Brady Leisenring Hired as Assistant Coach

The Atlanta Gladiators announced Friday that Head Coach and General Manager of Hockey Operations, Chuck Weber has hired Brady Leisenring as the team’s new Assistant Coach.

“Brady will bring a strong passion for the game, high work rate and willingness to do whatever helps the team daily,” said Weber. “A couple of his former coaches that I coached against years ago reached out to me on his behalf and gave me very high recommendations on his character.”

Leisenring, 35, signed with the Esbjerg Energy of the Danish League for the 2014-15 season, but retired after appearing in just 16 games and took an assistant coach position with the team. After completing that season, the Stowe, VT native returned to Esbjerg in the same capacity for the 2015-16 campaign.

“I was fortunate that my coaches (in Esbjerg) offered me a new role as an assistant coach after an injury put an end to my playing career, said Leisenring. “It was the outlet I needed to help handle the end of my playing career while starting the next step in my life of helping and teaching others, which I’m very passionate about. Throughout my professional career, I continued to coach at hockey camps in the off-season, specifically power skating and skills, and now being able to do so while being a part of a team with common goals is an irreplaceable feeling.”

Leisenring enjoyed a nine-year professional playing career in the AHL, ECHL, CHL and various European leagues. The forward was also a standout during a four-year collegiate career at the NCAA’s University of Vermont. In his final season with the Catamounts, Leisenring broke NHL great, John LeClair's all-time record of most career points by a Vermont born player with 117. Prior to his tenure at UVM, Leisenring skated three seasons for the United States National Team Development Program.

“He has a couple years of coaching experience already, was a leader on numerous teams and has a diversified background playing at high levels. The fact that he played in USNTDP as well as college hockey will help in recruiting situations as well,” added Weber. However, I don’t think it matters too much where you played. If you have a passion for the game and are always striving for knowledge to share with the players, you can be a successful coach. You have to be able to communicate and get individual players to buy into the team culture and I believe Brady will help us achieve that.”

This season marks the first season for Leisenring as a professional coach in North America. It’s a challenge that the Gladiators new Assistant Coach is excited about.

“I'm very thrilled and honored to represent this team and community,” said Leisenring. “It's going to be inspiring to be on the ice every day surrounded by motivated and talented individuals for an organization where success is big part of the Gladiators’ history.”

The Atlanta Gladiators 15th anniversary season kicks off at the Infinite Energy Arena on Friday, October 20th against the Florida Everblades at 7:35 PM. For ticket package information, visit the official team website at www.atlantagladiators.com or call the main office line at 770-497-5100.The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nation’s premier "AA" hockey league. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Infinite Energy Arena, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth – where parking is always free. The Gladiators have established an unrivaled commitment to excellence, maintaining a distinctive reputation for affordable and family-friendly sports entertainment and consistently ranked as one of the top “Things To Do” in the Atlanta area and across the North Georgia region.For all the latest team news, contests, and more visit AtlantaGladiators.com, or “like” the Gladiators on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AtlantaGladiators), follow the team on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ATLGladiators), Instagram (www.instagram.com/atlgladiators) or Snapchat (www.snapchat.com) at "gladshockey". -###-