Coaching Staff & Management

Des Christopher

Des Christopher
Head Coach & Director

 

Education
Master Degree in Education Administration

Playing Experience
Collegiate: Minnesota State University NCAA Division 1 – Team MVP and Senior Male Athlete of the year at MNSU.

Professional: Adendorfer EC – Germany and WPHL

Entrepreneur
The Goalie Club- 2002-to Current

Coaching 
Coach Des has Coach and trained over 100 players reach NCAA and Professional Ranks. He has 5 USA National Championship titles as Assistant Coach and 21 USA Hockey Championship Titles as Shattuck St. Mary’s Director of Goaltending. He was named Head Coach of the U16 Prep team at Shattuck St. Mary's in November 2017.

Biography

Coach Des is a native of Calgary, AB, where he played youth and Junior Hockey. Des attended and played for Minnesota State University (MSUM) from 1995-1998 where he earned team MVP his senior year as well as the Senior Male athlete of the year award. Coach Des played Professional hockey from 1998-2000 in Germany and United States before volunteering as goaltending coach at MSUM from 2000-2009. Together with former goaltending partner, Craig Lindsey, Des formed TGC in 2002. In April 2005 TGC was selected as, and continues to be, the goaltending choice of National Champion Shattuck St. Mary’s (SSM) Prep School in Faribault, MN (TGC provides goaltending consultants to SSM). Over the years, Coach Des has helped numerous goaltending prospects move on to the college and pro ranks, such as: Oscar Dansk (Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL), Kevin Murdock (Lake Superior State University, WCHA), Nick Kossoff (Lake Superior State University, WCHA), Brady Hjelle (Tulsa Oilers, ECHL), Eric Schierhorn (University of Minnestoa, B1G), Austin Lee (Minnesota State University, WCHA), Cole Huggins (Minnesota State University, WCHA), Peter Traber (Harvard University, ECAC), Taylor Crosby (Northeastern University, Hockey East), Tyler Bruggeman (St. Scholastica Saints, NCHA), Anthony Brodeur (Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL).

SSM has captured 23 National Championship's since joining forces with The Goalie Club. The following teams brought home Championship titles over the years:

  • Girls Prep: 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2017
  • Girls U16: 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Bantam Boys U14: 2014, 2016, 2021
  • Boys Prep U18: 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014
  • Boys U16: 2015, 2016

Coach Des owns a Masters Degree in Education Administration and has coached goaltenders for over 25 years. Coach, his wife Liz, and twins Claire and Liam, reside in Mankato, MN with dog Kipper.


Ryan Schwalbe

Ryan Schwalbe
First Mate

 

Coach Ryan Schwalbe is currently a junior forward for the Minnesota State University Mavericks and pursuing a degree in Finance.  Coach Ryan is born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and began playing outdoor hockey at the age of three.  Growing up Coach Ryan wore an Anchorage NorthStar and AllStar’s jersey until the age of 13. In those years he learned the fundamentals and fell in love with the game.

Ryan SchwalbeBetween U14 – U17 he attended four USA Hockey Development camps in Rochester, NY.  In 2008 he began attending school at Shuttuck St. Mary’s in Faribault, MN.  Coach Ryan was an honor roll student and played for the Bantam Tier I, U16 and Prep teams. Coach Ryan won USA Hockey National Championships his Junior and Senior year in high school.  Behind the bench were Coach Des Christopher and Coach Tom Ward, now Assistant Coach of the Buffalo Sabres.

Following high school graduation, Coach Ryan spent one season in the British Columbia Hockey League and two seasons in the United States Hockey League.  In his final season of Junior Hockey, he was fortunate enough to be captain of the Sioux Falls Stampede.  Coach Ryan led the team to winning a Clark Cup Championship before attending Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Over the past five years, Coach Ryan has spent the summers coaching young hockey players in Mankato.  In addition, he returns to Stattuck St. Mary’s High School to coach youth hockey schools.  Coach Ryan is a great role model to youth hockey and his teammates.  He loves sharing his knowledge and the love of hockey.


Aaron Erickson

Aaron Erickson
2008 Coach

A native of Mankato, Aaron grew up and played in the Mankato Hockey Association. He played High School Hockey for the Mankato Knights (Mankato Combined High School Team). Aaron has coached youth hockey for over 20 years at various levels and AAA summer hockey as well. He started the first Advanced Mite Program in Mankato in 2004. In addition to coaching hockey, Aaron has also coached Baseball, Football, Soccer and Softball for many years. He is passionate in teaching the game of hockey which also has many life lessons along the way!

Aaron holds a double major in Accounting and Business Administration from Mankato State University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner and is currently a Principal Internal Auditor for Compeer Financial where he has worked for 24 years.

Aaron lives in North Mankato with his wife Kendra. They have four children, Brie, Zach, Noah and Lexi and four dogs, Avery, Sydney, Rosie and Lulu.