Tomas Kapusta is a former Olympian, NHL draft pick, Wildcats AAA Program Director & Head Coach, former Jr. Kings Head Coach & Toyota Sports Center Hockey Director, and certified classroom teacher with a K-12 teaching credential from CSULB. BA History, CSULA.
Tomas was selected by Edmonton Oilers round 5 #104 overall 1985 NHL Entry Draft. In his 20 years as a professional, Tomas’s career is filled with numerous achievements including; 2000-2002 Captain of the Long Beach Ice Dogs (WCHL); 1999 Second Place team in Czech Republic Extra leagu; 1994 Olympic Games, Lillehammer, Norway played for the Czech national team; 1993 Bronze Medal at World Championships in Germany, 1993 Leading Scorer in the Elite Finnish League, 1991-1992 The Award for Perseverance and Sportsmanship with the AHL Cape Breton Oilers; 1987 Silver Medal at the World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic; 1985 Silver Medal at the World Junior Championship in Finland. Tomas is currently the Riverside-Carlsbad Wildcats AAA and High Performance Director and is considered by his peers to be one of the top Youth Coaches in Southern California.
Center
Born Feb 23 1967 — Zlin, Czech Rep.
Height 6.01 — Weight 195 — Shoots L
Selected by Edmonton Oilers round 5 #104 overall 1985 NHL Entry Draft
Related Information
League Information
Tomas Kapusta played in eight leagues over the course of his career. Learn more about them from these League History pages.
Team Information
If you would like to know more about any of the 14 teams that Tomas Kapusta played for during his career, visit these Team History pages.
Tomas Kapusta Bio
Tomas Kapusta, Head Coach, Wildcats High Performance Director & St. John Bosco Head Coach
Tomas is considered by his peers to be one of the top Youth Coaches in Southern California. He was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in round 5 (No.104 overall) in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. During his 20 years’ professional career, among others Tomas represented Czech Republic in the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, and the World Championship in Germany in 1993. He played at the three Junior World Championships from 1985-87. He won the scoring title in the Elite Finnish League in 1993. Tomas was part of the three championship teams in the Czech Republic Extra League. Tomas coached ten years at the Junior Kings organization and is currently the Riverside-Carlsbad-Paramount Wildcats High Performance Director. He earned a BA in social science at CSULA and received his teacher credential at CSULB. Tomas works as an educational specialist and teaches at Excel Charter School Academy.
Education
- Obtained K-12 clear teaching credential at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) in BA History
- Obtained K-12 teaching credential certification in social science at CSULB in January 2009
- Graduated at CSU Los Angeles with BA in Social Science emphasis on history in May, 2006
- Graduated with an Associate degree in a Community Long Beach City College in May 2004
Employment
- 2017- Owner of the WSHL San Diego Sabers Junior Tier II Team
- 2012 -17 Wildcats Hockey Club’s Head Coach, AAA & High School Director, Bantam & Midget Age Manager
- 2011-12 Director of Hockey Operation at Toyota Sports Centre (LA Kings training facility)
- 2010-2012 LAJR Kings Board Member
- 20010- 12 Jr. Kings Club’s Head Coach El Segundo, Ca
- Student teacher Hoover Middle School 2007/2008 teaching social science 7th and 8th graders
- 2003-2012 coaching position with all levels of club hockey at LA Junior Kings Minor Hockey organization in LA, California
- 2003 - retired from professional hockey
- 2000-2003 played for Long Beach Ice Dogs, West coast hockey league,
- 1999-2000 played for Muskegon Fury, United hockey League
- 1999 played for San Jose Rhinos, professional roller hockey team (RHI)
- 1996-1999 played Elite Czech hockey league (Vsetin, Zlin)
- 1993-1996 played Elite Finnish hockey league (Hammenlinna, Rauma, Pori)
- 1994 played for the Czech national team at the Olympic games competition in Norway
- 1993 played for the Czech national team at the World championship competition
- 1989-92 played for Edmonton Oilers farm team , Cape Breton Oilers
- 1987-89 served in the Czech Army
- 1985-1987 played at the World junior championship
- 1985 drafted by Edmonton Oilers, the NHL team
- 1983-1987 played Elite Czech hockey league
Coaching Experience
- 2012-17 Wildcats 16 AAA coach and High Performance Director
- 2012 Junior Kings Club’s head coach
- 2003-2012 coaching youth hockey, Junior LA Kings , mites, squirts, peewees, bantams, midgets travel teams head coaching and assistant coaching experience
- 1997-2012 organizing , promoting and coaching the Czech Hockey Camp 10-17 years old for Hockey Ministries International
- Level 5 USA Hockey Coaching certification
- 1996 coaching the Swiss Hockey Camp, 10-17 years old, Hockey Ministries International
- Level B coaching certificate in the Czech Republic
Community involvement
- Middle school and high school teacher 2009 to 2015
- 1999-2004 visited schools, promoted local hockey teams Muskegon, MI and Long Beach, Ca
- 1989-1992 involved in Sydney, Nova Scotia community promoting programs against drugs, fundraising for sick children, youth group activities, television appearances and newspaper interviews regarding the no drugs project
Professional Achievements
- Coaching Youth Hockey at LA Junior Kings, Wildcats and St. John Bosco High School
- 2012-17 Coaching Tier I , Tier II and High School Teams -MD 16 AAA, BN AAA, PW AAA and SQ & MT A/B teams
- 2012 CAHA BN AAA district participation, regular season championship PW AA, play-off participation Mite B
- 2011 CAHA championship LAJR Kings Squirt 2000 team
- 2011 Pacific District finalist PW AAA 98 team
- 2010 CAHA finalist with the PW AA 98 team
- 2009 SCAHA championship with the Mite team with the Junior Kings as a head coach
- 2009 finalist at the district championship with the PW AAA team with Junior Kings as a head coach
- 2009 the regular season championship and finalist in SCAHA and CAHA with squirts with the Junior Kings as a head coach
- 2008 winning SCAHA and CAHA squirt championship with the Junior Kings as a head coach
- 2006 winning SCAHA and CAHA bantam championship with the Junior Kings as a head coach
Playing Professional hockey
- 1985 drafted in the 5th round by Edmonton Oilers
- 1985 won silver medal at the World junior championship in Finland
- 1987 won silver medal at the World junior championship in the Czech republic
- 1991,1992 received the award for perseverance and sportsmanship Cape Breton Oilers
- 1993 best scorer award in the Elite Finnish league
- 1993 won bronze medal at the World championship in Germany playing for a Czech national team
- 1994 Olympic games, Lillehammer, Norway playing for the Czech national team
- 1997,1998 won championship, Vsetin, Elite Czech hockey league
- 1999 playing championship final, Zlin, Elite Czech hockey league
- 2000-2003 served as a captain of the Long Beach Ice Dogs at WCHL
- 2003 retired from professional hockey
Languages
Spoken and written Czech, English; spoken Russian, Slovak; understand German
