Coaches
hockey... flows in our blood!
Meet the lineup of the Ziętara Camp coaching team
For more than 30 years, Ziętara Camp has brought together an exceptional team of coaches who are passionate and committed to supporting the development of young hockey players. Our staff is a mix of experience, professionalism and love of field hockey, which makes every camp an unforgettable experience, both sporting and educational.
This unique team is headed by the Ziętara family, whose hockey roots go back many decades.
Walenty Ziętara
A legend of Polish ice hockey, who inspires future generations with his career and successes.
Piotr Ziętara
Walenty's son, developing the family tradition with great determination, creating professional hockey camps for young talents.
Krzysztof Zborowski
Coach and camp manager who has been supporting the development of our camp participants with his knowledge and experience.
Each member of our team brings unique skills and values, creating irreplaceable support for young athletes.
Meet our team and find out what makes Ziętara Camp a special place for young hockey players!
Head coaches - the foundation
of Ziętara Camp program
Our head coaches are experts who prepare the program of each camp, tailoring it to the specific expectations and needs of the participants. They are responsible for the comprehensive planning and implementation of training on the ice, ensuring its highest level.
Some are specialists in stick technique and skating, improving players' precision and control. Others are excellent tactical coaches, teaching how to work effectively together as a team and play out key match situations.
Thanks to their experience and passion, young hockey players have the opportunity to develop comprehensively and acquire skills that will take their game to the next level.
Steve Baeck
A former professional player and current coach who has trained players in many countries, including Canada, the USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and China. His players play in the best leagues in the world, such as the NHL, AHL, KHL and OHL. A well-known and respected specialist in stick technique and skating. Steve is the founder of BK Hockey, where he focuses on full commitment and striving for excellence. During Camp No. 2 he will be the head coach, wanting to share his international experience with the participants.
Andrei Gusov
Head Coach
Winner of the prestigious Spengler Cup and multiple Polish champion with GKS Tychy. Coached the Belarus U18, U20 and senior national teams. Currently coach of the Polish U18 team. Works with the Ziętara Hockey School as the head coach, sharing his international experience and knowledge with young players.
Steve Baek
Head Coach
A former professional player and current coach who has trained players in many countries, including Canada, the USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and China. His players play in the best leagues in the world, such as the NHL, AHL, KHL and OHL. A well-known and respected specialist in stick technique and skating. Steve is the founder of BK Hockey, where he focuses on full commitment and striving for excellence. During Camp No. 2 he will be the head coach, wanting to share his international experience with the participants.
Marcin Cieślak
Head Coach
A Cracovia Kraków pupil, he was a player in the Polish youth national team, with whom he won promotion to group A U20. As a senior, he won two Polish Champion titles and two bronze medals with Cracovia. He currently coaches youth at MKS Cracovia and has been cooperating with Ziętara's Hockey School since 2011, running camps and selections and participating in tournaments around the world, including three times in the prestigious Pee Wee in Canada.
David Minarik
Trener główny
David Minárik is an experienced coach and mentor whose sports and coaching career has developed in many countries. He began his hockey career with the Slovak club Dukla Trenčín, where he played until the age of 17, after which he moved to Sweden. For the Slovak national team, he appeared at the U20 World Championships in Malmö. After his playing career ended due to injury, David devoted himself to full-time coaching. For five years he worked as a skills coach at the Jokers Hockey Academy in Slovakia. In 2018, he joined the Vienna Capitals (EBEL) as a technique coach. He then developed both young players and seniors at the Hungarian club Dunaújváros for two seasons. Currently, David is a coach at Karpáti Farkasok, where he trains players of all age groups. At the same time, he serves as technique coach for the senior team of Gyergyói HK, which plays in the international league - Erste Liga. David has participated in the organization of more than 50 camps around the world, working with players of different levels and age groups. His international experience, passion for hockey and commitment to player development make him a highly respected coach in the hockey community.
Group trainers - support
at every step
Group coaches are indispensable people who take care of the safety and comfort of our camp participants 24 hours a day. Their commitment and care make each participant feel part of a special team.
Our coaching duos or trios are carefully selected in terms of character traits to perfectly complement each other - both on and off the ice. Thanks to their cooperation, participants can count on individual attention, professional support and building a positive atmosphere in each group.
