The Bismarck Bobcats are pleased to announce today that our new Head Coach will be very familiar to all of you! Garrett Roth, the Bobcats all-time leading scorer, whose jersey is retired and hanging in the arena will be taking the helm from his long term friend and hockey partner, Layne Sedevie.
It is a homecoming for Garrett, who has spent half of his adult life in Bismarck and has always called Bismarck his home. His wife, Lauren is also from North Dakota and they will be bringing their two young children as well!
Garrett first made his presence known playing for the Bobcats in the 2001 and 2002 seasons. After 23 years he is still the Bobcats all-time leading scorer. He went on to play D1 Hockey at Bemidji State where he earned a degree in criminal justice. In 2010, the Aberdeen Wings were looking for an assistant coach and Bobcats Owner, Thom Brigl, tracked him down to see if he was interested in coaching. Garrett became Aberdeen’s assistant coach for two years prior to joining Layne and the Bobcats in 2012. Garrett was the Bobcats Director of Player Personnel from 2012 to 2019. He earned the opportunity to be a Head Coach in 2020 and joined the Wichita Falls Warriors (subsequently, the Oklahoma Warriors) where he coached his team to win the 2022-23 Robertson Cup Champions.
Garrett is happy to be coming back to Bismarck, “I am excited about the opportunity to come back and coach in Bismarck. The relationships and memories built over the years makes it feel like I am coming home. To come back and be a part of an organization that has meant so much to my hockey journey truly is a dream come true. I am extremely excited to work alongside of Niko, Wade and Gibby as we continue to build and develop players. This opportunity wouldn’t be present if it weren’t for Layne and what he has done here for the Bobcats and myself through the past 15 years. He has been instrumental in my development as a coach, and to have him stay onboard as a mentor and to work with our goaltenders is incredible. Lastly, I’d like to thank Thom and Brenda for this opportunity to be the next Bobcat head coach. The relationship built over the years and the belief Thom has had in me as a person was the reason I had the privilege of getting into coaching fifteen years ago. To come back to where it all started as a player is an honor and I’m ecstatic to get to work with our group.”
Thom and Brenda Brigl have stayed with touch Garrett, his parents and his family for the last 15 years and are very excited to have Garrett back on the Bench as part of the Bobcat Family. “He is a great coach but a better person and does a tremendous job developing young men on and off the ice”.
Layne is also happy to hand the reigns over to his long-time teammate, roommate and coaching partner. “After 15 years of leading the Bobcats, I am very excited to be handing the next generation of Bobcats over to Garrett, and I am pleased that he has offered me the position so stay on as his goalie coach”