Twin Ports PDC Staff

BRETT OLSON,

Founder/Head Instructor

Coach Olson grew up in Superior, Wisconsin, and played youth hockey with the Superior Amateur Hockey Association (SAHA). He was a 3-year varsity hockey letter winner at Superior High School, winning two WIAA State Hockey Championships and one WIAA State Hockey Runner-Up. He was a Wisconsin Mr. Hockey finalist and also lettered multiple years as a multi-sport athlete in both varsity baseball and football.

Olson then went on to the USHL in 2005 to play for the Waterloo Black Hawks, where he was voted team captain during the 2007/08 season. He held the same role as an upperclassman at Michigan Tech, then began a 10-year professional career in 2012, playing in the American Hockey League and Europe.

As a Black Hawk, Olson skated in 151 regular season games, producing 35 goals and 56 assists. He was a member of Watrerloo’s 2006/07 Anderson Cup Championship team. Olson also took the ice for two Hawks squads that played for the Clark Cup, skating in 20 total postseason games with six goals and 11 assists.

From Waterloo, Olson advanced to Michigan Tech. He finished either first or second in scoring for the Huskies during three of his four NCAA seasons, notching 42 goals and 51 assists in 127 games.

At the professional level, Olson debuted with the Abbotsford Heat in the fall of 2012. After two seasons in British Columbia, his next two campaigns were under contract with the NHL’s Florida Panthers, skating for their AHL affiliates in San Antonio and Portland, Maine. All totaled, Olson played in over 500 professional regular season games, notching 286 points (116 goals, 170 assists), including six years in either Germany or Austria.

Prior to becoming a full-time coach, Olson assisted during Waterloo Orientation and Futures Camps beginning when he was still a player at Michigan Tech. He is also the founder and head instructor for the Twin Ports Pro Development Camp in Superior, Wisconsin.

HOMETOWN

Superior, Wisconsin

CURRENT POSITION

Assistant Coach of the Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL), 2022 – Current

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Part-time instructor & evaluator – Waterloo Black Hawks USHL
On-ice instructor – Michigan Tech Hockey Development Center
On-ice instructor – Acceleration North, Arden Hills MN

EDUCATION

BS in Kinesiology & Physiology, double minor in Coaching & Psychology, Michigan Technological University, 2012

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

Retired from playing as a professional after 10 seasons
582 professional games played
Dusseldorfer EG (DEL) 21-22
KEV Krefled (DEL) 2020-2021
ERC Ingolstadt (DEL) 2017-2020
EC Red Bull Salzburg EBEL 2016-17
Portland Pirates AHL 2015-16 (NHL Affiliate – Florida Panthers)
San Antonio Rampage AHL 2014-15 (NHL Affiliate – Florida Panthers)
Abbotsford Heat AHL 2012-14 (NHL Affiliate – Calgary Flames)
Michigan Tech Huskies WCHA 2005-08 (NCAA Division I)
Waterloo Black Hawks USHL 2005-08 (Tier I Junior A)
Superior Spartans WIAA 2002-05 (H.S. Varsity)

ACCOLADES

Signed first professional AHL contract in October 2012
Signed first professional NHL contract in July 2014
ERC Ingolstadt Assistant Captain 2019-20
Portland Pirates Assistant Captain 2015-16
Michigan Tech Captain 2010-11 & 2011-12, Assistant Captain 2009-10
Michigan Tech Merv Young Award MVP 2009-10
Michigan Tech Gary Crosby Leading Scorer Award 2009-10 & 2011-12
Michigan Tech Robert Matovich Outstanding Freshmen Award 2008-09
2x WCHA All-Academic Team 2010-11 & 2011-12
Waterloo Black Hawks Captain 2007-08
USHL All-Star 2007-08
USHL Anderson Cup Champion 2006-07
2x WIAA State Champion 2002-03 & 2004-05

Paul Bittner

Crookston, Minnesota

Drafted in the 2nd round of the NHL Draft in 2015 - Columbus Blue Jackets. Has played 7 seasons professionally in North America and Europe.

Benjamin Patt

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Former goaltender for the University of Minnesota - Duluth men's hockey team. Won a National Title with the Bulldogs and is currently living and working in Duluth, MN.

Emma Stauber

Duluth, Minnesota

Played professionally for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the PHF (formerly NWHL). Former Head coach of the Hermantown/Proctor Mirage.

Aaron Pionk

Hermantown, Minnesota

Former Waterloo Black Hawk - USHL. Playing for the University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team beginning in the Fall of 2023. Drafted in the 5th round of the 2023 NHL Draft - Minnesota Wild.

Ella Anick

Hermantown, Minnesota

Former Proctor/Hermantown Mirage standout. Played two seasons for the Bemidji State University women's hockey team. Will be playing for the St. Cloud State University women's hockey team this fall.