Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Austin comes to us from Milwaukee and has been coaching goalies for 12 years all over the country. He played prep hockey at the Kents Hill School in Maine. After playing two years of Junior Hockey in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Keiser played NCAA Division III for SUNY – Potsdam and later, Western New England University. He concluded his playing career in the ECHL for his hometown team, the Atlanta Gladiators. After his playing career, Keiser served as Assistant Coach at his Alma Mater, Western New England University (NCAA). Next, Keiser became the first Assistant Coach for the inaugural season at Trine University (NCAA). Keiser helped build the first ever junior team in Milwaukee and was the Associate Head Coach for the Milwaukee Power in the NA3HL. Additionally, Keiser comes to TPH with goalie coaching experience from Pro Crease in Connecticut (4 years), SAP in Atlanta (7 years), and USA Hockey. He served as the Director of Goaltending for Milwaukee Jr. Admirals for the last two seasons. “Through my experience as a player and coach, I strive to bring the best goalie package to TPH and Nashville Jr. Predators as the new Goalie Director for these programs.”
“We are really excited to have Austin join us here in Nashville in a full-time position,” stated Jr Predators Tier I Director Keith Rowe. “This is the first time we have had a full-time goalie coach focused solely on TPH and the Nashville Jr Predators. Austin will work with all our Jr Predators teams and will be very hands-on doing things like individual video review, attending games and providing real-time feedback, conducting goalie only on-ice sessions, attending weekday and team practices, and conducting group Zoom presentations for our goalies. We are excited that we are providing these long-overdue resources for all of our goalies.”
“Austin is a hard working and experienced goalie coach,” said USA Hockey Manager of Coaching Education, David Caruso. “He has a great passion to continually learn and develop his coaching skills. He is a patient teacher and brings relatedness to the athletes he works with.”
Austin will be residing in Nashville and once the current battle with the Covid-19 virus is over he will run free goalie-only sessions which all Jr Predators and local Nashville goalies will be invited to attend. Austin will also host a Zoom presentation for all our goalie families. We will send a separate invite to all our goalie families which will include RSVP directions. We hope this note finds everyone safe and healthy.