Harvard 2022-23: What's Up?

[Skate79]

Kerstin Matthews, former associate coach at BU , should be on the short list.
Great coach, recruiter and mentor . Almost forgot , a good person.
IMO , should have been chosen as Head of BU buT they went w an alumna .

I just read her bio. .742 winning % at St. Anselm College. She looks like an excellent choice. Hope Harvard gives her an interview. Actually, I hope they hire her.

[shelfit]

I have no direct experience with the Harvard program. As someone who had a daughter on an opposing team I was well aware of Stone's unique coaching style. But because I was not close to the program I have tried to stay out of this messy situation. By I do want to say that I am impressed at how various folks who have had a history of intelligent commentary on the Harvard program, in this forum, have come forward to help the University work its way through this. They didn't need to do that....their daughters, friends etc, have move on, but they came forward for the sake of the program.

Nothing unique about her coaching style. She didn't invent shortening the bench to try to win. I see it in girls' hockey all the time even at the very young age groups, mostly dumb male coaches that think a win is a positive reflection on themselves personally so their fragile egos rule the day at the expense of developing players for the next season and next age level and that's because the truth is they don't really know how to develop players so they play the best ones most often to try to win instead. It's a widespread problem, youth coaches that don't know how to develop players.

[hawkhockey]

Kerstin Matthews, former associate coach at BU , should be on the short list.
Great coach, recruiter and mentor . Almost forgot , a good person.
IMO , should have been chosen as Head of BU buT they went w an alumna .

[Skate79]

So the Stonester gets a free get out of jail card that allows her to be somewhat hirable vs just getting flat out fired, which would make her un-hirable. This way she admits nothing and pretends it never happened. At least she's out. That was a must.

So who might the candidates be to replace her? MN and OSU seem to have revolving doors with assistants, so looking for someone from there is not likely. The UW assistants have been there for a long time, but I don't know if either wants to uproot their families and head east. Both would be viable options. Maybe Crowell heads back east, she might be the best choice as far as my western bias goes. Her or Muzzy.

Well she may be 'hireable' but not within college hockey circles. Perhaps one of the donors that backed her through all of this will find her suitable employment. I just can't see a hockey program or women's professional team seeking her out for a head coaching gig. Not after what's transpired.

[Skate79]

How about asking the program's first coach, Joe Bertagna, to take the reins as interim head coach for 2023-2024? Uniquely experienced at starting a Harvard women's hockey program from scratch.....

And wondering how many, if any, of the players who dropped out but are still eligible will be interested in rejoining the team

Great idea. I would love to see Joey come in and restore order. I was a senior when he started the Harvard program and we've seen each other at various times during hockey games where HE came to Harvard. Or the other way around.

[hab]

I have no direct experience with the Harvard program. As someone who had a daughter on an opposing team I was well aware of Stone's unique coaching style. But because I was not close to the program I have tried to stay out of this messy situation. By I do want to say that I am impressed at how various folks who have had a history of intelligent commentary on the Harvard program, in this forum, have come forward to help the University work its way through this. They didn't need to do that....their daughters, friends etc, have move on, but they came forward for the sake of the program.

[Trillium]

For now. To fire the AD on the heels of Stone's exit would be the acknowledgement of dysfunction and scandal that Stone's “retirement” statement is designed to avoid, and so would be a PR gaff worthy of McDermott herself. A seemly interval has to pass before she gets her “Onward and Outward” email. Meanwhile her punishment will be to live on borrowed time. Should other heads roll? Yes, but we should live so long.

Great point. But who leads finding the right new coach? Can't be anyone now associated with the dysfunction that is Harvard Athletics.

[Timothy A]

So the Stonester gets a free get out of jail card that allows her to be somewhat hirable vs just getting flat out fired, which would make her un-hirable. This way she admits nothing and pretends it never happened. At least she's out. That was a must.

