2015-2016 Coaching Changes

[OnMAA]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Let's not overthink this people. It's not like the women's team at Brown is some NHL team he's taking over. He was a high end player on the men's team there, so I think he'll be ok since he played a higher level of hockey than any of the women on the current team. The fact he seems to have little coaching experience at all and none whatsoever in women's hockey is an insult to all applicants that applied that actually do have experience coaching women's hockey at the college level. Someone aught to tell Shannon Miller about this sexist atrocity too. He'll need to keep his assistants so they can help him learn the women's game and how to deal with female student-athletes, so I guess the good news is those two coaches are safe because he'd be an absolute idiot to clear house like so many head coaches do when they take over a program. This was a very convenient hire for Brown (no moving expenses) and probably not the first easy hire in the history of college athletics. We'll see what happens with the team in the next two to three years.

IMHO The bigger challenge to get Brown moving back in the right direction is to beef up the recruiting aspect of the program. There has been a lot of turnover with the assistant coaches over the last 6 years, which can have an affect on recruiting. Just like with drafting in the NHL, the first step in a rebuild is to draft/recruit well. Yale made a coaching change about 5 years ago, and went through an initial dip after the chance, while they brought in good recruiting classes. The result is a team that is now competing much better. The Brown rebuild will not be overnight either, but an improved recruiting program starting now, will play dividends three to four years down the road. Most know that recruiting for a struggling program is always harder and requires more effort to have success compared to a successful program.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

IMHO The bigger challenge to get Brown moving back in the right direction is to beef up the recruiting aspect of the program. There has been a lot of turnover with the assistant coaches over the last 6 years, which can have an affect on recruiting. Just like with drafting in the NHL, the first step in a rebuild is to draft/recruit well. Yale made a coaching change about 5 years ago, and went through an initial dip after the chance, while they brought in good recruiting classes. The result is a team that is now competing much better. The Brown rebuild will not be overnight either, but an improved recruiting program starting now, will play dividends three to four years down the road. Most know that recruiting for a struggling program is always harder and requires more effort to have success compared to a successful program.

Uuummm.......huh.

This hire is an absolutely bizarre one. His primary qualification is that he knows the Brown admissions standards, process, and financial aid process. Wouldn't one have assumed that Bourbeau could have learned that or had someone in the admissions department to work with on it? Has lack of knowledge of the admissions process really been the primary thing holding the Brown program back? Not buying it.

I see no way that this guy has the connections or reputation to attract quality recruits to Brown. And he has no experience coaching hockey....ever that I can see from the biography. How can he possibly deliver a successful team. This hire screams "find someone cheap and willing that won't be a problem or embarrass us - who cares if they win?". Time will tell, but at the beginning this looks like a failure in process. I wonder ultimately if Brown will just drop their women's program.

Did they even ever post this coaching position? They claimed they would do a national search - this is the best candidate in the nation who applied for the job?

 

[Trinity11]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

IMHO The bigger challenge to get Brown moving back in the right direction is to beef up the recruiting aspect of the program. There has been a lot of turnover with the assistant coaches over the last 6 years, which can have an affect on recruiting. Just like with drafting in the NHL, the first step in a rebuild is to draft/recruit well. Yale made a coaching change about 5 years ago, and went through an initial dip after the chance, while they brought in good recruiting classes. The result is a team that is now competing much better. The Brown rebuild will not be overnight either, but an improved recruiting program starting now, will play dividends three to four years down the road. Most know that recruiting for a struggling program is always harder and requires more effort to have success compared to a successful program.

Quite surprising that one of the most liberal institutions in our country can't come to grips with the fact that women should be behind the bench of women's hockey (sports) teams. This is no knock on "Coach" Kenneally, he must have been a pretty good player back in the late 80's as he put up some points. undoubtedly he has coached some youth hockey along the way as well. He has been in house in the athletic department for two decades and has paid his dues to the school ...but really, he's the most qualified person for the job? :

What really needs to be done is that women coaches at all levels need to form a consortium and demand equal opportunity, equal pay and they need to rage against the machine. Institutions and employers will continue to discriminate and get away with whatever the can until such a true revolt occurs. Where's Gloria Steinem of the 21st Century anywayWomen also must be better at supporting each other on this front/mission. Until women step up and stand out against being treated so disparately, this BS will continue undaunted. ***** as much as you want but you have to change this along with some strong men who will step up in support.

