Fort Wayne’s Garver named Warrior Hockey ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year

SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL announced on Wednesday that Skylar Garver of the Fort Wayne Komets is the 2024-25 recipient of the ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year Award, presented by Warrior Hockey.

The winner is determined in a vote of the league’s equipment managers.

A Fort Wayne native, Garver grew up in Stephens City, Virginia, and began playing hockey at the age of four. His family owned the Roller Dome in Fort Wayne where he learned to skate. Garver began working in a pro shop while in college and spent one season as an equipment manager at Indiana Tech University, where he was part of an NAIA National Championship in 2019. He joined the Komets as assistant equipment manager in 2019-20, and took over the head role the following season when the Komets captured the Kelly Cup title. He was selected to serve as an equipment manager at the 2024 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic in Savannah.

ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year

2024-25           Skylar Garver, Fort Wayne Komets

2023-24           Justin Sturtz. Kansas City Mavericks

2022-23           Travis Ward, South Carolina Stingrays

2021-22           Jean Huynh, Trois-Rivières Lions

2020-21           ECHL Equipment Managers

2019-20           Chris Burke, Cincinnati Cyclones

2018-19           Jason MacDonald, Reading Royals

2017-18           Darren Flinchem, Indy Fuel

2016-17           Andrew Dvorak, Missouri Mavericks

2015-16           Drew Kitts, Quad City Mallards

2014-15           Dakota King, Gwinnett Gladiators

2013-14           Billy Higgins, Wheeling Nailers

2012-13           Adam Dexter, Orlando Solar Bears

2011-12           Ryan Martin, Greenville Road Warriors

2010-11           Mike Burkhead, Alaska Aces

2009-10           Ben Laing, Stockton Thunder

2008-09           Pat Noecker, Reading Royals

2007-08           Pat Noecker, Reading Royals

2005-06           Chris Burke, Fresno Falcons

2004-05           John Jennings, Florida Everblades and Russ Holden, Reading Royals

2003-04           John Krouse, Pensacola Ice Pilots

2002-03           Tom Severance, Charlotte Checkers

About the ECHL

Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 740 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 13 who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.

About Warrior Hockey

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Warrior Sports is recognized as one of the sporting goods industry’s premier manufacturers of innovative, high-performance, cutting-edge equipment, footwear, and apparel for lacrosse and hockey athletes of all ages and abilities. Founded in 1992 by former champion lacrosse player David Morrow, Warrior was acquired by privately held New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. in February 2004.