2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

[Blackbeard]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Appointing anyone to a head coaching position without considerable previous coaching experience is just not a good idea, for either the players or the coach. Even ones with Olympic experience--it didn't work out very well for Northeastern or Yale, where both Schuler and Witt ended up losing their jobs and going back to assistant roles.

The story I've read about Schuler a number of times and in listening to interviews with her was that she voluntarily left her head coaching position to mentor under Miller as an assistant to learn what has helped Miller to be as successful as she has been so that she, Schuler, can take her own show back on the road at a later date.

Then again, possibly it was a bit of both, and she got outta Dodge while the gettin' was good and the writing was on the wall?

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Appointing anyone to a head coaching position without considerable previous coaching experience is just not a good idea, for either the players or the coach. Even ones with Olympic experience--it didn't work out very well for Northeastern or Yale, where both Schuler and Witt ended up losing their jobs and going back to assistant roles.

I find one of your examples odd, and really non-applicable. They detract rather than support your premise to not hire a in-experience coach.

Whit was appointed head coach at Yale after one year as an assistant there. That was right after she had a stint playing on the National team. She was the head coach at Yale for 8 or 9 years and had several success there, setting various school records in the process. Not sure why you consider that an example of a "not a good idea" coaching hire. So what she went back as an assistant. She is not the first and won't be the last. Happens in the NHL as well. Point is she did have some success as a head coach, and was in the role for a long period of time.

 

[puckskillz]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

I, and others, always suspected that Coach Wood was brought in to be Mac's eventual replacement, and if so, I can't see why anything would have changed. Maybe I'm cynical, but I just don't see Marty going out of his way on this hire. They have someone who could step in, and I think they'll take the easy route. Unless, of course, Wood's public support for Mac on Facebook has doomed him as well.

I would agree that he was likely hired as the Associate Head Coach to be the successor. I am assuming the University must do it's diligence but also agree that they will likely not find a "better" coach or a "better fit" at this time. Other great candidates will surface but not necessarily “better”. The program needs some stability right now with a positive, progressive, and instructive culture. I think Coachs' Wood and Jones were able to implement that in the back half of the season. Adding a new head coach and potential complete new staff just does not seem to be in the best interest of the University, program, or players.

As far as the hockey, Wood has demonstrated that he can recruit and also develop that talent. From a game planning standpoint I’m interested to see what he could do with a fresh start in the fall when he can control practices and teach a system geared towards the players he has been recruiting. He has a talented class coming in this fall and it sounds like the beginnings of another great class for 2015-16. I would think it is important for the program to have Wood locked-in soon so that uncertainty with the head coaching position can be eliminated.

The other encouraging news is that the returning players are extremely supportive and have shared that with the powers to be. They have learned a ton since January and have been exposed (eye-opening) to a range of on-ice/off-ice activities that Wood brought to and from MN. That’s given them insight in to the entire "commitment" of what it takes to be a championship program and with that also comes a higher expectation for individual and team accountability. The fact that they are supportive would suggest they are buying in and ready to get on-board this spring. I would think he can teach and drive that expectation in a very positive way.

The other factor unfortunately, is the potential for the off-ice "legal?" issues to linger. Stability would ensure there is a strong trusting relationship between head coach and players which would be key to maintaining the players' focus as the issues arise. It would take some time for players to acclimate and build that kind of trust with new coaches. Wood is a great ambassador for the University and brings a positive vibe so with some uncertainty ahead, it would be good to have him in that leadership role.

So from a hockey performance and program continuity standpoint it seems to make sense, and as the face of UNH women’s hockey I think it would be a solid and respected move. We all know that it’s going to take some time to gain consistency in the win column but giving him a chance to elevate the program seems like the right thing to do for the University and players. They have a terrific bogey out there in 2016 with the frozen four. Their best chance of hosting/playing would be to lock him in and get started now.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

This would be a tough gig for a coach with minimal experience, made more complicated by an administration that doesn't appear to be that coach-friendly

I can think of the perfect hire for that job. Its a UNH alum with lots of coaching experience. Not sure if the person is available or interested.

