After leading the Dandee Patches and Blepp-Coobs Sporting Goods teams to seven titles in the Lakewood Recreation League, he was appointed to select and coach an AAU team representing Cleveland in the 1939 national hockey tournament. Playing under the banner of The American Legion, the underdog Clevelanders won their first game in overtime and their next in double overtime to move into the championship game against the heavily favored University of Minnesota. The Kern-coached Cleveland club responded with a stunning 4-3 victory to annex the National AAU title.