Karlis Zirnis was born in Riga, Latvia, and has a notable hockey resume. Zirinis played college hockey at Alabama-Hunstville and then played professionally in the Central Hockey League and the SPHL including a stint with the Amarillo Gorillas. Following his playing career, Zirinis moved behind the bench serving as an assistant coach for the Latvian national team for the 2013 IIHF World Championship and also coached in the 2014 Olympics. In 2018, Zirinis led the Shreveport Mudbugs to a Robertson Cup Championship. The Latvia native returns to the NAHL following coaching roles for the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Alabama–Huntsville.