Brown did what it felt it could get away with. It got away with it. The message is that they are not interested in treating women equally and they don't take women's sports seriously.

MOTS....it's a PC liberial bastion only when it wants to be. What a shame.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Uuummm.......huh.

This hire is an absolutely bizarre one. His primary qualification is that he knows the Brown admissions standards, process, and financial aid process. Wouldn't one have assumed that Bourbeau could have learned that or had someone in the admissions department to work with on it? Has lack of knowledge of the admissions process really been the primary thing holding the Brown program back? Not buying it.

I see no way that this guy has the connections or reputation to attract quality recruits to Brown. And he has no experience coaching hockey....ever that I can see from the biography. How can he possibly deliver a successful team. This hire screams "find someone cheap and willing that won't be a problem or embarrass us - who cares if they win?". Time will tell, but at the beginning this looks like a failure in process. I wonder ultimately if Brown will just drop their women's program.

Did they even ever post this coaching position? They claimed they would do a national search - this is the best candidate in the nation who applied for the job?

Ok I'll bite, and you missed the point I was trying to make......About five years ago, a coach was replaced on the UWO team our oldest daughter played on at the time. The team had missed the playoffs four out of the previous five years. The new coach was an "internal hire" of an "administrator" who already worked at the university, allegedly to save money. The coach surrounded himself with assistants that had a strong background in hockey, they changed their recruiting strategy. Five years later they have gone from an annual also ran to National champs. Team in question is UWO, also known as Western, and the sport is CIS varsity hockey. My point was, change/adapt the recruiting strategy, and ensure that you have a strong set of assistants to help you run the program and the recruiting. That is a key to a rebuilding process. Personally have no idea what this person brings to the table coaching wise, but know first hand from several of my contacts/friends that he has a strong people reputation and is a good communicator, both items that are a must have to being a successful coach.

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Quite surprising that one of the most liberal institutions in our country can't come to grips with the fact that women should be behind the bench of women's hockey (sports) teams. This is no knock on "Coach" Kenneally, he must have been a pretty good player back in the late 80's as he put up some points. undoubtedly he has coached some youth hockey along the way as well. He has been in house in the athletic department for two decades and has paid his dues to the school ...but really, he's the most qualified person for the job? :

What really needs to be done is that women coaches at all levels need to form a consortium and demand equal opportunity, equal pay and they need to rage against the machine. Institutions and employers will continue to discriminate and get away with whatever the can until such a true revolt occurs. Where's Gloria Steinem of the 21st Century anywayWomen also must be better at supporting each other on this front/mission. Until women step up and stand out against being treated so disparately, this BS will continue undaunted. ***** as much as you want but you have to change this along with some strong men who will step up in support.

Brown did what it felt it could get away with. It got away with it. The message is that they are not interested in treating women equally and they don't take women's sports seriously.

MOTS....it's a PC liberial bastion only when it wants to be. What a shame.

Are you serious. In the real world you hire the "Best Person" for the job, regardless of gender, race or religion.

BTW, In general Brown is one of the most liberal Ivy universities, with a very diverse student and prof population. They have had several female Presidents now for years, and they are well known to promote equality and equal opportunity for all.

 

[Eeyore]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Are you serious. In the real world you hire the "Best Person" for the job, irregardless of gender, race or religion.

So you're saying that no men's sports program anywhere, except possibly the San Antonio Spurs, exists in the real world?

 

[KTDC]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

quite surprising that one of the most liberal institutions in our country can't come to grips with the fact that women should be behind the bench of women's hockey (sports) teams. This is no knock on "coach" kenneally, he must have been a pretty good player back in the late 80's as he put up some points. Undoubtedly he has coached some youth hockey along the way as well. He has been in house in the athletic department for two decades and has paid his dues to the school ...but really, he's the most qualified person for the job? :

What really needs to be done is that women coaches at all levels need to form a consortium and demand equal opportunity, equal pay and they need to rage against the machine. Institutions and employers will continue to discriminate and get away with whatever the can until such a true revolt occurs. Where's gloria steinem of the 21st century anywaywomen also must be better at supporting each other on this front/mission. Until women step up and stand out against being treated so disparately, this bs will continue undaunted. ***** as much as you want but you have to change this along with some strong men who will step up in support.

Brown did what it felt it could get away with. It got away with it. The message is that they are not interested in treating women equally and they don't take women's sports seriously.

