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MINNESOTAHOCKEYJOURNAL.COM // DECEMBER.2015 16 STATEOFHOCKEYSTORE.COM XCEL ENERGY CENTER | MAPLEWOOD MALL | SOUTHDALE CENTER OR VISIT US ONLINE: WHEN YOU WANT IT ALL. FEATURING OFFICIAL MINNESOTA WILD APPAREL WORN BY: JONAS BRODIN | DARCY KUEMPER | NINO NIEDERREITER | MIKKO KOIVU ChrISTIAN kOellING Director of Hockey Operations for University of Minnesota Duluth Men's Hockey Hometown: Bloomington Years in Position: 7 Favorite Part: "I don't know if I have a favorite part, but I do know that I wake up in the morning and I'm excited to get to the rink. I love my job. I feel blessed and fortunate that I have a career that I absolutely love." Word of Warning: "It's gotta be something that you love to do, because it's seven days a week when the season starts until we're done. You miss out on a ton when it comes to family and friends and vacation in the winter, and there's a lot of sacrifices in the household with my wife and our baby daughter, too." Christian Koelling developed his love for hockey through the friendships found in the Bloomington Jefferson youth program in which he played. Koelling felt as impassioned about the sport on the bench as he had on the ice. He started by coaching a youth summer team in Bloomington until his high school graduation. Finding a love for teaching the game, he stuck with it while attending the University of Minnesota Duluth where he majored in business administration with a coaching minor. Koelling put the minor to good use, staying north of the cities and coaching in the Duluth East Amateur Hockey Association at the Peewee and Bantam levels. After five years he moved on to serve as the head coach of the Duluth Central High School squad for three years. "I absolutely loved it," Koelling said. "I loved spending time at the rink and teaching kids the game. From there I just got more and more involved and said yes to every opportunity that came my way." The next opportunity took Koelling back to his college alma mater. He jumped in to the administrative side of things as the director of operations. In that role he helps manage the budget while also working with the team on community outreach projects and being in charge of all video-related aspects. Koelling is still able to whet his coaching appetite, serving as Minnesota Hockey's Coach-in-Chief, connecting with the youth programs that helped shape him. "It's a small hockey world and it's such a tight-knit hockey world," said Koelling. "It's full of great people and people that have helped grow my career. It's just one of the many great parts of working in hockey." help WANTeD