Staff

Deb Holthaus

After seeing her daughter parlay success as a wrestler into a college scholarship, longtime Little Falls (Minnesota) amateur hockey association board member Deb Holthaus felt the urge to help open doors for young skaters in the same vein. With the exception of a gifted few, junior hockey is the prevailing route. The NA3HL has developed a rock-solid history of college advancements through top-notch coaching and first-class operations across the board. And it’s all done in the spirit of bettering the player.

The Aces are also hoping to reap the benefits of being the northern most team in the league (Little Falls is located approximately 100 miles north of the Twin Cities) when it comes to procuring players. “We think that’s an automatic,” said Holthaus. “But we’re not opposed to other kids out of the state or out of the country. We’re willing to look at everybody.” For Holthaus, it’s a matter of courting kids with a good work ethic and a drive to make themselves better players, better students and, above all, better people, no matter where they call home.

“It’s also important that our team has a positive influence in the community,” said Holthaus, noting that the inception of the Flying Aces will also create some needed revenue for Little Falls’ Exchange Arena. Wins and losses aside, for Holthaus, a staunch supporter of youth athletics, the program is all about turning boys into responsible young men, a formula the NA3HL has mastered over the years and one the Flying Aces hope to replicate. “There’s plenty of good players out there that can go to college and play,” she said. “I think if you’re in college and you’re involved in something, you’re going to have a better college experience and you’re going to be a more well-rounded person and that’s what we want to bring to these kids.”

Owner and General Manager
320-632-2857
deb@mnflyingaces.com

John Holthaus

The Aces are the product of John and Deb Holthaus. They saw Little Falls as the perfect foundation to begin building a competitive junior hockey team that would serve as a support structure to a flourishing hockey-minded community. "The people around here have been so supportive of the Flyers hockey team," John said. "And as board members of the Little Falls Amateur Hockey Association, Deb and I seized the perfect opportunity to strengthen our community."

John and Deb, the sole financial backers of the non-profit organization that is the Aces, made it clear that their goals were community-oriented. "We want to first and foremost develop our young players to give them a better chance to further their athletic and academic careers," John said. "But while we do that, we can't overlook the impact this will have on the community. We want our players to benefit from being in Little Falls, and Little Falls to benefit from housing our players."

Coaching Director
320-632-1972
john@mnflyingaces.com

Head Coach - Craig Larson

Craig Larson will begin his second season, behind the bench of the Flying Aces in 2011-2012. In his first full season, his team finished the 2010-2011 season with an impressive 27-17-4 record and a move from an 8^th place finish, in 2010, to a 3^rd place finish, the following season. With a brief eight game stint, as Aces head coach, at the end of 2009-2010, Larson took over the Aces with over 13 years of coaching and scouting experience.  Larson has served as Head Coach for the St. Cloud Apollo High School boy’s hockey team from 2000-2007.  He also served as a coach/evaluator for the USA Hockey Advanced program for Minnesota. During the 2009-2010 hockey season, Larson served as a Minnesota scout for the Alexandria Blizzard (NAHL), as well as a U.S. regional amateur scout working for the International Scouting Service.  As a regional scout for ISS, Craig evaluated and filed reports on players eligible for the NHL Draft. During the 2008-2009 season, Craig was associate coach and director of scouting for the Granite City Lumberjacks of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. While there, he scouted, recruited, and helped form the expansion team now playing out of St. Cloud, Minnesota.  His role with the Lumberjacks helped bring the brand new team to a third place finish at the 2009 USA Hockey Junior A Tier III National Championships, in Marlboro, Mass.  Craig spends his summers working as a coach at the prestigious Minnesota Hockey Camps of Nisswa, Minnesota.  There he helps to develop elite players from bantam to college age in on/off ice training.  Craig resides in Sauk Rapids, MN with his wife, Dayna, son, Alec and Golden retriever, Apolo.