 

[zoofer]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Sorry OnMAA but puckskilz makes the perfect argument, on all facets, as to why Coaches Wood and Jones should stay and take this team forward. My only problem with it, as I read in depth, is that UNH hasn't been logical, nor rational in any of it's handling of the entire "incident", so why should they now! Read puckskilz statement again rather then have me try and improve his argument. 2016 is so close,in essence that there is no time to waste in rebuilding from scratch. This team has been insanely successful at persevering this year thru all the crap, on and off the ice, so here's a thought UNH, "consider the student-athlete first"!
Anyone heard anything from the Trustees? Why was there a different spokesman for the athletic department at last weeks press conference, and not the current AD? Could it be someone, somewhere is realizing what is needed to get UNH back on track? Wildcat Pride....I believe in UNH, are not just phrases to some of us.....prove it!!!

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Sorry OnMAA but puckskilz makes the perfect argument, on all facets, as to why Coaches Wood and Jones should stay and take this team forward.

No need to be sorry. I have no opinion nor any knowledge of the skill set of the current coaching staff. It was never my intention to suggest they should not be considered. It makes no difference to me one way or the other who gets hired. Just hope the AD dept does due diligence and hires the best candidate for the job, whoever that may be. Having said that I do know of a UNH alum with coaching experience who could be a good fit there. Not sure if said person would be interested or even available.

 

[sonar]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Any updates on Coaching situation with the UNH Women? I had heard that there was a meeting between AD and some of the team last week and it wasn't warm and fuzzy and there was no commitment to the present coaches. What's up?

Heard how?

Are you saying there was "no commitment to the present coaches" on the part of the players at the meeting, or on the part of the AD? Was the "nonfuzzyness" a diagnosis resulting from the dialogue between those in attendance?

Just wondering ..........

 

[NUWH DogHouse]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

I can think of the perfect hire for that job. Its a UNH alum with lots of coaching experience. Not sure if the person is available or interested.

Coach DC?

 

[sonar]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

I can think of the perfect hire for that job. Its a UNH alum with lots of coaching experience. Not sure if the person is available or interested.

Katey Stone?

 

[Stick Boy]

Heard how?

Are you saying there was "no commitment to the present coaches" on the part of the players at the meeting, or on the part of the AD? Was the "nonfuzzyness" a diagnosis resulting from the dialogue between those in attendance?

Just wondering ..........

There was no commitment to the present coaches from the AD and no indication of where things were going at that time. The discussion toward the players was not warm and fuzzy. This was according to a couple of the players in the meeting.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

I, and others, always suspected that Coach Wood was brought in to be Mac's eventual replacement, and if so, I can't see why anything would have changed. Maybe I'm cynical, but I just don't see Marty going out of his way on this hire. They have someone who could step in, and I think they'll take the easy route. Unless, of course, Wood's public support for Mac on Facebook has doomed him as well.

It would be foolish IMO to underestimate that last bit.

Would not be surprised in the least if BS35 cut off his own nose to spite his face.

 

[ClOuD 9]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Katey Stone?

Her coaching position at Harvard is covered by an endowment, I don't expect UNH could compete.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Her coaching position at Harvard is covered by an endowment, I don't expect UNH could compete.

Are you willing to reconsider your previous assessment, ClOuD??

 

[sonar]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Are you willing to reconsider your previous assessment, ClOuD??

Either i was hallucinating .... or Ms. Stone received a nice applause at the UNH/NE game last night.

 

[Trillium]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Either i was hallucinating .... or Ms. Stone received a nice applause at the UNH/NE game last night.

Maybe you were hallucinating. Apparently Stone surprisingly got very little response at Bright when the video board showed her in the crowd a couple weeks back.

 

[ClOuD 9]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Are you willing to reconsider your previous assessment, ClOuD??

No one would be happier to be wrong than I. To give you some idea of my track record with this sort of thing, when they were looking to replace Karen Kay I thought they made the wrong decision by not picking Julie Sasner. McCloskey went on to win 6 straight Hockey East regular season titles, 4 straight Hockey East tournament titles, make 5 straight NCAA appearances, and make 2 Frozen Fours; meanwhile Sasner lasted three years and one game at MIT winning 4 games total, they would eventually move down to club a few years later. She did at least break <a href="http://www.uscho.com/2004/01/18/mit-snaps-record-losing-streak/">MIT's losing streak of 82 straight games</a>, believed to be the longest in NCAA history. Like I said, happy to be wrong.

USCHO: <a href="http://www.uscho.com/2002/05/15/mccloskey-a-finalist-for-unh-womens-opening/">McCloskey a Finalist for UNH Women’s Opening</a> (May 15th, 2002)

 

[ICEBOX]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

I'm sure Ms. Bellamy is a fantastic young woman and there's no doubt she's a fantastic hockey player. But do you really think that the right direction for this program is to have someone with zero coaching experience, come in and take over a D1,highly visibly program, to bring it back to its former glory?

