JAY WITTA

GENERAL MANAGER / HEAD COACH

Jay brings over 20 years sales and marketing experience to the Blue Ox with his Minneapolis based Digital Marketing Agency, Tripine Creative, Inc. For the past two seasons Witta has been the head coach of the NA3HL’s Junior A’ hockey team – New Ulm Steel. Witta completed a 67-33-10 two year record with a Silver Cup semifinal appearance last season and a Western Division playoff final loss to the eventual National Champion, Granite City this year. The Steel also completed a relocation transition from White Bear Lake to New Ulm this season with the smoothest of ease. Jay worked daily with the Steel ownership in all aspects of the business – budgets, league communications, recruiting, trades, facilities, core value  accountability, parent communication, and player advancement.

Witta also facilitated all player development training and implemented all team systems to be executed in game situations. Witta, a Minnetonka, Minnesota native, played three years for the Minnetonka Skippers from 1985-87 where he was named captain his Senior season and helped guide the Skippers to their first ever Lake Conference Championships and was honored with an All-Conference Team selection.

Witta was recruited by Herb Brooks at St. Cloud State University in 1987 to play on the inaugural SCSU Division 1 squad. After entertaining offers from various Division 1 & 3 programs across the country, Witta chose to stay close to home and attend St. Cloud State University as a walk on defenseman.

Witta also played Junior A’ hockey in Humboldt, Saask. (SJHL) before an undetected heart issue caused him to retire and return back to Minnesota. Witta has been coaching for the past 15 seasons and in addition worked closely to help create the Breakaway Hockey AAA program – by assembling the first ever Breakaway 1997 AAA training team. Witta resides in Minnetonka with his wife Sara and their four boys.