Evan Watts brought on board as Heartlanders equipment manager

Coralville, Iowa – Iowa Heartlanders Head Coach Derek Damon announced Wednesday the team has named Evan Watts Heartlanders Equipment Manager. Watts brings multiple seasons of professional hockey experience, most recently serving as assistant equipment manager for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals from 2022-24. The Admirals qualified for the AHL’s Western Conference Finals each of the last two seasons.  

Prior to that, Watts was the Youngstown Phantoms’ (USHL) Head Equipment Manager and has also held positions with the SPHL’s Macon Mayhem and ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings. While with the Wings, he was an assistant and helped learn from Richard Krouse, who is now the Iowa Wild’s Equipment Manager. Watts is a Kalamazoo, MI native. 

“I’m very grateful for this opportunity with the Heartlanders,” Watts said. “Being from Kalamazoo, this league has a special place in my heart and I’m excited to move into in a full-time, head equipment manager position in the ECHL. I would like to send a huge thank you to Heartlanders President Matt Getz, Head Coach Derek Damon and the entire organization for welcoming me with open arms. I’m excited to work with our players and help contribute to build a winning culture with the Heartlanders.”  

“The Equipment Manager role is one of the most-unsung positions in an organization, yet one of its most important to success,” Damon said. “Similar to how we evaluate players, it’s important we have someone with the right demeanor that fits into the kind of culture we are trying to build. Evan is exactly what we are looking for in our equipment manager and has the integrity and hard-working attitude that will lead to his success in the ECHL.”

You may have heard we made some big news in our final game of the 2023-24 season – our first-ever sellout in team history! That game featured a pre-game tailgate and fireworks (literally and figuratively) inside Xtream Arena, and we are going to recreate that high-energy, 5-star fan experience at 5 specific games during the 2024-25 season. Join the fun of those 5 experiences by purchasing our new 5-Star Ticket Package.

Full-season tickets are currently on sale, and deposits can be placed for 18-game plans, group outings, birthday parties, suites and the United Iowa Financial Party Plaza. Call 319-855-1775 to discuss options, or visit this link to make your plans for the 2024-25 season! 

Stay tuned to Iowa Heartlanders social media (@goheartlanders) for upcoming theme night announcements and promotional calendar updates. Sign up here to be notified by text message for team news and updates ahead of the start of the 2024-25 season.