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Chris Lonke
Chris Lonke has coached hockey for the past 25 years. Chris has also been involved in many programs with Minnesota Hockey, local youth programs and the MHCA Board of Directors. Chris has served on the MHCA Board for the past decade or so. He has been involved in communications, clinics, the high-performance program, hockey advisory to the MSHSL, ADM leadership, Director of the NIT and represented the MHCA Boys Coaches on the Fall Elite board of directors the past five years. Coach Lonke has coached at Simley High School, where he led the Spartans to a runner-up finish in 2003. From there he went to Hamline and joined Scott Bell’s staff. During his one season with Hamline, they won they MIAC Conference Championship, their first title in 60 years. In 2008, Lonke was hired as the New Prague HS coach where he has remained for many years. In 2014 he led the Trojans to their first state tournament appearance, where they finished in third place in Class A. They returned in 2015 and won the Consolation Championship in a double OT thriller against Breck. He stepped down this past spring to spend more time with his family. The coaching position stayed in the family though with his younger brother Cory taking over the reins of the Trojans. Coach Lonke has been a lead instructor in Minnesota for the American Development Model. This program is designed to provide optimal age-appropriate training to youth hockey players, giving them the best possible chance of reaching their potential. Lonke trains other coaches in the proper implementation of the program by conducting classroom and on-ice clinics. Coach Lonke is also very involved in the Minnesota High Performance program. He has been the tournament director of the Minnesota Hockey NIT last two years and has coached at the USA Hockey National Select Camps in New York in previous years. He has also taught Physical Education and Health while coaching for the past 20 years. Lonke has been named high school section coach of the year 3 different times in his career and was named the John Mariucci Class A Head Coach of the Year in 2003. Chris attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education in 1997. He added a Masters in Activities and Athletic Administration from the University of St. Thomas in 2007.
