Not only does Emily Engel-Natzke enjoy breaking down plays, she’s a big fan of breaking down barriers.
Engel-Natzke is the Video Coordinator for the NHL’s Washington Capitals and has been the franchises’s first full-time female coach for the past two seasons. But just like the players on the ice, it took a lot of hard work and determination to get where she is today. At TCS Live 2023, Engel-Natzke detailed her inspirational journey.
The Colorado product, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts/Film from the University of Colorado-Boulder, got her coaching career started in 2014 with the University of Wisconsin as Video Coach for the women's basketball team. With hockey always being her end goal, she eventually took on the role as Video Coach for both the men and women's hockey programs the following season. After two seasons, she would be promoted to Director of Hockey Operations for the men's program, along with her duties as the team’s Video Coach. Under the leadership of Badgers head coach Tony Granato, Engel-Natzke gained the valuable experience that led to a historic signing with Hershey; at just 29-years-old, she was hired to be the Video Coach of the Hershey Bears, Washngton’s America League affiliate, and in the process became the first female coach hired in the AHL.
After two seasons with the Bears, Engel-Natzke was signed by the Capitals. Now she gets paid to watch hockey - literally.
There’s a lot more to it than that, as she explains in this 21-minute presentation. Engel-Natzke, who presented during our Virtual Hockey Summit in 2021, also explains her three keys to scaling up in the world of video coaching and stresses that patience is key in landing your dream job.
Noteworthy Timestamps:
- 00:30 Overview of Career in Video
- 01:25 Keys to being a Video Coach/Coordinator
- 03:50 Keys to Scaling Up - L.A.W.
- 05:40 Getting started with Wisconsin
- 08:00 Scaling up from NCAA to AHL
- 11:50 Analyzing video example
- 12:30 Scaling up from AHL to NHL
- 15:10 Using analytics with video
- 17:30 Video prescout to shut down rush attack
- 19:00 Exploiting a team’s weakness
