Deaf coach to lead DL hockey

DEVILS LAKE (AP) — David Zimmerman, the new head hockey coach at Devils Lake High School, says it’s a job he dreamed about. Zimmerman, who is deaf, has been an assistant coach at the school for the past six seasons.

“I’m confident I’ve got the qualifications, qualities and abilities to lead the program,” he said Monday.

“It has always been my lifetime dream to coach at the high school level and now I have that opportunity,” Zimmerman said.

Superintendent Steve Swiontek said Zimmerman was chosen over one other candidate. He replaces Al Henry, who resigned after 27 years as coach and moved to Arizona.

Zimmerman “convinced me and the committee that he could do the job,” Swiontek said. “With the combination of lip reading and hearing aids, he actually communicates very well.”

Zimmerman, a native of Minot, played high school hockey from 1980 to 1984. He has been coaching peewee and bantam hockey teams in Minot, Grand Forks and Devils Lake for the past 20 years. He also was an assistant coach for the 2007 Deaf Olympic hockey team.

Zimmerman also is a physical education coach at the North Dakota School for the Deaf in Devils Lake, and will continue to teach there.

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