Coaches
Meet Our Coaching staff
Varsity Coaches
Vicent Calistro
Defensive Coordinator
Scott Ylkanen
Offensive Coordinator
Aaron Moberg - Head Varsity JV Defensive Line Coach
Coached at MVHS: 10 years
Coaching Experience: Head Girls Hockey, Baseball, Golf
High School Attended: Mounds View
College Attended: Bethel University
Day Job: PE Teacher at MVHS
High School Sports Played: Football, Hockey
College Sports Played: Football
Favorite memory as an athlete: Beating St. John’s in back-to-back years to with the MIAC Football Championship.
Favorite memory as a coach: While coaching the girls’ hockey team at MV, we beat a highly ranked Blaine team in the section finals to go to state. Awesome group of girls that were all about the TEAM.
Purpose in coaching: My purpose is to use the game of football to build Uncommon Men who will attack life by loving and serving others with grateful hearts.
Vincent Calistro – Varsity Inside Linebackers/Defensive Coordinator
Coached at MVHS: 5 years
Coaching Experience: Basketball (MN Heat)
High School Attended: Irondale
College Attended: University of St. Thomas
Day Job: Event Director for Prep Redzone
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football
Favorite memory as an athlete: First varsity football game.
Favorite memory as a coach: Going to State in 2018-2019 season.
Purpose in coaching: I coach to help young men build habits, friendships and memories that last forever and add value to their lives beyond football.
SCOTT YLKANEN - VAR QB'S AND OFFENSIVE COORD
Coached at MVHS: 21 years
Coaching Experience: Track and Field
High School Attended: MVHS
College Attended: Bethel University
Day Job: Teacher
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Track and Field
College Sports Played:
Favorite memory as an athlete: Winning Conference and True Team State in back to back nights my senior year in Track and Field.
Favorite memory as a coach: Winning our first True Team State title in Track and Field in 2017.
Purpose in coaching: Building men/women of character! The goal is to be a transformational coach. I coach because I LOVE sports. I believe sports provides the greatest tools to be successful in life. Being a part of a competitive environment and working together to achieve a common goal brings that satisfying JOY you can’t get anywhere else.
Brett Michel
Varsity RB
Tom Davis
Varsity O Line
Joe Palke
Varsity O Line
Aaron Redman
Varsity Safeties
Michael Odom
Varsity D Backs
Brett Michel – Varsity Running Backs
Coached at MVHS: 6 years
Coaching Experience: Baseball, Wrestling
High School Attended: Stillwater
College Attended: University of WI River Falls
Day Job: Teacher at Chippewa Middle School
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball, Wrestling
College Sports Played:
Favorite memory as an athlete: Winning the team section championship my senior year of high school in wrestling and baseball.
Favorite memory as a coach: When MV beat Buffalo to make the state football tournament in 2019.
Purpose in coaching: I coach to help young people grow into hard-working people with high character while enjoying the chance to compete.
Tom Davis – Varsity O Line
Coached at MVHS: 14 years
Coaching Experience: Boys Track and Field
High School Attended: MVHS
College Attended: Bethel University
Day Job: 6th Grade Math Teacher
High School Sports Played: Football, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football
Favorite memory as an athlete: Making deep playoff runs as a football team in high school and college.
Favorite memory as a coach: Winning section games to go to state and winning state playoff games.
Purpose in coaching: I enjoy seeing young men work hard and grow as athletes and people during their years in high school.
Joe Palke – Varsity O Line
Coached at MVHS: 15 years
Coaching Experience: Baseball, Track
High School Attended: MVHS
College Attended: University of Northwestern
Day Job: Teacher at Island Lake
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Track and Field
Favorite memory as an athlete: Watching Coach Nystrom kick the game winning field goal against Penn State in 1999.
Favorite memory as a coach: Being a part of many state tournament teams.
Purpose in coaching: I like teaching the fundamentals and watching kids grow in sports and in life.
Aaron Redman – Varsity Safeties
Coached at MVHS: 8 years
Coaching Experience: Track and Field, Basketball
High School Attended: Wayzata High School
College Attended: Bethel University
Day Job: Social Studies Teacher at MVHS
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball, Basketball, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football, Track and Field
Favorite memory as an athlete: Winning the state championship in the 4x100 relay in high school. Also have many memories of relationships with teammates to overall experiences.
Favorite memory as a coach: Many of my coaching memories are tied into relationships with players and coaches. One that sticks out is winning true team state and the MSHSL multiple times with the girls track and field program at MVHS.
Purpose in coaching: To develop meaningful relationships with student athletes that will help foster basic fundamentals, challenge them as individuals and to be a positive role model during an important time of growth in young people’s lives.
Michael Odom – Varsity D Backs
Coached at MVHS: 6 years
Coaching Experience: Baseball
High School Attended: MVHS
College Attended: St. Thomas
Day Job: Special Education Teacher
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball
Favorite memory as an athlete: Making it to the State Tournament for the 2nd time in MV history.
Favorite memory as a coach: Opening game of 2018 at STMA: 21-20 Win.
Purpose in coaching: To help build a strong foundation for student athletes to be successful in the classroom, the community and on the field.
