Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

Born and raised in St. Paul (Highland Park Area). Attended Cretin High School. Then Graduated from St. Thomas College with a degree in Physical Education, Health, and Coaching.  High School Hockey Coaching Career: 10 Years as Varsity Assistant at Hill-Murray High School.  6 Years as Head Coach of Stillwater High School.  The past 26 years and currently still the Head Boys Hockey Coach at Hill-Murray

Todd Manthey is a 1984 graduate of Anoka High School, where he played football, hockey and baseball.  After high school Todd attended the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and played hockey for one season with the Nanooks.  Todd then attended St. Cloud State University, played Husky hockey and received his BA degree in education.  Todd’s first high school hockey coaching experience was as an assistant coach at Blaine High School from 1990-1994.  From there he became an assistant coach at Anoka High School from 1994-1998.  Todd was named Anoka High School’s head hockey coach in 1998 and continued this passion until retiring following the 2016 season.  Todd and Tami Jo have been married for 37 years and have two adult sons, Timothy and wife Erin and Tyler and wife Stacy.  Our five grandkids are Colton, Brookston, Tessa, Raina and Blair.  Todd teaches 6th grade MN Studies at Anoka Middle School for the Arts and continues to reside in Anoka, while also making time for cabin life up north

Accomplishments:

• Assistant coach of Blaine’s 1992 – 3rd place State finish
• Assistant coach of Anoka’s 1995 – 5th place State finish
• Assistant coach of Anoka’s 1998 – 2nd place State finish
• Head coach of Anoka’s 2003 – State Champions
• Head coach of Anoka’s 2016 – State Tournament Appearance
• Section Coach of the Year 2003, 2008, 2015 and 2016

Steve is a graduate of Hill High School (1967), participating in football, hockey and baseball.  He attended St. Mary’s College playing hockey for coach Don Josephs.  He received his teaching degree from SMU, and his M.A. from St. Thomas.  His teaching career covered a period of 37 years and his coaching career spanned 41 years.  Aside from coaching high school he coached two years at Blessed Sacrament Grade School, many years of Mite, Squirt and Bantam association hockey.  Summer times were spent working in many different camps.  He also ran his own camps in Oakdale, Cottage Grove, Anchorage Alaska, and San Jose California. Steve would like to thank coaches Terry Skrypek, Bob Wasko, Jim McElmury, Steve Houge, Bob Shire, Al Palodichuk, John Humphrey, and Ray Sierakowski for being great mentors and great friends over the years.

Coaching History:

• JV coach For Terry Skrypek @ Hill-Murray: 1973-76
• Assistant Coach for Bob Wasko @ Woodbury High School: 1976-77
• Head Coach @ Woodbury High School: 1977-83
• Head Coach @ Park of Cottage Grove High School: 1983-99
• Assistant Coach for John Humphrey @ Tartan High School: 2002-06 
• Co-Head Coach with Jim McElmury @ Tartan High School: 2006-13
• Co-Head Coach with Ray Sierakowski @ Tartan High School: 2013-17 

Awards:

• 1990 - Maroon and Gold Coach
• 2004-05 Assistant Coach of the Year Section Three - 2AA
• 2009-10 Section 4AA Coach of the Year
• 2012-13 Section 4AA Coach of the Year.
• 2015-16 Metro East Conference Coach of the Year.
• 2015-16 Section 4AA Coach of the Year
• 2016-17 Metro East Conference Coach of the Year.
• 2016-17 Section 4AA Coach of the Year

Jeff Whitney grew up in Rochester, MN and played varsity baseball and hockey for the Mayo Spartans.  Throughout high school hockey, Whitney was coached by MHCA Hall of Fame member, Lorne Grosso.  Though Jeff graduated high school in 1980, his time as a student athlete was just the beginning of a long affiliation with the Mayo Spartans.  Whitney played hockey for University of Wisconsin-River Falls for the next three years (1980-83), two of those years under the guidance of George Gwozdecky.  In 1982, Whitney earned the Don Joseph Most Improved Player award, and in 1983 he helped his team win the NAIA National Championship.  The 1983 National Championship team was inducted into the UWRF Hall of Fame in 2013.  Jeff began his coaching career as an assistant JV/Varsity boy’s hockey coach, at Eau Claire Memorial, where he coached from 1983-1985.  After college graduation, Jeff returned to Rochester and coached Rochester Youth Hockey traveling teams from 1985 thru 2010; he also led Rochester Youth Hockey Foundation camps, administering power skating camps with Lorne Grosso through most of those years.  Jeff was fortunate to coach both of his sons, Alex and Max, throughout their youth hockey and high school careers.  In 1987, Whitney returned to Mayo High School, beginning his career in education as a Business Education teacher; in 1991, Whitney became Activities Coordinator setting him on his path to his current role at Mayo High School.  Jeff began his Mayo coaching career as assistant hockey coach mentored by his former high school coach, Grosso.  Eventually, he became co-head coach alongside Grosso. During Whitney’s tenure as coach, Spartans were Big 9 Champions 12 times, section 1AA Champions and state tournament participants six times.  Jeff’s most memorable state tournament experience was in 1995, when the Spartans lost the state semi-final game in double overtime to Moorhead, a team led by former NHL great Matt Cullen.  Throughout his time as a coach, Whitney earned a number of MN Hockey Coaches Association Assistant and (Co) Head Coach of the Year awards.  Jeff served as a Region 1AA Representative for the MN Hockey Coaches Association.  Whitney has also spent time as the General Manager of 1AA Great 8 High School Annual All-Star Game as well as the Region 1AA Administrator for the MN Select 16 and 17 Hockey Festival.  Whitney also co-founded the Kiwanis Hockey Tournament, a long-standing Rochester high school tournament still running today; the 2022-23 tournament will be year 28.  Jeff was named Mayo High School’s Activities Director in 2005, and while this position eventually led to the conclusion of his role as a boys’ varsity co-head coach, Whitney remains involved in hockey by continuing to run the Section 1A/1AA Boys High School Hockey Tournament as Tournament Manager, a role he has served in for the past 16 years.  Whitney has been named Region 1AA Activities Director of the Year multiple times and in 2018, Jeff was named the MSHSL AA Activities Director of the Year. He also has served as Executive Secretary of the Big 9 Conference for the past 12 years.  Whitney is currently serving his 32nd and final year in Activities Leadership at Mayo High School.  He has profound appreciation for his wife Stefanie, family, friends, colleagues, coaches, and athletes who have contributed to this wonderful profession and calling.  Jeff often reflects in amazement on his career in education, athletic administration, and coaching—all for the school across the street from where he grew up.  The same school where he and his boys are all three Mayo High School and Mayo Hockey alumni.