Volunteer Coaches
Youth hockey couldn’t happen without the parents and community volunteers that help with all facets of the game. We have opportunities for volunteer coaches, team managers, scorers, clock managers and penalty box managers. A great way to help out and build friendships and community that will last a lifetime.
Learn more about the volunteer commitments, benefits and training.
MARTIN HLINKA
Director, Kraken Youth Hockey Association
Martin Hlinka has more than a decade of coaching experience. Before joining the Kraken, he spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Division I NCAA Canisius College Men’s Hockey program in Buffalo, New York. Beforehand he spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Salzburg Red Bulls Development Academy, guiding his junior teams to playoff appearances in both the U-19 Czech Extraliga and Alps Hockey League. Hlinka also served as a lead on-ice skills instructor with Synergy Hockey in Saint Louis, Missouri, the Pavel Datsyuk Hockey Camp in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and for both the Belarus and Poland U-18 National Teams.
Prior to coaching, Hlinka played for Augsburg College in Minneapolis, where he amassed 125 points in 85 games played (1995-99) and appeared in the 1998 NCAA Division III Frozen Four. Following his time at Augsburg, Hlinka embarked on a 15-year professional career that was spent mostly in the American Hockey League and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) in Germany. He won league titles in 2001 and 2010. Hlinka holds a USA Hockey Level 5 coaching certification.
KATELYN PARKER
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COACH
A native of Bellingham, Wash., Katelyn Parker returned to her home state to work for the Kraken after coaching for the Division I NCAA University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies Women’s Hockey program from 2018-2021. Parker helped guide the Huskies to playoff appearances in all three years including the Hockey East finals and Semifinals the past two seasons. Prior to joining the Huskies, she coached two seasons as an assistant at Brown University.
Before becoming a collegiate coach, Parker was a member of the Colgate Raiders women’s hockey team, where she served as the team’s captain. As a forward, she played in 141 games over her career, the most in program history. Parker was a four-time recipient of the Sportsmanship Award, given to person that represents the true meaning of “team.” Growing up, she played for the Whatcom Warriors, Washington Wild, and Team Pacific.
In addition to her duties with the Kraken, Parker served as the Scout for Team USA at the 2022 U18 Women’s World Championship and currently is the Female Representative for the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association (PNAHA).
DAVID KYU-HO MIN
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COACH, Jr Kraken AAA 16U Coach
David Kyu-Ho Min started his hockey journey in Seoul, South Korea before his family immigrated to Coquitlam, British Columbia and then to Washington. He grew up playing hockey in Bellevue, Wash. before joining Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association as their Head Skills Coach and Assistant Hockey Director. David has a thorough Skills Coaching background, serving beginner players all the way to the NHL, and has extensive knowledge of the youth hockey scene in the PNW. He also has experience running Coaching Education Program clinics and serving as an on-ice skills instructor and evaluator for USA Hockey.
Prior to coaching, David played AAA in the Seattle area and B.C, eventually earning a scholarship to play in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League for Banff Hockey Academy. During his Junior hockey career he won a national championship with the North Iowa Bulls in 2016.
Learn more about Coach David here.
Josh Mizerek
Player Development Coach, Jr Kraken AAA 18U Coach
Josh Mizerek grew up playing hockey in Duluth, Minn. He played at various levels, including the USHL, DI, US minor leagues and overseas leagues (Netherlands, United Kingdom and Serbia), giving him a wide range of experience.
His coaching career has also brought him all over the world, from running the Men’s and Women’s National Team programs in the Netherlands to coaching camps and clinics in Sweden, Poland, Belgium and beyond.
Before joining the Kraken, Josh was working in the German Oberliga. He served as an assistant coach and youth coordinator for the Tillburg Trappers for five years before serving as head coach of the Hamm Eisbaren. Under his coaching, the Eisbaren achieved a six-place jump in the standings compared to previous seasons.
Julia Takatsuka
Goalie Development Coach
Julia Takatsuka grew up in Seattle where she developed her passion for hockey. After earning a degree in graphic design from the Rochester Institute of Technology, she transitioned into coaching, beginning her journey in 2018. Prior to coaching with the Kraken, Takatsuka was a goalie coach at Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association and the Washington Wild Female Hockey Association.
Joining the Kraken in their inaugural season, Takatsuka has played a pivotal role in building the goalie program and fostering a vibrant community around youth hockey. The program has seen remarkable growth—from just six teams to 34. Under her leadership, the number of goalies with their own gear skyrocketed from two to 44, with many others utilizing association-provided gear bags.
On the national stage, Takatsuka has done extensive work with USA Hockey, serving as a goalie coach for the 15U and 16/17U National Camps from 2021-23. Her dedication to developing goaltenders is evident in her roles at various district and state camps she has also served as the Goaltending Development Coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Amateur Hockey Association (PNAHA) since 2020. Julia also holds Gold Goaltending and Level 4 coaching certifications.
For more insights into her work and the development of the Kraken goalie program, you can read two featured articles here: NHL Kraken Article and USA Hockey Article.
Brock Weitl
14U AAA Coach
Brock Weitl has been with the Kraken since 2022. Growing up in Poulsbo, Wash., he played for Seattle Junior Hockey Association before playing AAA hockey in the NAPHL, CSSHL and USPHL. He finished his career in Juniors, playing for the Casper Coyotes in the WSHL. Prior to joining the Kraken, he coached with the Skipjacks Hockey Academy in York, Pennsylvania, leading his team to win the USPHL 18U Championship. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to return home and help grow the hockey community in the PNW.
Vaughn Reuter
12U AAA Coach
Vaughn Reuter joined the Jr Kraken in 2023 with a focus on Grassroots/LTP programming and as Head Coach of the 10U Navy Select team. A California native, Vaughn grew up playing youth hockey in San Jose. After graduating from Boston College with a Human Development degree, Vaughn began coaching in 2017. His passion for creating engaging and fun learning environments through team sport align directly with the Jr. Kraken development model and focus.
Vaughn has coached all levels of Youth hockey from Tier I/Tier II Select through A/B, and Rec; he has coached at the ACHA collegiate level with Stanford University and San Jose State University. He is excited and thrilled to represent the Kraken as 12U AAA Head Coach.
Nick Absalonson
12U AA Coach
Nick is a native of the Washington D.C. / Northern Virginia metro area. He started playing hockey at a very young age and continued through college. Nick has resided in the Seattle area for long enough that this is now home to him, his wife Angie, as well as their two kids Brooks and Sydney. Nick has been coaching in the Puget Sound area since 2013, joining the Seattle Jr Kraken in 2021. His sense of humor, depth of knowledge, and ability to take aside a struggling player to help that player improve his or her game are key to his effectiveness in teaching the game of hockey.
Group and Individual Lessons
Our coaches offer individual and group hockey lessons open to all players that have graduated from beginner hockey.
Individual Lessons
- Individual lessons consist of 1-4 players that skate for a 30minute session each week.
- You will have to option to choose one of our Kraken approved coaches through DaySmart.
- Coaches will create a development plan for the 6-week program once a time slot is booked.
- Players must have graduated from beginner hockey to register.
Group Lessons
- Group lessons are themed practices that consist 4-25 players.
- You will have the option to choose the following themes (Power Skating, Skills Practice, and Girls Skill Session) *Goalie Skills TBA*
- Players must have graduated from beginner hockey to register.