Reed Thompson
Varsity WR
Jim Wilcek
Varsity OLB
AJ Brown
Varsity D Line
Dan Nystrom
Kickers
Reed Thompson – Varsity WR
Coached at MVHS: 4 years
Coaching Experience: Adapted Floor Hockey and Softball
High School Attended: Ladysmith High School
College Attended: University of Northwestern, Roseville
Day Job: Program Supervisor for RISE Inc.
High School Sports Played: Football, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football, Track and Field
Favorite memory as an athlete: Having a good football team my senior year of high school and making lifelong friends with teammates.
Favorite memory as a coach: Winning the Midwest Conference Championship at Macalister. That team had great chemistry and believed they would find ways to win, regardless of what the situation was.
Purpose in coaching: Be a positive influence on young people while also teaching them skills on the field to help them achieve their goals. The ability to give back in a game that I have always had a great passion for is the reason why I coach.
Jim Wilcek – Varsity Outside Linebackers
Coached at MVHS: 22 years
Coaching Experience:
High School Attended: Little Falls
College Attended: Rasmussen University
Day Job: Insurance Adjuster
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball, Basketball
College Sports Played:
Favorite memory as an athlete: Starting my first varsity game.
Favorite memory as a coach: Coaching my kids.
Purpose in coaching: To teach life lessons.
Sophomore Coaches
Jesse Ostertag
Defensive Coordinator
Brian Deschneau
D Line
Mick Nelson
O Line
Ryan Kaczynski
Wide Receivers
Chad Utley – Sophomore Head Coach
Coached at MVHS: 11 years
Coaching Experience: Wrestling
High School Attended: New Hampton, IA
College Attended: Northern Iowa
Day Job: Teacher at Chippewa Middle School
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball, Track and Field, Wrestling
College Sports Played: Wrestling
Favorite memory as an athlete: Winning an individual and team state wrestling title.
Favorite memory as a coach: Too many to choose from!
Purpose in coaching: To help guide young people through a small part of a large journey.
Jesse Ostertag – Soph Defense
Coached at MVHS: 5 years
Coaching Experience: Softball and Baseball
High School Attended: Farmington HS
College Attended: UW River Falls
Day Job: PE/Health Teacher at Chippewa
High School Sports Played: Football, Baseball
College Sports Played: Football
Favorite memory as an athlete: Getting an opportunity to play in the Prep Bowl.
Favorite memory as a coach: Not one single memory that stands out. Watching the growth and development of young athletes, on and off the field is the most rewarding part of this job.
Purpose in coaching: My purpose is to aid in the physical, mental, social, and emotional development of young people. Coaching is all about developing great habits and skills that translate well beyond the field.
Brian Deschneau - Soph D Line
Coached at MVHS: 22 years
Coaching Experience: Baseball and Girls Hockey
High School Attended: Lake City High School
College Attended: Gustavus Adolphus College
Day Job: Retired from Financial Rep with Country Financial
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Baseball
College Sports Played: Football, Baseball
Favorite memory as an athlete: Undefeated football season senior year in high school and two MIAC conference football championships at Gustavus.
Favorite memory as a coach: Numerous successful seasons and seeing the kids become successful as they grow older.
Purpose in coaching: Help the student athletes grow and mature for future life experiences.
Freshman Coaches
Joel Brown
Assistant
Joe Fredrickson
Assistant
David Arndt
Assistant
Nick Schwartz
Assistant
Jeff Crosby – Freshman Offensive and Defensive Line
Coached at MVHS: 3 years
Coaching Experience: Basketball
High School Attended: Tartan
College Attended: Bachelor from UW River Falls, Graduate from St. Mary’s
Day Job: Health/PE teacher at Roseville Area HS
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Weightlifting
College Sports Played:
Favorite memory as an athlete: 2000 State Basketball Champion.
Favorite memory as a coach: 2018 Section Final and State Quarterfinal win in basketball.
Purpose in coaching: To challenge athletes to go further and dig deeper than they thought they could go.
Joel Brown – Freshman Defense
Coached at MVHS: 2 years
Coaching Experience:
High School Attended: Falcon High School in CO
College Attended: University of MN
Day Job: Counselor at MVHS
High School Sports Played: Football, Track and Field
College Sports Played: Football
Favorite memory as an athlete: Enjoying the little successes in both sports. Going to State in Track in High Hurdles and scoring my first touchdown.
Favorite memory as a coach: Seeing the positive development in each student athlete.
Purpose in coaching: To help students with their basic fundamentals of football and to help students reach their personal goals. I enjoy all the different things football offers: Teamwork, discipline, determination, and camaraderie.
Joe Fredrickson – Freshman Offense
Coached at MVHS: 2 years
Coaching Experience: Baseball
High School Attended: MVHS
College Attended: Bethel University
Day Job: PE Teacher
High School Sports Played: Football, Basketball, Baseball
College Sports Played: Baseball
Favorite memory as an athlete: Going to Baseball Regionals my sophomore year in college.
Favorite memory as a coach: Cold, rainy games at MV.
Purpose in coaching: To impact kids in a positive and fun way.
1900 Lake Valentine Road
Arden Hills, MN 55112
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