So who might the candidates be to replace her? MN and OSU seem to have revolving doors with assistants, so looking for someone from there is not likely. The UW assistants have been there for a long time, but I don't know if either wants to uproot their families and head east. Both would be viable options. Maybe Crowell heads back east, she might be the best choice as far as my western bias goes. Her or Muzzy.

[Scott_TG]

Natalie Darwitz disappeared from the Gophers coaching staff last week?

Darwitz has always publicly been about gigs that keep her close to home. It was one of the things she said was why Hamline was her first collegiate coaching gig.

My guess is her destination is the open Whitecaps gig but her lifestyle may have changed since she said that about Hamline...

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[ShootDePuckNo]

What is disturbing is that the AD remains

This one blew me away as well.....McDermott neglected her duties to protect players. Hazing is against the law in MA. When it is reported, everything stops and it is sent up to local authorities. Why didn't that happen here? Was EM not trained enough in recognising hazing in her own program, or was she protecting somebody or something? Is the word of a player (now transferred) not enough? After speaking with captains, coaches and players, is it acceptable to say "That's not hazing, but you just aren't allowed to do it anymore?" There is no excuse for this incompetence.

[thirdtime's . . .]

What is disturbing is that the AD remains

For now. To fire the AD on the heels of Stone's exit would be the acknowledgement of dysfunction and scandal that Stone's “retirement” statement is designed to avoid, and so would be a PR gaff worthy of McDermott herself. A seemly interval has to pass before she gets her “Onward and Outward” email. Meanwhile her punishment will be to live on borrowed time. Should other heads roll? Yes, but we should live so long.

Btw, what’s Sami Reber doing these days?

[Trillium]

I agree there is objectively a good case to fire the AD based on her ra-ra Katey attitude in response to the internal investigation over the summer, which then allowed this whole situation to blow up in the Globe and the Athletic. It would've probably been better for everyone if Katey had stepped down more quietly back then.

But you can't fire the AD and not fire any associate AD who was in charge of oversight for women's hockey as well. It'd be pretty rich to fire Harvard's first female AD, but not fire any male associate AD responsible for overseeing women's hockey for many years before the AD arrived.

There may very well be a good case to fire others in the Athletics dept for not addressing systemic problems that had been previously brought to light, not only in WIH but in other sports. These problems still need to be addressed. This is not just a Stone problem. There have been 8 investigations in recent years.

There is the possibility however that associates have brought issues to the attention of the AD, who was the one who then chose not to act on them.

The J&B investigation was broader than just Stone: why did athletes and their families not more often report issues? When they did repeatedly did over the last decade, why was nothing done? There is lots more culpability to still be addressed. It will be interesting to see if it will be.

By her words and actions, EM was a big supporter of Stone and apparently saw nothing to be concerned about. She has demonstrated poor judgement and a lack of leadership. This is the person they want to lead the process of finding Stone’s successor?!! Not a good look

[Puckluck89]

Guessing that Harvard will look for a young and upcoming coach from a program that is nationally recognized. Whoever comes aboard will need to fix the culture first and foremost. And that may take a while given all that has gone on in the past twenty-plus years.

Natalie Darwitz disappeared from the Gophers coaching staff last week?

[dave1381]

What is disturbing is that the AD remains

I agree there is objectively a good case to fire the AD based on her ra-ra Katey attitude in response to the internal investigation over the summer, which then allowed this whole situation to blow up in the Globe and the Athletic. It would've probably been better for everyone if Katey had stepped down more quietly back then.

But you can't fire the AD and not fire any associate AD who was in charge of oversight for women's hockey as well. It'd be pretty rich to fire Harvard's first female AD, but not fire any male associate AD responsible for overseeing women's hockey for many years before the AD arrived.

[Watson Rink]

How about asking the program's first coach, Joe Bertagna, to take the reins as interim head coach for 2023-2024? Uniquely experienced at starting a Harvard women's hockey program from scratch.....

And wondering how many, if any, of the players who dropped out but are still eligible will be interested in rejoining the team