The Minnehaha hockey team co-op has a new head coach for the 2017-18 season. The Redhawks finished 17-10 last season tying the school record for season wins all under former coach Pat Griswold who led the team to their first ever open division Schwan’s Cup tournament championship.
Griswold decided to resign and accept another offer to coach for The Academy of Holy Angels after six seasons of coaching at Minnehaha. Of the many outstanding potential candidates interviewed to fill the coaching position was Josh Hoekstra.
Hoekstra attended high school at Edina where he played hockey and went on to play college hockey at Colorado College and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Hoekstra has had relatives attend Minnehaha Academy such as his brother Jeff Hoekstra (’86) and his niece Saakje Hoekstra (’16).
In a newsletter sent out to parents of current hockey players, Hoekstra said that each kid “has the opportunity to begin a new chapter in their playing career.”
Hoekstra also emphasized that he values the character of his players above all and expects for them to be men of character on and off the ice.