CARY EADES - PRESIDENT OF HOCKEY OPS / ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
Eades began his coaching career at UND in 1984 and worked under head coach Gino Gasparini for seven seasons (1984-91). Eades was an assistant on North Dakota's 1987 WCHA and National Championship team alongside former Force coaches Dean Blais and John Marks. In 1991, Eades headed to the USHL for two seasons as the GM / Head Coach of the Dubuque Fighting Saints where he compiled an overall win/loss record of 86-46-7 (.647). The Saints qualified for the National Junior Tournament both seasons under Eades and won the 1993 National Junior championship.
In 1993, Eades went to Warroad (MN) High School where he spent 11 seasons as the Head Coach of the boy's hockey team. In his time coaching the Warriors, he posted an overall win/loss record of 237-62-6 (.787) and led the team to three Minnesota State Class "A" championships and seven Section 8A championships. In 1996, he was named Minnesota State High School Coach of the Year.
In 2004, Eades returned to UND where he coached for another eight seasons under former head coach Dave Hakstol, and during that time the Sioux captured at least one championship each year. UND competed in five NCAA Frozen Four tournaments, won two WCHA league titles, and won four WCHA Final Five Playoff championships.
In 2012, Eades returned to the USHL where he spent three seasons as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Sioux Falls Stampede. Eades inherited a team that had finished in last place overall in the USHL during the 2011-12 season (41 pts.) and in his first season at the helm of the Stampede, he led them to first place and a Western Conference regular season title (92 pts.). The 51-point increase is a USHL record for points improved from the previous season. Sioux Falls also set team records for wins (45), home wins (24), and points (92), and for these accomplishments, Eades was named USHL Coach of the Year. Eades compiled a win/loss record of 125-70-14 (.599) in Sioux Falls, culminating in winning the 2015 Clark Cup Championship.
Cary Eades has been an integral part of the Fargo Force organization since joining the team as Head Coach/General Manager during the 2015-16 season. In his 9 seasons with the Force, Eades has helped lead the team to 2 Anderson Cup Championships, 9 straight playoff berths, 4 Western Conference Championships, and 2 Clark Cup Championships. In 2024 Eades became the first USHL General Manager of the Year in franchise history after helping put together a roster that went 50-10-2-0 establishing a league record for wins in a single season. He has played a key role in each of the Force's Clark Cup Championships as Head Coach/GM during the 2017-18 season and GM/President of Hockey Operations during the 2023-24 season.
Cary Eades
President of Hockey Ops/Assistant GM - CaryE@FargoForce.com
BRETT SKINNER - HEAD COACH / GENERAL MANAGER
In his first year as Head Coach Skinner helped lead the team to the winningest season in franchise & league history. With a 50-10-2-0 record during the regular season under Skinner the Force clinched the second Anderson Cup Championship title in franchise history along with leading the league in a multitude of categories. He also helped lead the Force to the second Clark Cup Championship title in franchise history. His success throughout the 2023-24 season earned him the title of United States Hockey League Coach of the Year.
Prior to his coaching career Skinner played 12 seasons of Professional Hockey as a defenseman including a short stint with the New York Islanders of the NHL as well as 500 games played in the AHL including a Calder Cup Championship in 2012-13 with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He also spent time in European leagues including Russia, Germany, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
Before turning pro Skinner attended the University of Denver where he won Back to Back National Championships in 2004 and 2005. The Pioneers also won the WCHA Regular Season and WCHA Playoff Championships in 2005. Skinner was a 2nd Team All-American as well as First Team All-WCHA in '05.
Skinner played one season for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the 2001-02 season where he was awarded the USHL Defenseman of the Year award and was a 3rd Round NHL Draft Pick of the Vancouver Canucks.
Skinner and his wife Katie have two boys Thomas (5) and William (3).
Brett Skinner
Fargo Force Head Coach/GM
JIMMY MULLIN - ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
Mullin comes to Fargo with multiple years of coaching experience including two seasons as an assistant for the U.S. National Development Team, where he helped Team USA win a silver medal at the 2022 U-18 World Championships, and most recently two seasons as Assistant Men's Ice Hockey Coach at Merrimack College.
Prior to his coaching career, he played 52 games for the Force during the 2010-11 season where he led the team in scoring (23G-37A-60PTS), and played with Force Alumni like Brian Cooper, Nick Oliver & Chad Demers. Mullin continued his hockey career playing D1 College Hockey at Miami University (Ohio) and Minnesota State University Mankato. He played 3 years of professional hockey in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings from 2016-2019 and was selected in the 4th round of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jimmy Mullin
Fargo Force Associate Head Coach - JimmyM@fargoforce.com
CARSON KOSOBUD - ASSISTANT COACH
Kosobud began his hockey career with the Moorhead Spuds playing his HS Hockey career there from 2014-17. He then played 2 seasons of junior hockey spending time with in the NAHL, USHL & BCHL before heading to college. The Moorhead, MN native played one season for the ASU Sundevils and two seasons for the University of Alaska-Anchorage Nanooks. Following his college hockey career he spent time playing in France and for the Bloomington Bison of the ECHL.
