It may seem a little surreal to her, but Austin grad Carley Grunewald is now leading the program she once played for just four years ago. Grunewald, who played for the Austin girls hockey team from 2007-2013, is now the head coach for the Packers and she will coach her first career game when Austin hosts Mankato West in Riverside Arena at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Grunewald was an assistant coach under former head coach Brett Vesel for the past two seasons and she played under Denny Bray, who is in the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Bray coached the Packers to state tournament berths in 2000, 2007 and 2008.

The first time she found herself in the coach’s room, Grunewald had a little trouble taking Bray’s old seat.

“We kind of have the office set up the same way [Bray] had it. When I got the keys and went in there for the first time, I just had to stand there for a moment,” Grunewald said. “I couldn’t sit in his chair for a second because those are big shoes to fill. I’m taking a lot of what I learned from him with the enthusiasm and the excitement he brought to the ice. I’m trying to bring that.”

Grunewald is very familiar with her team and she even as experience playing with Austin senior Myia Hoium as the pair were teammates during Hoium’s seventh grade season.

“I’m really close with Carley because I played with her my seventh grade year,” Hoium said. “It’s a good opportunity for her to coach me now. She’s been really considerate of the new girls and we’ve all been working together and building each other up. She’s working us really hard and we’re working really well as a team. She’s pushing us to our full potential.”

Austin sophomore Jordyn McCormack likes what she’s seen out of Grunewald as a head coach so far and she’s looking forward to the upcoming season.

“We’re a really young team and she knows that,” McCormack said. “She’s coming out here pushing us and she knows what our abilities are. She really gets us. We know [Grunewald] and [assistant coach] Grace [Heimsness] really well and we all get along.”

Grunewald played in the state tournament for the Packers in 2008 and she was also active playing summer hockey while she was in high school. Not only did that experience help Grunewald learn about the game, it’s earned her respect from the players.

“It’s nice that they know that I’ve played at that level so they know I know what I’m talking about and they trust me,” Grunewald said. “It’s been an easier transition with being an assistant coach the last two years. The girls kind of know my style and what to expect when they come to practice. We’re here to have fun, but we’re still serious.”

Austin finished with a record of 7-19 overall last season and it graduated three seniors from that team. The Packers have added depth this season as a big group of middle schoolers have joined the squad.

“I think we can win a lot of games,” Grunewald said. “We’ve got a lot more skill, a lot more speed and a lot more to show this year. We’ve got a bigger team and those girls play great together. They’ve played together for years.”