The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

Coach Mark Carlson.

The two are synonymous.

The RoughRiders have had only one head coach in their 16-year history.

This Friday night the Riders host Waterloo inside The Stable. It will mark the 1,000th game for both coach and franchise.

Carlson isn't much for talking about himself, but this is a great achievement.

The organization formed in 1999 and their first game was a win -- the Riders beat Sioux Falls in a shootout back on Sept. 24, 1999. There have been a lot of wins since.

Carlson has 559 wins with the Riders. He's taken the team to 14 playoff appearances in 16 seasons. He's coached a team that won a Clark Cup Championship, in addition to two Anderson Cup Championships.

More than 40 of Carlson’s former players are currently playing in the NCAA and 17 are signed to NHL contracts. Over his coaching career, Carlson has seen more than 200 players receive college commitments and 21 players selected in the NHL Draft.

That's success, no matter how you measure it.

Get on out tomorrow night and cheer on the RoughRiders for their 1,000th game.

Congrats to Mark Carlson and the RoughRiders for more than 16 great years in Cedar Rapids!

 

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