Top Shelf Hockey

Top Shelf Hockey Brian Wierson is originally from Ames, Iowa, and grew up playing in the Ames Minor Hockey Association (AMHA) where he started as an eight year old.

During his senior year ('91 - '92) of high school, he, along with five of his teammates were selected to play in the Iowa High School Hockey League (IHSHL) All-Star game held in Waterloo, IA. At the conclusion of his high school career, he, along with fellow AMHA alums, Fred Van Bergen & A.J. Sanders played for Team Midwest at the 1992 Chicago Showcase. Upon graduating from Ames, Brian went on to

play two years for the Fargo – Moorhead Kings of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MJHL). In the second year, he Captained the team for Head Coach, Scott Sandelin, who has been with the University of Minnesota Duluth since 2000 and with the University of North Dakota for six years prior to that. As Brian exhausted his junior playing eligibility, he continued his playing career and education at Iowa State University with Head Coach, Dr. Alan Murdoch, and the Cyclone Hockey team. The next four seasons, the Cyclones finished the ACHA National Tournament 3rd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, with either Penn State or Ohio University ending the run. Brian’s freshman season, the team traveled internationally over the Holiday break to Russia, visiting St. Petersburg and Moscow where they played two games in each city. Teammates on that Murdoch led trip were AMHA alums, Russ Crawford & Mike Ogbourne. Also on that trip, a young teenage player named Andrew Murdoch. Brian’s senior season at ISU saw the team host the ACHA National Tournament in Ames, at Hilton Coliseum, where they finished in 3rd place. Wierson served as an Assistant Captain his sophomore and junior years before being named Team Captain his senior season. At the conclusion of his playing career, Brian began coaching with former teammate, Doug Borud, for the Des Moines Oak Leafs of the Iowa High School Hockey League. Since 1998, Brian has been coaching either youth, high school, or college hockey. He was the Head Coach for Team Midwest of the Chicago Showcase in 2002 & 2003 and Associate Head Coach with Dr. Murdoch and Cyclone Hockey from 2007 – 2011. The years between 2003 – 2006, Wierson worked under Head Coach, Scott Oliver in Roseau, MN and the Roseau Rams high school team. The 2005-06 season saw Roseau earn a trip to “the X” in St. Paul where they lost in the first round to eventual runner-up Grand Rapids. Oliver would return the next season and earn Roseau’s 7th State Championship at the "AA" level. That team was loaded with future college and professional players, whom Wierson was able to work with as they were coming up. In addition to coaching in-season teams, he has experience as a Manager and Coach with International Hockey Schools (founder of the Sq**rt International in Fargo, ND), East Grand Forks summer camps, Cyclone Hockey summer camps, and USA Hockey Bantam select camps. In 2015, Brian established Top Shelf Hockey Midwest, LLC, and has been conducting both on-ice & off-ice camps and clinics for youth players across central Iowa. In 2015, Wierson succeeded Brendan Sheehan as the Head Coach for his high school alma mater, Little Cyclone Hockey. In his second year at the helm, the team earned enough points to qualify for the year-end Championship weekend where they were knocked out in the first round. Wierson was rewarded by his fellow Head Coaches for his and the team’s efforts by earning the Midwest High School Hockey League (MHSHL) Coach of the Year in 2017. Brian resides in Ames, IA with his wife, Annie, and their son, Charlie. Their daughter, Josie, graduated from Ames High in 2017 and is also a Little Cyclone Hockey & AMHA alum and now lives in Fargo, ND. Since 2011, Brian has been employed with an Ames-based energy company. In 2022, Chevron acquired Renewable Energy Group and is now called Chevron REG where Brian continues to be employed as a Team Lead on their Sales Team. Brian Has worked with many successful Coaches, Players, and Mentors. Below is a timeline of his hockey stops since he ended his playing career in 1998.

1998 – 2000 - Des Moines Oak Leafs - Assistant Coach
2000 – 2001 - West Fargo Packers - Assistant Coach
2000 – 2006 - International Hockey Schools - Manager and Instructor
2001 – 2003 – Iowa State Cyclone Hockey - Assistant Coach
2002 & 2003 - Team Tri-State - Chicago Showcase – Head Coach
2003 – 2006 - Roseau Rams (MN) High School - Assistant Coach
2006 – 2007 - Des Moines Oak Leafs - Assistant Coach - MHSHL Champions
2007 – 2011 – Iowa State Cyclone Hockey - Associate Head Coach - ACHA M1 National Tournament - 2nd Place Finish
2011 - Iowa State Cyclone Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee
2011 – 2023 - AMHA Youth Coach, High School Assistant, and High School Head Coach
2017 - MHSHL High School - Coach of the Year
2015 – Present – Top Shelf Hockey – Owner & Director
2018 - Present - AMHA Player & Coach Development Committee (PCDC) Member
2024 - Present - AMHA Coaching Director & Travel Player Director

With Cornbred – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
06/15/2025

With Cornbred – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

The best dern bbq around ... ALL ABOARD THAT'S GOIN' ABOARD! Get some Cornbred bbq, hurry up!!!
06/04/2025

The best dern bbq around ... ALL ABOARD THAT'S GOIN' ABOARD! Get some Cornbred bbq, hurry up!!!