Group coaches are the real foundation for the success of every Ziętara Camp!
David Minarik
Coach of the Polish U18 national team, winner of many cups and championship titles.
A specialist in developing the tactical skills of young players.
Wojtek Milan
Two-time Polish Champion and winner of the Polish Cup with his parent club from Sanok, former player of Cracovia Kraków, TKH Toruń and Haringey Greyhounds. Currently a coach at SMS Toruń, MKS Sokoły Toruń and assistant of the Polish U18 national team, leading club teams to successes, including gold at the Polish Championships in the junior category. Associated with the Ziętara Hockey School since 2013.
Bartek Stępień
Raised by Polonia Bytom and former player of the Polish youth national team, with which he participated in three World Championships. He won a bronze medal at the Polish Championships with Polonia. He began his coaching career in 2016, working with the youngest youth groups in Bytom. As a youth coach, he already enjoys such successes as bronze and silver medal at the Polish U-16 Championships. Since the 2024/2025 season, he has served as head coach of the Polish U-16 national team. An ambitious and knowledge-hungry trainer, he has been working with the Ziętara Field hockey School since 2023, sharing his experience and passion for field hockey.
Sebastian Kłaczynski
Łukasz Zachariasz
A former player in the Ekstraklasa and the Polish national team, a graduate of Zagłębie Sosnowiec, where he ended his career in 2016. A two-time participant in the U18 and U20 World Championships, he won a bronze medal with the youth national team. He played 13 times in the senior Polish national team. After ending his coaching career, he has been training young people in Sosnowiec, and his sons continue the family hockey tradition. He has been associated with the Ziętara Hockey School since 2018.
Krystian Dziubiński
The current captain of the Polish national ice hockey team, with nearly 200 appearances for the national team. A multi-medalist who made Polish field hockey history by winning the Polish Championship with four different clubs: Nowy Targ, Sanok, Krakow and Oświęcim. An extremely ambitious and valiant player who inspires successive generations of hockey players with his determination and skill. He also currently serves as captain of the Oswiecim Union, with which he is participating in the prestigious Hockey Champions League in the 2024/25 season. Krystian Dziubinski holds the highest class A coaching qualifications, which makes him not only an exceptional player, but also an excellent mentor for young students of the sport.
Maciej Ożóg
A Toruń hockey graduate, a former player in the Ekstraliga and the Polish U16, U18 and U20 youth national teams. During his career, he played in clubs such as SMS Sosnowiec, BTH Bydgoszcz and WTH Wrocław. He currently runs youth groups in MKS Sokoły Toruń and OSM Północ (U11). He regularly participates in coaching training. He has been associated with the Ziętara Hockey School since 2017, supporting the development of young players.
Łukasz Podsiadło
A graduate of Zagłębie Sosnowiec, he was a player in top league teams such as Naprzód Janów, GKS Katowice and KH Energa Toruń. As a coach, he led youth groups in Sosnowiec and Toruń, and since 2021 he has been an assistant coach in the top league team from Toruń. Since 2022, he has also been an assistant coach of the U18 national team. He has been associated with the Ziętara Hockey School for years, constantly developing his coaching skills.
Tomasz Marznica
He has always been associated with Naprzód Janów, where he took his first steps as a hockey player and coach. As a coach, he won the title of Polish Champion in the junior category and triumphed many times in the Silesian Championships with youth teams. In the years 2017-2020, he was the head coach of the women's national team, with whom he won World Championship medals (bronze and silver) and advanced to the final tournament of the Olympic qualifications. He currently works as a coach and coordinator in Naprzód Janów and has been cooperating with the Ziętara Hockey School for years.
Hubert Demkowicz
Raised by STS Sanok and Polish champion in the 2013/2014 season. A graduate of SMS Sosnowiec, he began his coaching journey at UKS MOSiR Niedźwiadki Sanok, working with the youngest adepts of field hockey. Since the 2022/23 season, he has been serving as an assistant coach of the Swedish under-20 team, Järna SK. He is a young, ambitious coach who is constantly developing his skills and gaining valuable experience in the field hockey community in Sweden. His commitment and passion for working with youth are a guarantee of his professional approach to the players
Aleksander Gniewek
A pupil of Zagłębie Sosnowiec and a graduate of the School of Sports Mastery in Sosnowiec. Two-time Polish Champion in the CLJ category (2013 and 2016) and two-time Polish Champion of the first league with Zagłębie Sosnowiec and Naprzód Janów. While still a player, he began working as a youth coach in his parent club, where he still trains young hockey players. As a coach, he won the Polish Championship in the U-12 category with UKS Zagłębie Sosnowiec. Since 2024, he has been an assistant to the U-16 National Team. He has been associated with the Ziętara Hockey School since 2022.
