The Portland Winterhawks have announced the appointment of current NHL player and former Winterhawk Paul Gaustad as spokesman for the Winterhawks Amateur Hockey Association (WAHA), Mark Ertle as executive director, and Portland hockey coach Ben Stadey as director of hockey operations.
Portland native Paul Gaustad played youth hockey in the Junior Hawks program, and spent three seasons with the Winterhawks from 1999-2002. He currently plays for the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, where he set a career-high with 12 goals last season, and has amassed 111 points in 277 career games. Gaustad will serve as a spokesman for WAHA, and coach at select camps during the NHL’s offseason.
Ertle has spent the last two seasons as the team’s radio color analyst. As executive director of WAHA, Ertle will be responsible for business and administrative functions to support hockey operations, while setting objectives and priorities to grow all aspects of hockey participation in Portland and Southwest Washington. Ertle will also oversee WAHA’s marketing, communications and fundraising activities. Ertle will step down from his position as radio analyst to focus on his duties with WAHA. His replacement will be named in the near future.
Portland native Ben Stadey played hockey at the NCAA level with Providence College, and has served as a hockey coach in the Portland area for nearly a decade. Stadey will be responsible for overseeing WAHA’s coaching and player development, and will work closely with the Mountain View, Sherwood and Valley Ice Arenas to set standardized WAHA Learn to Skate and Learn To Play programs. Stadey will also create a comprehensive coaching program for kids exposed to the game for the first time through WAHA’s floor hockey programs.
“With Paul, Mark and Ben in the fold, we’ve established a leadership group that is well-connected, knowledgeable and passionate about the growth of youth hockey in the region,” said Portland Winterhawks President Doug Piper. “WAHA is already off to a great start this summer, and we’re now positioned for long-term success in growing the game of hockey in the region.”
Since its inception earlier this summer, WAHA has hosted floor hockey camps throughout the region and already reached thousands of kids. In addition, there are eight ice hockey camps for hockey players of all ages through the summer, after the Winterhawks had just one last year.
WAHA was launched earlier this summer with a mission to grow and develop amateur hockey for all ages across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All proceeds provide affordable access to equipment, ice and instruction.
