Kansas City’s Sturtz named Warrior Hockey ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year

The ECHL announced on Wednesday that Justin Sturtz of the Kansas City Mavericks is the 2023-24 recipient of the ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year Award, presented by Warrior Hockey.
 
The winner is determined in a vote of the league’s equipment managers.
 
Sturtz is in his second season as the Mavericks’ head equipment manager after being named to the position in August 2022. Sturtz came to Kansas City after spending the 2021-22 season in the same position with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. Prior to his time in Seattle, Sturtz was a member of the equipment staff of the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild for three seasons (2018-21). He began his career by spending four seasons (2013-17) with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the United States Hockey League.
 
ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year
2023-24           Justin Sturtz. Kansas City Mavericks
2022-23           Travis Ward, South Carolina Stingrays
2021-22           Jean Huynh, Trois-Rivières Lions
2020-21           ECHL Equipment Managers
2019-20           Chris Burke, Cincinnati Cyclones
2018-19           Jason MacDonald, Reading Royals
2017-18           Darren Flinchem, Indy Fuel
2016-17           Andrew Dvorak, Missouri Mavericks
2015-16           Drew Kitts, Quad City Mallards
2014-15           Dakota King, Gwinnett Gladiators
2013-14           Billy Higgins, Wheeling Nailers
2012-13           Adam Dexter, Orlando Solar Bears
2011-12           Ryan Martin, Greenville Road Warriors
2010-11           Mike Burkhead, Alaska Aces
2009-10           Ben Laing, Stockton Thunder
2008-09           Pat Noecker, Reading Royals
2007-08           Pat Noecker, Reading Royals
2005-06           Chris Burke, Fresno Falcons
2004-05           John Jennings, Florida Everblades and Russ Holden, Reading Royals
2003-04           John Krouse, Pensacola Ice Pilots
2002-03           Tom Severance, Charlotte Checkers
 
About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 13 who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
 
About Warrior Hockey
 
Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Warrior Sports is recognized as one of the sporting goods industry’s premier manufacturers of innovative, high performance, cutting-edge equipment, footwear and apparel for lacrosse and hockey athletes of all ages and abilities. Founded in 1992 by former champion lacrosse player David Morrow, Warrior was acquired by privately-held New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. in February 2004.