Łukasz Dybaś
A graduate of BS Polonia Bytom, a former player who won the bronze medal of the Polish Championship with the Polonia Bytom team in the Polish Ekstraliga. Currently a coach of youth groups and provincial teams, where he passionately passes on his experience and passion to young hockey players.
Julka Zielińska
A graduate of MUKS Naprzod Janów, who represented the club until 2019, playing in both the boys' and women's teams. In the 2018/2019 season, she won the Slovak Championship with the Popradskie Lisky team, playing in the Slovak Women's Extraliga. For five seasons, she represented the Finnish club Kiekko-Espoo, winning 2 gold and 2 silver medals in the Finnish Women's Championship and gold with the U20 team. She is currently the first Polish woman to play in NCAA D1 at Bemidji State University. A representative of Poland, previously in the U18 team, and currently a senior. She joined the Ziętara School Hockey team in 2024
Krzysztof Dudkiewicz
A graduate of Unia Oświęcim, a former player of the Polish Hockey League, who in his career represented the colors of clubs such as JKH GKS Jastrzębie, Polonia Bytom and Re-Plast Unia Oświęcim, where he played as a forward. He currently plays in the 1. PHL in the Sabers Oświęcim team. He has a Polish vice-championship and a bronze medal under his belt. He is a coach of the youngest age groups in UKH Unia Oświęcim, and combines his passion for hockey with commitment to the development of young players.
Adam Rajski
He began his hockey adventure in 2004. In the youth teams of Naprzód Janów he won the titles of Polish and Silesian Champion and represented Poland at the U18 and U20 World Championships, winning a silver medal in Tallinn in 2015. As a player of the senior team of Naprzód Janów he played in the Ekstraliga and the First League for 6 seasons. He currently teaches at the Hockey Academy "Młoda Gieksa" and at the ABC Hokeja Hockey Shooting Range, which he founded, focusing on shooting technique and power skating. He is a graduate of sports management studies and a coach at the Ziętara Hockey School.
Mental coaching staff - psychological
support for young athletes
Mental coaches and sports psychologists are specialists who take care of the development not only of sports, but also of the mental development of the participants of our camps. In today's sports, the psychological aspect plays a key role - it affects confidence, concentration, as well as coping with stress and pressure.
Their knowledge and experience are invaluable, helping young players build mental toughness and the ability to make informed decisions on and off the ice. Thanks to their work, Ziêtara Camp participants develop comprehensively, preparing themselves for both sports and life challenges.
The contribution of our mental staff to the success of Ziętara Camps is beyond measure.
Pola Weiner
Julka Badowska
Off-Ice coach - the key
to comprehensive development
Part of every camp is carefully prepared off-ice training, which plays an extremely important role in today's sports. Our off-ice coach ensures that participants not only develop their motor skills and coordination, but also gain knowledge about proper physical preparation for the season.
During the classes, participants learn how to individually strengthen their skills, improve endurance, strength and speed, as well as properly recover from intense efforts. With such a comprehensive approach, young hockey players can take their physical abilities to a higher level, which translates into better performance on the ice.
Off-ice training is an integral part of the comprehensive development of any athlete!
Jakub Maciejewski
Trainees - inspiration
and support for participants
For each camp, we invite one player who has attended our camps in the past and now are part of national team in the U18, U20 or senior category.
Just a few years ago, they themselves were in place of the current participants, and today they are back to support the younger generation of hockey players. Their role during the camps is not only to help with on-ice exercises, but also to motivate and share valuable advice. Their presence shows that dreams are within reach, and that hard work at camps can take you to the top.
The trainees are living examples of success and the best inspiration for our campers!
Join us and develop
your skills!
This season the composition of our coaching staff is already known. It's up to you to decide who you want to meet and start working with! Choose one of our camps, tailored to your field hockey goals and coaching preferences.
See you on the ice - together we will achieve your sports dreams!
