Shortly after promoting Ben Johnson to the role of head coach/GM, the Wilderness has completed its NA3HL coaching staff by adding Patricia (Paddie) Elsmore-Sautter as assistant coach.
Elsmore-Sautter is a native of Switzerland who first came to Minnesota when she was recruited to play for Minnesota-Duluth. Elsmore-Sautter had a highly decorated playing career which includes being a goaltender on UMD’s national championship teams in 2002 and 2003.
After completing her career with the Bulldogs, Elsmore-Sautter went on to represent her home country on the world’s biggest athletic stage – the Olympic games. She was between the pipes for three games for Team Switzerland at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
Elsmore-Sautter was also part of seven Switzerland squads that participated in World Championship tournaments.
With this hiring, the Wilderness breaks a NA3HL glass ceiling. Elsmore-Sautter becomes the first woman to be a part of a NA3HL coaching staff since it came under the umbrella of the North American Hockey League in 2010.
This will be Elsmore-Sautter’s first time coaching at the junior level. By being hired by the Wilderness, she has resigned her position as head coach of the Rock Ridge High School girls team, where she was about to begin her second season.
Time spent at Rock Ridge is one thing both Wilderness coaches have in common. Johnson last season concluded a three-year stint as head coach of the Wolverines boys team.
Prior to coaching at Rock Ridge, Elsmore-Sautter spent five years on the staff for St. Scholastica’s women’s program. She also served as either a goaltending or assistant coach at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, Duluth Marshall and Roseau High School.
Elsmore-Sautter’s first time behind the Wilderness bench will be Friday night, when Minnesota hosts Alexandria at the Eveleth Hippodrome at 7:05 p.m.