"We are excited to get Carson on board to help in the development process for our players. His leadership qualities and high character have been an asset to our organization already throughout his involvement with the Cullen Force Academy and will be great to have around our players on a daily basis," said Fargo Force Head Coach & General Manager, Brett Skinner. "He will be able to wear a few different hats for us, coaching, scouting & helping with skills sessions which will not only be great for the team but his own personal development as a young coach."
Carson is currently working as a coach for the Cullen Force Academy and is an Assistant Coach with Force Sports Preformance in their elite off-ice training program held throughout the summer.
"I'm grateful and excited for the opportunity to be part of such a great organization," commented Carson. "I'm looking forward to being useful in anyway I can and to have a great start to the season!"
Carson Kosobud
Fargo Force Assistant Coach - CarsonK@fargoforce.com
HANK JOHNSON - GOALTENDING COACH
Hank Johnson
Fargo Force Goaltending Coach - HankJ@fargoforce.com
HAMPUS SJODAHL - DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING
Hampus Sjodahl
Director of Scouting - HampusS@fargoforce.com
STEPHANIE OLIVER - DIRECTOR OF SPORTS SCIENCE | HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH
Stephanie Oliver is the New Director of Sports Science & Head Strength & Conditioning Coach. Stephanie is No stranger to athletics, growing up she was a three-sport varsity athlete in volleyball, basketball, and track & field in high school. From there she attended Rochester University in Rochester Hills, Michigan where she played volleyball; claiming honors of Libero of the year and All-American.
Her background in sports training and coaching is vast. In addition to being an athlete she has been a coach at the high school and collegiate levels.
Prior to Fargo Force, she served as the Head Coach for the Womens Volleyball team at Iowa Central College, and Elms College, both of which her teams had conference-winning seasons and a national tournament birth. Stephanie also worked as a club coach for Legacy in Michigan as an 12s, 14s, 16s & 17s National Teams. Legacy is known as one of the top clubs in Michigan.
As a strength coach, she has worked with and learned from some of the best strength coaches in the industry. She was as an assistant strength coach at Michigan Elite Conditioning for Athletes with Dave Lawerence; a Level 5 Poliquin strength coach. She performed athlete assessments and designed programs for NFL and college and high school athletes.
She has also worked as a strength coach at Prentiss Human Performance with Ben Prentiss, Level 5 Poliquin strength coach and NHL consultant, training several players and Division 1 athletes for their respective sports.
Additionally, she was the head Strength and Conditioning coach at Elms College, where she trained and oversaw the training for all sports.
Stephanie has a Master's Degree in Sports Performance and Rehab from Logan University. She holds her CSCS and is a PICP level 1 coach, Strength Sensei Strength, and Conditioning Coach, Level 1 Olympic Lifting Coach, and is Kilo Program Design/Sports Specific programming certified.
Her hobbies are playing beach/indoor volleyball, lifting, playing Pickleball, and spending time with her husband and twins.
Stephanie Oliver
Director Of Sports Science | Head Strength & Conditioning Coach - Coach.Stephanie.Oliver@Gmail.com
DERRICK GRIESHABER - HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER
The Force are excited to welcome back Derrick Grieshaber as the Head Athletic Trainer for the Fargo Force. Derrick previously served as Head Athletic Trainer for the Force from 2018-2021, this will be his fourth season with the team.
Prior to working with the Force from 2018-21 Derrick spent 2 years at Concordia College as the Athletic Trainer for the Football and Softball team. Last season he returned to Concordia as the AT for Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's Hockey, and Softball. He has also spent time as the Athletic Trainer for the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks and filling in for teams across North Dakota and Minnesota.
Derrick has a BS in Athletic Training from Lindenwood University, MS Post Professional Athletic Training from NDSU and is a Certified Exercise Specialist.
His hobbies include finishing, doing mechanical work on his vehicles, staying active, refinishing furniture and spending time with friends and family.
Derrick Grieshaber
HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER - Derrick.Grieshaber@SanfordHealth.org
JOSH BJORLIN - SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COACH
Josh has been a part of the Fargo Force organization since 2018 as a Founder and the Director of the Cullen Force Academy. He has worked with local players throughout their entire hockey development and has instilled a higher standard of hockey in the community. From early age fundamentals to advanced skill and technical training, Josh brings the same infectious enthusiasm and structure to fully develop players to their potential. He brings players into a new way of thinking about the game of hockey whether he is working with termites or NHL players.
As Skills Development Coach for the Force, Josh will be spending time with players to improve their individual skills and processing of the game of hockey. This will in turn help the team, but more importantly, help the individual player reach their potential as an athlete. Josh helps players understand where their strengths lie and how to make the most of those strengths. He also helps players identify their weaknesses and gives them practical ways on how to correct the weakness.
Outside of the rink, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He involves his family in the local community and loves most the time he gets to spend with his children on the ice.
JOSH BJORLIN
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT COACH - JoshB@FargoForce.com
EDDIE DUFFY - EQUIPMENT MANAGER
EDDIE DUFFY
EQUIPMENT MANAGER - EddieD@FargoForce.com
