Andrew Wilcox and his young brother Bryce presently commit most of their get the job done day jointly, jogging their world wide web design and improvement organization, NexGen Advertising and marketing.
So when the prospect presented alone for the Rochester Century graduates — both of those of whom played on boys hockey point out match groups for the Panthers — to invest additional time on the ice jointly, it was as well challenging to pass up.
Andrew, 35, and Bryce, 33, jumped at the present to coach the Dodge County boys hockey application. They’ll be the Wildcats’ co-head coaches, using more than for Nick Worden, who guided the Wildcats to their to start with-ever point out match overall look (a runner-up complete in 2021) and, far more importantly according to the Wilcox brothers, aided turn all over the lifestyle in the Dodge County software.
“I do not know if I truly expected to ever turn into a head coach,” reported Bryce Wilcox, a 2007 Century grad. “My spouse and I just commenced a family members. I imagined I might just stroll away from coaching for a although.
“But when Wordo reported ‘I’m going to stage absent,’ I achieved out to Andrew and stated ‘do you want to commit to this?’ He has a 1½-year-aged and yet another on the way, but we chatted and just had far too significantly pleasure to go it up.”
The Wilcox brothers hope for a smooth transition, possessing been close to the application for two seasons as assistant coaches. Dodge County went 35-15-1 in that span and created its only condition-event physical appearance in the spring of 2021. It defeat Mankato West for the Section 1A championship, then topped Hermantown and Very little Falls to achieve the title recreation.
Andrew Wilcox, who was a ahead during his participating in job, mentioned he and his brother will operate the hockey plan the exact way they operate their company — every of them dealing with their parts of experience.
“Bryce loves his defensemen, I love my forwards,” Andrew explained. “We each have some tips on the two sides of the ice, and we’ll communicate about people strategies and make the finest selections for the workforce as a group. Whatever suits with our in general objective is the method we’ll get.
“We have a sense of which way we want to go, but we’ll mold every thing to function as effectively as we can with the players we have.”
Worden coached the Wildcats for 4 seasons, compiling a 65-38-1 mark.
“He’ll under no circumstances choose credit for it, but considering the fact that Day 1 he was identified to improve the lifestyle of the application,” Andrew Wilcox mentioned of Worden. “When I think of a successful system, it’s not just winning games, it’s not just profitable your change. It’s doing the right factors away from hockey, as well. He held children accountable he introduced that into the classroom, talked to instructors and directors to make confident the children are operating difficult in the classroom, too.
“Helping these fellas expand into younger adult men is one particular of his strengths and we want to have that on.”
The cupboard is loaded for the Wildcats’ new coaches. Dodge County is led by a trio of forwards — juniors-to-be Cooper Jacobson and Gryffon Funke, and sophomore Brett Ludvigsen — who are beginning to get found at a countrywide amount, when attending Minnesota Hockey and Usa Hockey summer time camps.
“We’re fired up about that how great they’ve by now come to be for how youthful they are,” Bryce Wilcox stated. “We think we can aid elevate all those youngsters a minor little bit much more, because Andrew and I did engage in junior hockey and college hockey.
“They know the activity we’re just there to make them a handful of instruments to develop into minor bit far better.”
Andrew Wilcox, a 2005 Century grad who played on its 1st-at any time point out event workforce, explained he’s most thrilled to try to present the similar options for little ones that he had though taking part in youth and significant university hockey.
“I’ve seen what Nick has performed there considering the fact that the starting with him,” Andrew said. “I’ve noticed the tradition he’s constructed there. We want to support that develop. And the like of the match, the results I’ve experienced and how excellent the game has been to me, this is a excellent way to give back.
“I’ve usually experienced a passion for aiding players produce on and off the ice, so this was sort of a no-brainer to get on board.”