Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE 50 APRIL/MAY 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED J ohn Wroblewski didn't grow up in a hockey household in Neenah, Wis. But when his older brother decided to give the sport a try, it looked like fun and before long, young John was donning skates and slapping pucks with sticks. So began a journey that led to Wro- blewski guiding Team USA to the gold medal in women's hockey at the 2026 Olympics in Italy this February. "I was one of the few kids in my school playing hockey," Wroblewski recalled. "But I loved it. I had great coaches in youth hockey, and wouldn't be the coach I am today without those relationships." Wroblewski advanced through the Fox Valley Youth Hockey Association, then as a 15-year-old joined the Green Bay Road Runners in a Midwest 18-and-under league. His hockey world expanded, with games in Michigan, Ohio and Ontario. In 1997, he was presented with a unique opportunity — to play for the newly formed USA Hockey National Develop- ment Program, which was based in Ann Arbor, Mich. It was the brainchild of rising hockey coach Jeff Jackson, who had already reached the pinnacle in college hockey, helping Lake Superior State to NCAA championships as assistant coach in 1988 and as a head coach in 1992 and 1994. Coach Jackson, who would go on to lead Notre Dame hockey for 20 years un- til retiring after the 2024-25 season, left a lasting impression on young "Wrobo." "It was an amazing time," Wroblewski remembered. "It was literally an intro- duction to high-end hockey. A systemic mentality. There was not a better coach at moving the chess pieces than Coach Jack- son. It opened up my eyes to what was possible playing as part of such a system." Coach Jackson remembers a young "Wrobo" as "one of my favorite players. He just had a passion for the game, a hunger to improve and contribute, and understand the game." A 19-goal season in 1998-99 also opened some doors for the young player. He chose the one in South Bend, joining the Fighting Irish program led by head coach Dave Poulin. Over four seasons, Wroblewski went from netting 4 points as a freshman to a 17-goal, 33-point season as a senior in 2002-03, winning team MVP honors while serving as alternate captain. "Notre Dame was the perfect fit for me," Wroblewski said. "I felt at home. It had everything you would want as a player. I was very physically immature as a freshman, but learned persever- ance. Always striving to be a better ver- sion of myself, is how I advanced." Wroblewski credits Poulin and assis- tant coach Andy Slaggert ("Slags … the heartbeat of the program") with provid- ing him "an amazing experience … I met so many friends for life at Notre Dame." There were lessons in discipline and dedication that would serve him well many years down the line. "How hard we worked helped set the culture for the future. Inclusion. Ac- countability. A sense of pride." And the following season, 2003-04, the Irish made their first NCAA appearance. Wroblewski played the next four seasons for Fresno in the ECHL before ending his career as a player. He be- gan talking with NHL teams about get- ting involved in the business side of the sport. He hadn't thought of coaching. "Then it struck me: maybe I should know something about the bench level of the game," Wroblewski said. Coach Wrobo gained experience coaching with the USA Hockey men's development program, and as an assis- tant with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. His first head coaching job was with the league's Gwinnett Gladiators. After two successful seasons, he advanced to an as- sistant job with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. He later served as head coach of the AHL's Ontario Reign in the Los Angeles Kings system. Notre Dame helped contribute to his de- velopment as a coach. Each spring, Jackson and his assistant Paul Pooley would invite several rising coaches to campus for a se- ries of meetings. "Not a clinic, exactly, but a sharing of ideas on coaching hockey and building relationships among a group of young, upcoming coaches," Jackson noted. "There, you could see how much Wrobo had advanced in his understanding of the game. And his greatest strength was his communication skills. He was very skilled as a communicator and teacher." In 2022, an opportunity arose to work with USA Hockey guiding the women's national team, and Wroblewski was signed to a 10-month retainer to build the team that would compete in the 2023 World Women's Championship. "It was a part-time gig, but I acted 'as if' [it were full-time] and poured myself into the challenge." Team USA won the Worlds, and Wro- blewski was offered the head coaching position for the 2026 Winter Olympics. In building his staff, Wroblewski had an opening for an assistant coach and turned to another former Irish skater, Josh Sciba. Their paths had previously crossed only briefly. When Wroblewski was a senior in 2003, he had given the prospect Sciba his tour of campus and the hockey program. Sciba was impressed enough to sign with the Irish. And over the next four years, he was a key part of two Notre Dame NCAA Tournament teams in 2004 and 2007, as well as a CCHA championship in 2007. "When I started coaching the wom- en's team, I didn't know anyone in women's hockey," Wroblewski said. Former Irish Skaters Lead Team USA Women's Hockey To Golden Moment John Wroblewski served as head coach of the Team USA women's hockey team that captured a gold medal in the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games in February. PHOTO COURTESY USA HOCKEY