Ms Bellamy from what I understand does want to coach. Not sure what her time frame will be. She does not have any formal coaching experience and from what I understand would be very selective as to whom she would coach under. As a young coach starting up it is very important to have the right mentor. She has some decisions to make because from what I can see she is still at the top end of her game. Is she thinking about South Korea in 2018. As for the staff now at UNH, the group of girls that are here now are most of Jamie's recruits. It is still not close to being a program on the rise. I think a change is needed now. This program deserves better. I am not saying Jamie's is a bad guy, I'm saying that he has not proven to be the recruiter that Mac was 8-9 years ago.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Ms Bellamy from what I understand does want to coach. Not sure what her time frame will be. She does not have any formal coaching experience and from what I understand would be very selective as to whom she would coach under. As a young coach starting up it is very important to have the right mentor. She has some decisions to make because from what I can see she is still at the top end of her game. Is she thinking about South Korea in 2018. As for the staff now at UNH, the group of girls that are here now are most of Jamie's recruits. It is still not close to being a program on the rise. I think a change is needed now. This program deserves better. I am not saying Jamie's is a bad guy, I'm saying that he has not proven to be the recruiter that Mac was 8-9 years ago.

Anyone with the current coaching staff is going to be in a tough spot, after the happenings of this recently-concluded season. It's not fair, but it is what it is, I guess. I can't pretend to know more than a sliver of what you regular posters know about the pros and cons of the current staff, but while a "clean sweep" in some ways makes sense, on the other hand giving Coach Wood a full preseason and next season to try to get the ship righted and turned back in the right direction seems fair. Unless the program can attract a "can't miss" candidate - and I don't see that happening until the recent *clouds* over the program are cleared out - I think you are best to offer Coach Wood and his staff a chance next season. They are *his* players, so let's see what they can do, starting with a fresh slate.

JMHO.

 

[Trillium]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

As for the staff now at UNH, the group of girls that are here now are most of Jamie's recruits. It is still not close to being a program on the rise. I think a change is needed now. This program deserves better. I am not saying Jamie's is a bad guy, I'm saying that he has not proven to be the recruiter that Mac was 8-9 years ago.

It is common to confuse someone's relative skill as a recruiter (or lack thereof) with a team's win record. Barring other significant negatives associated with a school, program or associated variables, it is typically very easy to recruit top talent to any team with a winning record, irrespective of a coach's own recruiting strength or even relative weakness. This is especially true for NCAA tournament teams. Top players are used to winning, and most want to continue to play for winning teams in most cases.

It is generally only when a school starts to struggle competitively that having especially strong personal recruiting skills is a key success factor to "right the ship". This also takes time unless you happen to be also somewhat lucky early on in attracting one or two high profile national-type players. There is little to suggest in recent years (after Paton, Wakefield, Birchard ie. still pre-Wood, when the team's performance peaked and began to tail off) that McCloskey himself was actually a premier recruiter. In any event, up until now Wood has still been recruiting on behalf of McCloskey. Theoretically, even if Wood was an A1 recruiter, beyond the added challenge of securing commitments to a less successful program, if prospects were to have any personal reservations about Head Coach McCloskey and his coaching style, it could be yet another impediment to recruiting success. Therefore, I don't think any conclusions can be made at this point in comparing Wood's skills in recruiting vs. McCloskey's.

I have no opinion either way as to whether Wood would be the right candidate, but I certainly wish UNH much luck and success in ultimately making whatever decision is best for the team. Soon.

 

[Trillium]

Re: 2014 UNH Wildcats: Ending Strong and Starting Fresh

Also, I didn't want to add to the diversion of focus from the team's season by adding to the discussion about "The Situation". My heart goes out to the players having to deal with all the fallout for most of the season and persevering regardless under incredibly difficult circumstances.

Now that their season's over, I wanted to say how much I admire and applaud the captain, Nicole Gifford, for having the courage of her own convictions, and speaking out on that basis going against the directive of the administration. Leadership shows, and generally develops most, in conditions of great adversity. While I certainly wouldn't wish this kind of experience for anyone, I do believe it will make her even more successful later in life in future leadership roles. The risks were great and the consequences have been severe for players elsewhere who stood up for themselves and their team far less publicly. I always knew she was a character kid, and to me this proved it.