Behind the ECHL Benches - Brian Gratz, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

Brian Gratz is in second season as Greenville’s head coach after being named to the position on July 7, 2015. He had spent the 2014-15 season as the club’s assistant coach. The 35-year old has spent time in the Central Hockey League (CHL), Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL) and at the collegiate level. Overall, Gratz has compiled a professional coaching record of 178-153-33 with two postseason league championships to his credit.

Gratz began his coaching career as an assistant with the Reading Royals in 2007. The following season, he was named head coach and general manager of the Indiana Ice Miners of the Mid-Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL), where he won 2007-08 MAHL Coach of the Year and earned the inaugural league championship. Gratz continued his early success the next season by leading the Jersey Rockhoppers to the 2009 EPHL championship.

After spending the 2009-10 season as head goalie coach and assistant for the Penn State University Men's Ice Hockey program, Gratz was named head coach and general manager for the Dayton Gems (CHL) in 2010-11. In his first of two seasons, he increased the team's win percentage by more than 16 percent and led the Gems to a berth in the 2010-11 playoffs. He was also named to the CHL Competition Committee in May of 2011, working with league officials to continuously assess and improve the league's hockey operations. For the 2012-13 campaign, Gratz served as head coach and director of hockey operations for the Bloomington Blaze (CHL), and led the league in total player call-ups to the ECHL and AHL. In 2013-14, Gratz continued to serve as the head coach in Bloomington when the organization changed leagues and joined the SPHL. After Bloomington's move to the SPHL, Gratz joined the Fort Wayne Komets coaching staff and contributed to their 2013-14 playoff berth and first-round series win over the Reading Royals.

Coaching Record		Reg. Season				Playoffs
Season	Team	Gms	W	L	T	Gms	W	L
2010-11	Dayton (CHL)	66	32	29	5	---	---	---
2011-12	Dayton (CHL)	66	23	29	14	---	---	---
2012-13	Bloomington (CHL)	66	28	36	2	---	---	---
2013-14	Bloomington (SPHL)	12	3	9	0	---	---	---
2015-16	Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL)	72	29	33	10	---	---	---
	ECHL Totals	72	29	33	10	---	---	---