Mots....it's a pc liberial bastion only when it wants to be. What a shame.

april fools!!!

 

[Trinity11]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

OnMAA: so this hire is the most qualified? 0 coaching experience (but for the golf team). As for the real world, I have to ask, is the street in front of your home yellow and made of brick...what fantasy land do you hail from where decisions (especially those made in academia) are based on merit and finding the best person?

Also, the grammar refs' arms are up...they are giving you a 10 minute misconduct as "irregardless" is not a word in the English language. Now go to the box and feel shame!

 

[123kidd]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Women should be behind a womens team?
Doesn't your beloved Jenny have a husband who coaches a girls team!

 

[OnMAA]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

OnMAA: so this hire is the most qualified? 0 coaching experience (but for the golf team). As for the real world, I have to ask, is the street in front of your home yellow and made of brick...what fantasy land do you hail from where decisions (especially those made in academia) are based on merit and finding the best person?

Also, the grammar refs' arms are up...they are giving you a 10 minute misconduct as "irregardless" is not a word in the English language. Now go to the box and feel shame!

Mon Dieu !...Holy Trinity...I bow to thee and your superior knowledge and wisdom....Whom am I to question it in a language and world completely foreign to me !!!...April Fools indeed.

 

[shelfit]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Mon Dieu !...Holy Trinity...I bow to thee and your superior knowledge and wisdom....Whom am I to question it in a language and world completely foreign to me !!!...April Fools indeed.

Um, sorry, but I believe it's "Who" and not "Whom."

 

[Call It]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

On the Brown job... why not? If he isn't likely to tell the girls "to get H for the puck", then why not go with some new blood? Could he possibly do any worse then the previous choices. Perhaps there is a bigger issue here for the Ivy Schools, is there currently enough talent to make all the Ivy Schools competitive? Seems the top talent goes to Harvard and then a trickle down

 

[Skate79]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

On the Brown job... why not? If he isn't likely to tell the girls "to get H for the puck", then why not go with some new blood? Could he possibly do any worse then the previous choices. Perhaps there is a bigger issue here for the Ivy Schools, is there currently enough talent to make all the Ivy Schools competitive? Seems the top talent goes to Harvard and then a trickle down

Not necessarily. We get our fair share of talent but lose out on players who either decommit or choose another Ivy outright. Cornell has had success in recruiting top talent with Dartmouth, Princeton and Yale in the second tier at the moment. We're not alone by any means.

Where Kenneally will have problems initially is establishing connections with the top high school programs and coaches to gain a foothold in the recruiting process. His assistants, whether they be holdovers or newbies, will need to provide those links until he develops relationships and learns the landscape. As an example, this season I learned about programs for girls in Western Canada and met one of Karly Heffernan's coaches from one of those programs. That came about through an intro from her dad. I'm just a fan of the Harvard program so if I'm able to get introduced, a head coach should have the wherewithal to start building that network. If he cares to do so.

 

[shelfit]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Anyone have any idea who any other applicants might have been and who the finalists were?

 

[Trinity11]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

Women should be behind a womens team?
Doesn't your beloved Jenny have a husband who coaches a girls team!

123 get over yourself will you. What happened with you and Coach Potter, were you cut from the high school team as a senior when she was a freshman because you skated on your ankles? Were you consistently passed over for the Olympic and National team and relegated to sitting on your coach eating donuts and watching medal upon medal be hung around her neck for the past 20 years? Being Easter weekend and all, I am reluctant to say this, but you are clearly an idiot Stop being a hater.

I don't know Rob Potter and don't know how good a coach he is, but I understand that he has coached in the NHL. Is that a pretty good league? Is it worthwhile coaching experience? Does it trump sitting behind a desk as an administrator for 20 years?

I didn't say that men shouldn't coach women. I said that for women to move forward in coaching and in all other walks of life, that they need to be given equal opportunities to do so. They need to be supportive of each others' efforts to do so and stop tearing each other down in the process. They also need men in positions of power to help them ascend to positions of prominence in their industries of choice. As the father of 3 daughters, I want this to happen sooner not later.

I don't think that these issues were even considered with respect to the Brown hiring. I understand that two D 1 female asst coaches applied for the Brown job. Who knows what they could have done with the coaching reigns. Maybe nothing because the team's success is not a priority anyway. unfortunately, we will never know.

 

[D2D]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

...you are clearly an idiot Stop being a hater.

