DAVID BROWN
Skills Development Consultant / Head Minnesota Scout
Brown's experience is wide-ranging. He has spent six successful seasons as the head hockey coach at Rogers (MN) High School. Simultaneously he has operated The Base Sports Performance in New Hope, Minnesota, and is the founder of the Minnesota Lakers AAA program.
Under Brown’s direction, the Rogers Royals reached the Minnesota Class AA Boys Tournament for the first time in program history during 2025. Prior to leading Rogers, Brown was an assistant coach at Wayzata High School from 2014 to 2019, including the program’s first state championship in 2016. At The Base Sports Performance, players in the region have access to elite-level training facilities and coaching, focused on enhancing speed, power, strength, and agility. Brown established the Minnesota Lakers in 2019. The program provides opportunities for players to develop their skills on competitive teams in tournaments and also practices from March through the late spring, then resuming ahead of the traditional Minnesota hockey winter season.
AMY BROLSMA
Skating Coach
Brolsma is a dynamic, master-rated power skating and figure skating coach and has been a resource for Waterloo players since 2025.
She offers lessons at several local ice centers in the Minneapolis area and northeast Wisconsin while regularly visiting Young Arena to work with the Black Hawks.
During Brolsma's skating career, she competed at the 1999 US National Figure Skating Championships. Away from the rink, she earned a degree in Human Biology with an emphasis on Exercise Science from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Brolsma is a member of the NHLCA Female Coaches Development Program, an initiative that aims to support female coaches in areas including skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities. Her coaching experience includes work with NHL, college, junior, and youth skaters.
WILL SOLOWAY
Data Analyst Intern
Soloway is currently an active NCAA hockey player at Colby College in Maine. He will be a junior during the 2026/27 season.
Through last spring, Soloway has played in 47 games as a forward for the Mules, tallying 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists). The Illinois native aspires to pursue a career in hockey operations, analytics, and coaching.
Even while attending classes and skating halfway across the continent, Soloway will provide valuable insights to Black Hawks coaches, thanks to video technology. During the summer of 2026, he sharpened those skills while working in a similar capacity for the Princeton University men's hockey program.
BLACK HAWKS SCOUTS
ZACK THOMPSON
Director of Scouting
Thompson joined the Black Hawks ahead of the 2024/25 USHL season. He spent the prior four years as the Director of Scouting for the Des Moines Buccaneers. In that role, he oversaw scouting, offered player personnel consultation on trade proposals, and managed Des Moines' draft day operations.
The western New York native has also worked for several independent scouting services, evaluating junior-aged talent in preparation for the National Hockey League draft and at other stages of player development..
JAKE VANBESIEN
VanBesien joined the Black Hawk scouting staff in 2022. During the previous six seasons, he had been responsible for tracking statistics like shots and ice time for Waterloo. In addition to helping the Hawks on game nights, VanBesien has also worked for
The Red Line Report and
Future Considerations. Both outlets report extensively on the NHL Draft. A Waterloo native, Jake has been around the Black Hawks organization for over 20 years.
JERRY FREISMUTH
Freismuth has been working with high-level athletes in the Pittsburgh area since 2017 as a coach and administrator in the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program. He currently serves as Director of Hockey Programming at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and also serves as a skill development professional within the EXCEL Hockey Academy. During his playing career, Freismuth skated in the NAHL for the Alexandria Blizzard. He went on to play college hockey, first at Bowling Green, then later at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he was a two-year captain.
ANDREW KOLB
A Toledo native, Kolb played four seasons of junior hockey, followed by a four-year NCAA career at Wisconsin Stevens Point, before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Social Science.
After college, Kolb had a brief stint in professional hockey, then spent three seasons coaching in the NA3HL with the New Ulm Steel, including two as head coach. He also was involved with skill development camps, clinics, and the Minnesota Hockey High Performance Program.
Kolb, currently resides in Traverse City, Michigan.
COLTYN BATES
Bates is simultaniously working as an associate coach for the Coventry Blaze in England's top tier Elite Ice Hockey League. He has been with Coventry since 2025.
The Brandon, Manitoba, native previously was on staff for the Winkler Flyers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League beginning in 2022. That included a stint as interim head coach and general manager.
On the ice, Bates played college hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. His time with the Yellowjackets was highlighted by 47 points (20 goals, 27 assists) across 88 college games.
TERRY JARKOWSKY
Goaltending Scout
Jarkowsky is very familiar with Waterloo after playing for the Hawks during the team’s standout 1993/94 campaign.
That season included a then-junior era team record win total (33); Jarkowsky was in net for 18 of those victories. The team finished the campaign with a 33-15-0 record, claiming second place in the 10-team league. With a 2.87 goal-against average, Jarkowsky became the first Black Hawk in almost 20 years to win USHL Goaltender of the Year recognition.
The owner and head instructor of Master the Crease Goaltending in New Jersey, Jarkowsky provides premier goaltender training to players at all levels. He has worked with USA Hockey to identify top goalies in the Atlantic District, winning USA Hockey’s Goalie Developer of the Year award in 2025. Jarkowsy has served as a goaltending coach for several junior teams, most recently the Mercer Chiefs. His credits also include two seasons with the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women’s Hockey League.
Abbie
McCONNELL
Academic Advisor
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Jen
ZABEL
Housing Coordinator
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Bill
DOBBYN
Supervisor Emeritus of Off Ice Officials
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Scott
AMES
Supervisor of Off Ice Officials
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