Just two seasons removed from Trinity College’s national championship run in 2024 where they lost in a close title game to Hobart, hockey coach Kim Weiss has advanced her career quickly where few female coaches have ascended with her current assistant coaching role for the Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. While the path to the professional ranks has seemed quick, Weiss has been preparing her whole life for the opportunity.
“I always knew I wanted to coach,” said Weiss. “I had only had male coaches growing up and experienced my first female coach when I played at Trinity. I was a neuroscience major at Trinity and my advisor always assumed I would be looking to go to medical school based on that course of study. He asked me about where I might want to go to medical school and I told him; “Oh, I am not doing that, I am going to be a hockey coach.” He was stunned, more with my chosen and difficult course of study considering the professional direction I wanted to take. My first coaching job was at the Pomfret School (prep school) as an assistant and then coaching juniors in Maryland before getting the opportunity back at Trinity with the men’s program.”
During her one season with the Bantams, Weiss worked with Matt Greason as the team won the NESCAC conference and advanced to the championship game in the NCAA tournament while playing host to the Frozen Four. Despite the 2-0 loss to the Statesmen in the title game, Weiss had impressed her fellow coaches and players with her knowledge, passion and commitment to her craft and helping Trinity be a better team.
“Kim is a tireless worker with a growth mindset,” stated Trinity head coach Matt Greason. “She is constantly working her craft and is committed to being a great coach. She brings an aspect of having “a chip on her shoulder” which plays into her view that, above all, she is a hockey coach, gender aside, that is who and what she is, and Kim is very focused on helping her team be successful – she absolutely wants to win.”
Following the end of the 23-24 season Kim was offered a full-time opportunity with the Colorado Eagles as their video coach, having worked in a guest coaching capacity for two development camps and training camp with the Avalanche organization. After some significant self-reflection, Kim took the full-time job for the 24-25 season.
“I had gone from coaching boys in juniors to young men in college and now, am working with grown men with a birth-year range from 1990-2005,” stated Weiss. “It is a little different talking with a player like Jason Megna who has over 700 professional games under his belt, but I am here to help them, care about them, and help prepare the team to be its best self. I think I have grown a lot and see how small the margin for error is at this level.”
While coach Weiss doesn’t focus on what makes her different in the male-dominated coaching arena, she is part of the National Hockey League Coaches Association Female Coaches Program and does enjoy the camaraderie she shares with a very small group of peers including Jessica Campbell with the Seattle Kraken.
“We joke about how small the hockey world is,” laughed Weiss. “If the hockey universe is small, then the women’s coaching world is tiny in comparison. We started getting together as group back when the NHL draft was held in Montreal and we still get together annually around the draft to talk shop and get together socially. I have got to know Jessica over the past couple of years, and we text to talk about things we may struggle with and look for a peer prospective. She has had to go through a staff turnover in the past year when Dan Bylsma was let go. Jess had been with Dan since Coachella days, so it was difficult to know how things were going to play out with a new staff. I had a similar experience after my first year, so it is good to talk about relative experiences and expectations.”
Last year the Eagles lost in the Pacific Division finals to eventual Calder Cup champions, the Abbotsford Canucks. This season the team is off to a fast start and currently sits atop the Pacific Division standings with a goal to win a championship. Weiss has also been recently promoted to being a bench coach with the Eagles and is very focused on winning a championship.
“We just returned from a six-game road trip where we went 4-2,” noted Weiss. “Being on the winning side certainly makes the travel easier and it’s a lot better than if we had gone 2-4. I get asked a lot about where I want to go or do next. Right now, I really do not have a good answer for that question. I am super happy doing what I love to do and focused on helping this team be better and win games and hopefully a championship.”
While the NHL teams take a break for the Olympics, the AHL continues its schedule in February. The Eagles will play back-to-back weekend series with the Chicago Wolves before closing out the month with key battles with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Bakersfield Condors and Henderson Silver Knights. Coach Weiss will be working hard to help the team keep winning games.