Appleton native Amy Brolsma will become the first woman to coach in the United States hockey league.
The Green Bay Gamblers hired Brolsma as their skating and skill development coach. Brolsma, a former figure skater, has worked with several top-level hockey players before, including former Gambler Josh Dunne - now a Columbus Blue Jacket - and Green Bay native Mason Appleton - now with the Seattle Kraken.
Brolsma said she was surprised to learn she would be the first woman to coach in the league, which features standout hockey players aged 16-20.
"I was completely shocked to be honest with you," she said in an interview with NBC 26. "There have been many wonderful skating coaches that are women before me. So I was shocked to see that I was the first.
"I will be the first one but I will not be the only one," she said. "This will be one of many and I'm pretty excited to be the first one to break that barrier."
The Gamblers begin their season on October 2.