 

[Puckdrop14]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

You can go to the Ontario, Canada forum for this kind of nonsense. I wish people would just stick to having good discussion. Whether one agrees with comments made or not should not grant you a license to be offensive. This is what attracted me to this forum but it is starting to lose its appeal.

 

[HockeyEast33]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

relegated to sitting on your coach eating donuts and watching medal upon medal be hung around her neck for the past 20 years?

This sounds very uncomfortable for the player and the coach.....

Being Easter weekend and all, I am reluctant to say this, but you are clearly an idiot Stop being a hater.

I think 123 just hates different things then you do and you hate that (seems cyclical doesn't it?). Your 2 year love affair with her notwithstanding, there are many folks who are not fans of Jenny Potter (a whole school alumni worth of them at UM for instance) as a coach or person. It is what it is - and the fact that she couldn't even crack the top 3 at her alma mater UMD is an indication that this is not an idle comment (although the top 3 are more accomplished coaches then she is).

I understand that two D 1 female asst coaches applied for the Brown job. Who knows what they could have done with the coaching reigns. Maybe nothing because the team's success is not a priority anyway. unfortunately, we will never know.

I'm sure we'd all be interested in who these two assistants were. If they were, say, Ohio State Carson Duggan quality (which you should know something about because she preceded Potter at Trinity), I'm not sure they really had a chance. If they were respected and accomplished, then they quite likely were better choices. Also did your favorite Ms. Jenny Potter apply to Brown?

More broadly, I already stated in another post that this appears to have been a hire of convenience, ease, and apathy, but the one missing piece of info is who the other candidates were. There is almost no doubt they could have done WAY better, but I do have to wonder if there are a bunch of coaches out there kicking themselves for not applying after seeing the coach they picked.

Finally, you're reinforcing that arrogant lawyer thing with every post...

 

[Trinity11]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

HE : you really shouldn't post libelous and baseless things about Coach Potter or anyone else. Have you had the chance to see what Curt Schilling did to those that saw fit to go on line (anonymously of course) and make outrageous comments about his daughter? As for cracking the top 3 at UMD, how do you know that she even wanted to be a finalist there? Perhaps she was asked and declined the opportunity? Her current position and success makes Trinity a better job than Brown where they will not win for the next decade. I have to think she had no interest in moving to Rhode Island.

As for being an arrogant lawyer, I am not. I am a confident lawyer and a **** good one at that. That said and of more importance, perhaps you and others on the forum should tread lightly with respect to libelous musings whether they be about Coach Potter or anyone else for that matter, lest your true identities be revealed and disclosed and you end up in front of a judge instead of your computer screen.

Just a thought for you to consider over Easter weekend.

I think 123 just hates different things then you do and you hate that (seems cyclical doesn't it?). Your 2 year love affair with her notwithstanding, there are many folks who are not fans of Jenny Potter (a whole school alumni worth of them at UM for instance) as a coach or person. It is what it is - and the fact that she couldn't even crack the top 3 at her alma mater UMD is an indication that this is not an idle comment (although the top 3 are more accomplished coaches then she is).



I'm sure we'd all be interested in who these two assistants were. If they were, say, Ohio State Carson Duggan quality (which you should know something about because she preceded Potter at Trinity), I'm not sure they really had a chance. If they were respected and accomplished, then they quite likely were better choices. Also did your favorite Ms. Jenny Potter apply to Brown?

More broadly, I already stated in another post that this appears to have been a hire of convenience, ease, and apathy, but the one missing piece of info is who the other candidates were. There is almost no doubt they could have done WAY better, but I do have to wonder if there are a bunch of coaches out there kicking themselves for not applying after seeing the coach they picked.

Finally, you're reinforcing that arrogant lawyer thing with every post...[/QUOTE]

 

[dontyelldad]

Re: 2015-2016 Coaching Changes

HE : you really shouldn't post libelous and baseless things about Coach Potter or anyone else. ***

As for being an arrogant lawyer, I am not. I am a confident lawyer and a **** good one at that. That said and of more importance, perhaps you and others on the forum should tread lightly with respect to libelous musings whether they be about Coach Potter or anyone else for that matter, lest your true identities be revealed and disclosed and you end up in front of a judge instead of your computer screen.

OK, I'll take the troll bait: ---- good lawyer that you are, please point to the "libelous musings," if you would.

Or, by your reference to Mr. Schilling, are you outing yourself as Ms. Potter's dad?