For Nick Silkey, coaching has always been about more than wins and losses. It’s about creating an environment where kids can learn, have fun, build relationships, and know that they belong.



Born and raised in Fargo, Nick grew up immersed in sports. He played baseball, hockey, and football through high school before graduating from Fargo North in 2001. Those years helped shape not only his love of competition, but also his understanding of what a great coach can mean to a young athlete.

“A lot of credit goes to my youth and high school coaches,” Nick says. “I had great coaches who were strong influences in my life. They taught us how to represent our team both on and off the field.”

After high school, Nick attended Minnesota State University Moorhead. He went on to build a career in sales, where he has worked for the past 15 years. Sports, however, have never been far away.

Nick has officiated youth and high school hockey for 25 years, creating countless great memories and meeting many wonderful people along the way.

That experience has given Nick a unique perspective on youth sports. He has seen the game as a player, an official, and now as a coach. For the past five years, he has brought all of those experiences together on the sidelines.

Nick considers himself a player’s coach. Fundamentals matter, but so does making sure kids are excited to show up.

His goal is to teach young athletes the fundamentals of their sport while keeping practices and games fun, energetic, and engaging. Just as importantly, he wants his players to understand what it means to be part of something bigger than themselves.

That’s why team building doesn’t stop when practice ends. Nick encourages activities away from the field—team meals, get-togethers, and other opportunities for players to spend time together. Those moments help turn a collection of individual athletes into a team.

Nick has also had the opportunity to coach alongside John Anderson, a partnership he values.

“John and I work really well together,” Nick says.

At home, family is an equally important part of Nick’s life. He and his wife have been married for 16 years and have two children, an 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son. Being a parent adds another perspective to the way Nick approaches coaching and the experience he wants to create for every family.

Ultimately, his coaching philosophy can be summed up in a message he makes sure every athlete hears:

Everyone Matters. Everyone Counts.

For Nick, those aren't just words. They are the standard he wants to set for every team he coaches. Whether a player is the star of the team, still learning the fundamentals, or somewhere in between, Nick wants each kid to know that they have a place.

Because years after the final score is forgotten, athletes may not remember every play or every game. But they will remember their teammates, their coaches, and how being part of that team made them feel.

And Nick wants every one of them to feel like they mattered.