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Why the Watertown Shamrocks?
Championship Pedigree Hockey Staff
While the organization is still in it’s infant stages, the Watertown Shamrocks are led by a coaching staff that is no stranger to winning. Head Coach Casey Kirley joins the Shamrocks after spending the first nine years of his coaching journey as an assistant for some of the top junior hockey teams in the country. To go along with a championship in the NA3HL and a Robertson Cup Championship in the NAHL, Kirley was pivotal in helping lead his teams to a combined 172-93-17-18 record while in the NAHL — amassing a .572 winning percentage and a .690 points percentage.
Assistant coach Griff Jeszka brings valuable NCAA experience to the Shamrocks. Jeszka, who spent three seasons in the NAHL, played four years at the NCAA DI level at the University of Massachusetts and Merrimack College before turning pro and spending three seasons in the ECHL. Goaltending coach Garrett Nieto also spent three seasons at the NCAA DI level with Union College and is a NAHL veteran of three years himself.
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Commitment to Player Development
The Shamrocks organization prides itself on it’s esteemed commitment to prioritize the development of it’s players. While winning is a priority, providing our players with the necessary resources to become better athletes and hockey players is our goal. Our goal is to advance players to the USHL, NCAA hockey, and beyond.
Our team is geographically positioned to provide our players with tremendous access to scouts from various levels. We are situated right in the middle of all USHL Western Conference teams and are within a days drive of a majority of the league. In addition to Watertown being an accessible place to USHL teams, it also makes easy for NCAA Division I programs to come to our games.
Daily, our players are provided with up to three hours of ice time, team workouts and film sessions. Film sessions are done both in a team and individual environment. With the facilities and coaching we provide, we are one the best places to play junior hockey in the United States.
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Prairie Lakes Ice Arena and Our Facilities
The Watertown Shamrocks boast a first-class facility that is among the premier facilities in not just the NAHL, but in the entire United States junior hockey landscape. The $36.5 million Prairie Lakes Ice Arena opened in 2024 and features two NHL sized sheets of ice.
The arena is highlighted by a 1,500 main sheet of ice that dazzles with both club and ice-level suites, including loge seating for the exclusive naming rights of local businesses. To further enhance the game day experience, the arena features a center-hung Daktronics jumbotron that shows a feed of the game, along with live replays and in-arena entertainment.
The facility also boasts individual locker rooms, a training room, and a locker room fully equipped designated for the Watertown Shamrocks. In addition to the Shamrocks, the facility is also capable of hosting various youth tournaments and South Dakota state high school hockey tournaments. To accommodate for future growth, the facility is designed to expand for a third sheet of ice and a dry land training area.
Our players are also given access to Vitality Sports Academy, a local training facility that has grown year-over-year. Vitality offers our players an opportunity to develop athletically away from the ice in ways that few other facilities offer.
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Home Away From Home
While in Watertown, players are taken care of both on and off the ice. The Shamrocks have a bevy of quality community members and families that serve as Billet parents all located in the immediate area. The Shamrocks organization thoroughly screens and provides wonderful housing families. Our families work hand in hand with the organization to prove the support and direction our players need as they grow up in Watertown. Families are vetted on their abilities to provide a comforting, safe and clean environment for our players and are ensured to provide the “home” like experience for each player they host.
The Shamrocks are also committed to being active and helpful members within the Watertown community. All players, coaches, and front office staff are expected to be involved within our community. Whether it is appearances at schools, Joy Ranch, hospitals, post game autograph or skate with the team sessions, and many others, our organization proudly remains involved within our community on a daily basis. Giving back to our community is always a priority for the Shamrocks.
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Local and Invested Ownership Group
Owned and operated under Codington County Hockey Club LLC, the Watertown Shamrocks feature a group of owners that have both extensive hockey backgrounds and local roots. The group which includes Mark Gulbrandson, Vince Foley, Donald Sisson, and KC Finnegan, came together to bring the Shamrocks to Watertown and make them just one of two NAHL franchises in South Dakota.
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Top of the Line Media Coverage
For most parents, family, or friends, it can be difficult to make to Watertown for every game during the season. So, to help keep fans and family connected to the players, every Shamrocks game is carried for FREE on our radio partner Star 98.1.
In addition, live video streamed broadcasts are available for every game via NAHL.tv for a monthly or annual fee. NAHL.tv is the official video provider for all NAHL games and carries all regular season and playoff games. The Shamrocks send the teams Director of Broadcasting and Communications, Blake Theisen, to every home and away game. The Shamrocks are also covered by various local media outlets.
Beyond in game coverage, we take pride in highlighting our players and organization year-round on our website and social media pages. It is our mission to create engaging and fresh video or video content for our passionate fanbase. Fans are encouraged to follow us on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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More About Watertown
Watertown, South Dakota is the state’s fifth largest city and is nestled just to the east of beautiful Lake Kampeska. The growing city boasts a unique downtown area that blends the cities origins with new modern additions and is continuously expanding.
The city features it’s pair of lakes, Kampeska and Pelican Lake, along with the Bramble Park Zoo that houses nearly 130 different species. Travel has been much improved with the introduction of flights through Denver Air Connection at the Regional Airport. With daily flights, the city can welcome in and send out residents or visitors to the hubs of Denver and Chicago O’Hare. Parking is free for both short and long term visitors.
For more info, click the links below.
Watertown Regional Airport
Hotels and Lodging
Visit Watertown
City of Watertown