Coach John Stockler

The Flying Aces are excited to present, John Stockler, a young up-and-coming coach who is excited to bust into the junior ranks this season. John has had success as a player and coach but also is involved in many avenues of training players on and off ice with camps and lessons. Born and raised in MN he played his youth hockey in Princeton growing up. He played two seasons of varsity hockey freshman and sophomore year, leading the team in scoring both seasons. He then left his junior year to play Midget AAA in Sault Ste. Marie MI. The following year, John played for the Billings Bulls which at that time were in the NAHL. That season he won rookie of the year for the club. The next year in Billings the Bulls finished third at Nationals and John was the teams MVP. The following year he was purchased by the Trail Smoke Eaters of the BCHL. Following his junior career, John played his college hockey for the University of Connecticut Huskies, (Div 1 Atlantic Hockey). After a good start in his first two seasons his playing time was stopped his junior year because of injuries. His last year at UConn John was asked to coach the Universities club hockey team. That season behind the bench John lead the Huskies to a 5^th place finish at the National tournament.  Once leaving UConn John returned to MN and coached A bantams in Princeton for two seasons. Also in the 10-11 season he was the assistant coach with the high school team in Princeton. Besides coaching teams in the season John is a head instructor for the well renowned Turcotte Hockey School. He has been working for them since he was fifteen and has been a head instructor for seven years. For two years John has also worked for Competitive Edge in Minneapolis teaching players skating technique.

Coach Reed Larson

Reed Larson, younger brother of Coach Craig Larson, returns to the Aces, with 8 years of Coaching and Scouting experience. He played Junior Hockey for the Bismarck Bobcats in 1998-1999. From there he started his college career playing for the Division III University of Wisconsin Superior Yellow Jackets. He played in 3 NCAA Division III Frozen Four Tournaments, highlighted by winning the 2002 National Championship. Reed began his coaching career as Assistant Men’s Hockey Coach for UW-Superior in 2003-2004 where he assisted with scouting, recruiting, and coaching duties. He has scouted for a number of junior programs and is currently a scout and recruiting consultant for UW Superior. Reed was also an Assistant Boy’s Hockey Coach at Willmar High School, where he coached for 6 years as well as coached at the Select 16/17 Minnesota Advanced Festivals each year. Reed returned to the “Iron Range” this past summer as he accepted the Boy’s Head Hockey coaching position in Virginia, MN. He’ll also be teaching Health and Physical Education in Virginia. He now resides in Grand Rapids with his wife, Wendy, and dog, Lucy. Reed is thrilled for the opportunity to work with the Aces and his brother again. 

Assistant Coach/Head Scout Minnesota
320-220-3705
reedalarson@yahoo.com

Dan Foss

Dan brings over 28 years of hockey experience to the Flying Aces staff most recently as the president and general manager of the Northwest Wisconsin Knights from 2000 to 2004 competing in both the Minnesota Junior Hockey League and the Superior International Junior Hockey League in Canada. He promoted over 60 players and coaches to higher levels of competition within the sport. As a player, Dan played Division I ACHA for UW-Whitewater as a goaltender making two consecutive National Tournament appearances.

Familiar with the teachings of USA Hockey, Dan recently received his  level five coaching certification in November of 2010. He brings coaching experience with both the Junior hockey and youth levels having coached two Bantam state championship teams in 1998 and 1999. Dan brings over 16 years of coaching experience and has been scouting players for over five years.

With Dan's keen eye for talent driven players and his passion for the development of junior level prospects, look for Dan on the recruiting trail in the Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin areas.

Head Scout Wisconsin and Central US
(608) 745-5740
(608) 698-1425 (cell)
dfoss3@frontier.com

Tim Schneider

Tim was born and raised in Devils Lake, ND, where he was a 4 year letter winner in football and hockey.  After High School he went to Lincoln, playing 2 years for the Lincoln Stars (USHL), winning a Clark Cup Championship in 96'. Tim also played one season for the Billings Bulls (AWHL), captaining his team to an AWHL championship in 99'.  Following Junior Hockey he went to the Unversity of Minnesota-Duluth where he played for one season before transferring to the University of Wisconsin-Superior.  In 2002 Tim was a member of the NCAA D-3 National Championship team at UWS.  Following his senior season at UWS, he left college to finish the season in Memphis playing for the River Kings (CHL), winning yet another championship in what would be considered his rookie season (2003).  Following another year in Memphis, Tim moved on to play the next season in Jacksonville, Fl (SPHL) for the barracudas.  The following 2 seasons he played in  Fayetteville, NC (SPHL) for the Fayetteville Fireantz. Tim then moved on to play two season with the Bloomington Prairie Thunder in   Bloomington IL, (UHL) which eventually became the IHL.

In his pro career he played in over 300 minor league professional games. In his retirement from Professional Hockey Tim has since finished his degree from UWS and works in Landscaping where he resides in Bloomington, IL.  He is happy to be working along side his friend Craig and college teammate Reed.

 Scout
 Midwest US

Email- schneids122000@yahoo.com