Koelzer, Cheverie Reflect on Development Camp Coaching Internship

The Arizona Coyotes' diverse coaching internship program was created to help elevate the visibility of talented coaches throughout hockey, giving participants a chance to work with an NHL staff as they pursue their dream jobs.

Turns out new friendships come along with it.

Kelsey Koelzer and Kori Cheverie completed the program as the Coyotes' rookie development camp wrapped up last week, and though they have already returned home to their respective positions, they also know they have developed relationships and bonds that will last a lifetime, starting with each other.

"I think we'll be lifelong friends and coaching peers," Cheverie said. "We're both fighting for the same thing, and that's to coach at the highest level that we can, whether that's on the men's or the women's side.

"I think that helping each other and lifting each other up is something that we did really well this week, and I know that we'll continue to do that as our coaching relationship grows."

At the start of camp, neither Koelzer nor Cheverie were sure of what to expect. Koelzer, who is currently the head coach of the Arcadia University women's ice hockey team, said both the staff and players made them feel right at home immediately.

The lifelong connections that were built started with Cheverie, who's an assistant coach with Hockey Canada and is the first woman to coach one of Canada's men's national teams. She has three gold medals as a women's hockey assistant coach and won gold as the head coach of Team Ontario at the 2019 National Women's U18 Championship.
That experience was evident right out of the gate.

"It was like we'd known each other for years -- Kori was such a pro," Koelzer said. "She's lived it, she's coached at so many different levels, male and female, so to have her kind of as a sounding board all week was just absolutely incredible.

"She's so knowledgeable and such a great personality to have had this experience with, and I'm so glad I got to not only learn from the coaches inside the Arizona organization but from Kori as well."

Both coaches shared the sentiment that the skill of all the players at development camp was impressive, and they had the speed to go along with it. It was many of the prospects' first-ever development camp, so they had to adjust to their surroundings.

Cheverie said one of the biggest differences at this level is the attention to detail that the players have -- not just in their skills on the ice, but also their work ethic outside of the rink. That commitment is what helps motivate the coaches to continue the path they're on.

"They're students of the game and they want to get better," Cheverie said. "What keeps bringing me back is the fact that these athletes want to learn and grow. They are true professionals, and their level of detail is something that I appreciate and value a lot."

Coyotes skill development coach Nathaniel Brooks knows firsthand how taxing the week can be, considering he was a participant in the program prior to the 2021-22 season. Last year was the first time the Coyotes offered the internship, and less than a year later Brooks was added to the staff as a full-time coach.

Both Cheverie and Koelzer said Arizona's move to bring Brooks onto the staff full time shows its commitment goes beyond just checking off a proverbial box.

"Where Arizona took it to the next level is proving, with Nathaniel's hire, that it's more than just a week for them," Koelzer said. "They're committed to pushing the needle in the game of hockey, and pushing it in the right direction, and that was something that definitely put a smile on my face."

Cheverie echoed that sentiment.

"It just proves that the internship works, and that the people being invited are quality, highly skilled coaches who can ultimately make an impact," she said. "This is exactly what the program is about. Come in, learn about the pro side of the game, get that experience, see how much you impact the group, and you can be rewarded with an opportunity."

Coyotes President and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez has stressed the internship's importance to the club since the very beginning. Other clubs around the NHL have taken note of Arizona's lead by implementing similar programs, and Gutierrez has said all along that has been one of the goals.

He said the Coyotes plan to continue the program with the hope that even more teams take note.

"We hope that not only for us, but across the league, this becomes a staple, that this becomes part of creating that pipeline of talent," he said. "You then start building that network, you start building that relationship that I think is key."

The week culminated with the club's annual black and white scrimmage, in which Koelzer helped lead Team White, while Cheverie was on the bench for Team Black. Though Team White came away with a 3-2 win, the final score wasn't the most important part of the night, despite each coach's penchant for winning.

Instead, they said it was an important payoff for the prospects at camp, who applied everything they learned throughout the week and put it into practice. When asked about their favorite memory from camp, both Koelzer and Cheverie said the team scrimmage will stand out for a long time.

"All week things were structured and broken down, so getting to see them put it together and turn their brains off a little and just be hockey players was awesome," Koelzer said. "Just a really great experience being behind the bench."

Even postgame, the prospects at development camp highlighted how invested they were in the team, including the coaching staff, throughout the week.

"I went around to all the guys, shook their hands, wished them good luck this season, said it was great to meet them, and then there were just cool conversations that came up," Cheverie said. "You have conversations throughout the week with them, and then they're wishing you good luck at Worlds, and good luck with the National Team.

"They're paying attention, they're invested in the people around them, just as much as we are invested in them, so that was a really cool moment for me."

It wasn't just the new teaching methods and skills that came up throughout the week that benefited Koelzer and Cheverie, either. There were also times of validation, specifically after seeing the methods they currently use are also leveraged at the NHL level.

None of that came as a surprise to Kwame Mason, who directed and produced the award-winning documentary "NHL Bound," which highlighted Brooks and Duante' Abercrombie in the team's first internship program.

Mason, who predicted that the internship would lead to full-time jobs prior to Brooks being hired, said both Koelzer and Cheverie have a bright future ahead.

"They are professionals," Mason said. "It's great hearing the feedback from everybody, and seeing where they go, and seeing that they are developing.

"You'll see at least one of those ladies representing the [NHL] shield."

After spending a week with the Coyotes and their coaching staff, Koelzer and Cheverie now have an even better idea of what it will take to get there, no matter what the end goal is.

They built meaningful relationships and friendships along the way.

"If I need help or any resources down the road, Arizona is an organization that I can reach out to," Koelzer said. "They're working towards improving the game of hockey themselves."