ABOVE: New Fairmont High School boys hockey coaches, Paul Carlson and Aaron Nuss, look to lead the Cardinals to a strong winter season.

FAIRMONT – The Fairmont High School boys hockey team will be led by new co-head coaches Paul Carlson and Scott Nuss this upcoming winter season.

After playing in the Fairmont Youth Hockey Association growing up, the two have coached on and off in the program since 2003, helping their children in different age groups as they progressed through the ranks.

Carlson and Nuss took a break from coaching during the late 2010s to watch their children compete at the high school level, helping in the penalty box rather than on the sideline. However, since 2021, the duo has been back in the mix as assistant coaches, leading the Bantam A team over the past handful of seasons.

“They were trying to get non-parent coaches like that for the eighth and ninth grade Bantam level,” Carlson said. “That was an age group we enjoy coaching. The kids are good at that age group; goofy, funny, and all those things.”

The duo planned to step back this season, moving from assistant coaches to part-time during occasional practices. But following the announcement of former head coach Dylan VanBrocklin’s sudden leave from the program, Carlson and Nuss seemed to be early favorites to fill the void.

“It was kind of a sudden thing; it wasn’t anything planned,” Nuss said. “Our plan was to slowly step away, and now we have jumped back in. Every year in the spring, they would ask us if we were coming back next year. We would always say, ‘Ask us in May.'”

One significant advantage Carlson and Nuss bring to the table is their prior experience with this group of kids. Both coaches have experienced this class of seniors, juniors, and sophomores during their time coaching the Bantam A team.

This prior experience has made the transition a smooth one for Carlson and Nuss. The duo hopes their established relationship with the team can lead to an improved 2025-2026 season for the Cardinals.

Fairmont went 2-24 last winter campaign, picking up a 4-3 victory over Worthington in the opening round of the Class A Sections before falling to Mankato West.

“We know the kids, and they know us,” Carlson said. “We know their personalities, and they know ours. …It’s kind of like old home when it comes to these kids. We just want to give them a good experience.”