05/14/2025
How to watch the 2025 Boys State Hockey Tournament
03/05/2025

How to watch the 2025 Boys State Hockey Tournament

Hockey fans across Minnesota will be watching this weekend to see who will take home the championship in the boys state high school hockey tournament.

Parents of young hockey players, check this out. Be sure the boot of the skate is snug to the top eyelet to help provide...
03/01/2025

Parents of young hockey players, check this out. Be sure the boot of the skate is snug to the top eyelet to help provide ankle support. Tucking the tongue of the skate under the shin pad will help getting that support!

Come and work with Dylan Hender & Gabe Myers from Hockey at IOWA STATE … see you at the rink!
12/19/2024

Come and work with Dylan Hender & Gabe Myers from Hockey at IOWA STATE … see you at the rink!

Question from parent: What can my player do to get better?

Answer from Top Shelf: Become as good as you can with skating, passing, and shooting and be able to consistently be above average ALL the time! This goal will allow your player to stand out over other players who are average or below average.

Question from parent: Doesn’t my player need to learn about breakouts & forechecks?

Answer from Top Shelf: Of course, but when they are young, building skills to be really good at the basics will allow them to execute when their Coach teaches those concepts.

Let’s get to work … see you next week, at the rink!

Registration Link: https://register.ryzer.com/camp.cfm?id=290663

Question from parent: What can my player do to get better? Answer from Top Shelf: Become as good as you can with skating...
12/18/2024

Question from parent: What can my player do to get better?

Answer from Top Shelf: Become as good as you can with skating, passing, and shooting and be able to consistently be above average ALL the time! This goal will allow your player to stand out over other players who are average or below average.

Question from parent: Doesn’t my player need to learn about breakouts & forechecks?

Answer from Top Shelf: Of course, but when they are young, building skills to be really good at the basics will allow them to execute when their Coach teaches those concepts.

Let’s get to work … see you next week, at the rink!

Registration Link: https://register.ryzer.com/camp.cfm?id=290663

September 27 - 29 - Hockey at IOWA STATE will be having an Alumni Weekend which includes 2 home games, along with a morn...
08/22/2024

September 27 - 29 - Hockey at IOWA STATE will be having an Alumni Weekend which includes 2 home games, along with a morning of golf at Jester Park Golf Course. Use the below link to sign up your 4-person best shot team.

Friday, Sept. 27
3:00 PM - Pre-Game at Cornbred
8:00 PM - vs. Jamestown University

Saturday, Sept. 28
8:00 AM - Check-In at Jester Park Golf Course
9:00 AM - Golf Event Shotgun Start
2:00 PM - Lunch & Awards
7:00 PM - vs. Jamestown University

Sunday, September 29
9:00 AM - Hockey at IOWA STATE - State of the Union at TBD
11:00 AM - Weekend Concludes

SEE YOU IN AMES!!!

Registration for golf outing. Location: Jester Park Golf Course, Date & Time: September 28th @ 8am Please reach out to Kevin Lynch ([email protected]) with any questions regarding outing.

08/14/2024

A share from Laura Millsaps …

Many years ago, I ended a friendship over a person's sentiment that their gifted child should not have to share a classroom with students "less intelligent" than theirs.

A not-so-gentle reminder going into the school year that one in five students has at least one learning disability. One in 36 is on the autism spectrum. One in nine has ADHD. And that doesn't count the number of children not captured in data because they are undiagnosed. All of these things have an enormous impact on a child's classroom performance, but has little to do with an individual child's actual intelligence or giftedness. Other factors like gender discrimination, racism, poverty, hunger, domestic abuse, substance abuse, mental health, language barriers and cultural differences can also affect a child's ability to perform in an academic setting. Again, little to nothing to do with intelligence and giftedness.

If your child is bright and doesn't struggle, congratulations. Sincerely. But using lack of struggle as a comparison point to judging other children's worthiness to exist in the educational system isn't the marker of a brilliant mind. Neither is a lack of empathy.

Consider this as you walk into a classroom in the coming weeks.

Hello Friends! Every year, people ask me where they can learn to play hockey. Common questions are ... Q: What age are k...
08/11/2024

Hello Friends! Every year, people ask me where they can learn to play hockey. Common questions are ...
Q: What age are kids when they learn to skate or play?
A: You can learn to skate at any age, but the most common age is 4 - 6 years old. There are age levels determined by USA Hockey and your players' birth year.

Q: Is Ames Minor Hockey Association - AMHA co-ed?
A: Yes, it absolutely is! If you know me, you know Josie J. Wierson played with AMHA through her senior year of high school, as have many other female athletes.

Q: How do we learn more?
A: Click the link, go to "REGISTRATIONS" and get involved! See ya at the rink!!!

The Ames Minor Hockey Association (AMHA) was founded in 1973 and began competition during the 1974-1975 Season. We currently have a program for all ages and abilities. From Learn to Play (any age) to High School, we know we have something for everyone!

The team from JT’s Slap Shot Hockey Shop will be at Pure Hockey on Saturday, June 22 from 10AM - 6PM … stop by to show t...
06/05/2024

The team from JT’s Slap Shot Hockey Shop will be at Pure Hockey on Saturday, June 22 from 10AM - 6PM … stop by to show the team how much you appreciate their drive to grow the sport of hockey in Iowa!

100's of giveaways and free shirts. One lucky grand prize winner. Come enjoy the staff you loved at JT's just with a new name.

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Ames, IA
50010

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