Stich-Fergus Falls Journal, 03/13/14, 11:00PM CDT

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After four years on the bench, Fergus Falls girls hockey coach Matt Koalska has decided to turn in his whistle.

Koalska made phone calls to the team Tuesday evening to tell the players that he has decided to step down as the girls coach, citing family and new employment as the reason for the move.

“I have always held family and work as the two most important things in my life,” Koalska said. “This is what is best for my family and myself. Walking away from the game could be forever, or I could decide to comeback later.”

Koalska and wife, Leah, recently welcomed another child into the family, while Matt has also taken a job as the Business Development Coordinator at Shoremaster.

“I work with internal and external communications with the company. I do a lot of different stuff, but basically I do whatever I can to help continue to make Shoremaster a successful company,” Koalska added.

Koalska has led the Otter girls to the Section 6A finals in three of the last four years and has amassed a 38-53-6 record in his four seasons.

As a standout for the University of Minnesota, the St. Paul native helped the Gophers win national titles in 2002 and 2003. Koalska, who was drafted by the Nashville Predators in 2000, would go on to play for the New York Islanders, before being traded to the Ottawa Senators.

Koalska retired after the 2006-07 season because of a heart condition.

Asked about what he will miss about coaching the Fergus Falls girls, Koalska spoke of the relationships. “I enjoyed getting to know the girls and them getting to know me. Having the girls come out for an hour and a half, bringing excitement and energy to practice, to get better, was the best part of coaching. The section titles, wins and losses will take of themselves, but what I miss the most will be their smiling faces,” Koalska added.