TovarishchLisa
(Comrade Fox)
Season over.
Coaching search on.
Coaching search on.
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2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
- Thread starter TovarishchLisa
- Start date
Mikey NoNo
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Buh Bye!
Buh Bye!
Catamount93
Registered User
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Tough season. Feels like the loss to UMass in his last game wrapped up Sneddon's career perfectly, a 1-0 loss. We rarely got embarrassed, frequently relied on outstanding goaltending, but could never score enough goals to be consistently successful. Good luck to Coach Sneddon on his next steps.
I look forward to following the coaching search, and then the new coach's plans for moving us forward. The change is exciting for an alum like me who really enjoys following the team. The same old same old had run its course. Regardless of how things turn out, I hope we set the program's goals on the very highest levels of success.
Go Cats!
Tough season. Feels like the loss to UMass in his last game wrapped up Sneddon's career perfectly, a 1-0 loss. We rarely got embarrassed, frequently relied on outstanding goaltending, but could never score enough goals to be consistently successful. Good luck to Coach Sneddon on his next steps.
I look forward to following the coaching search, and then the new coach's plans for moving us forward. The change is exciting for an alum like me who really enjoys following the team. The same old same old had run its course. Regardless of how things turn out, I hope we set the program's goals on the very highest levels of success.
Go Cats!
UVM Cat in Texas
Now UVM Cat in Georgia
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Yeah, saw some pics the team posted on Instagram of Sneddon after the game, and felt a little sad actually. He did some good things and I'm sure he gave it his best. Given the lack of results, however, it's time to move on and I'm looking forward to the next chapter in UVM hockey.I'm going to watch the 2009 National Semi-Final this weekend to honor Coach Sneddon..
Your goalie deserved better.
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Season ticket holder Bob White posted this on Facebook last night... thought it should be seen here ...
Last night Kevin Sneddon was behind the bench for his last game as Head Coach of the University of Vermont Hockey Team. It came quietly on a rare Thursday night match up against UMass the 9th ranked team in the country. A late goal in the third period gave the Minutemen a 1-0 victory and ended a long difficult season for the Hockey Cats. It also ends a 17 year career as head Coach at UVM for Coach Sneddon... It included 251 wins...several 20+ win seasons, 3 berths to the NCAA tournament and a trip to the Frozen Four in 2009. I've been a season ticket holder for over 35 years...and as a fan there were plenty of times I was critical...but full disclosure...I've become friends with Coach Sneddon and have grown to realize that most of my criticisms were based on my own ignorance of all that it takes to run a Division 1 athletic program. UVM Hockey competes arguably in the best hockey conference in the country...and although the UVM Basketball team reaps the deserved praise for its success...it would be a different story if it played in the ACC...or the Big Ten. I'm not going to pretend that wins and losses don't matter...they do...Coach Sneddon will be the first to admit that....but wins and losses are not the only measure of a coach... Things like loyalty, character and passion carry a lot of value..in hockey...and in life. I personally feel that he deserved to come out on the other side of the current renovations to the University's athletic complex. He has remained very loyal while coaching in a subpar facility his entire career at UVM. Unfortunately the powers that be didn't ask for my opinion...that rarely is a hindrance to me. I think this season surely proved Coach's value as a mentor and a leader of young men. Sure, the wins were few and far between, but if you watched this team compete...they never lacked effort or determination...I'm a firm believer that adversity doesn't build character...it REVEALS character...and this team showed as much class and character as any team that came before them or any team that will follow. Coach Sneddon is the exact type of Coach I would want for my own son... Tough, honest and fair. Providing life lessons that players will take with them until their last breaths. One of my favorite memories as a UVM hockey fan...and as a father is..in 2016 when the Hockey Cats traveled to Belfast Northern Ireland to compete for the Belpot in the Friendship Four Hockey Tournament. The Cats ended up winning that tournament...and it was certainly a thrill...but the greatest memory of that trip is watching Jackson, who was 9 years old and a budding hockey player at the time, and how excited he was to be able to interact with the team, take pictures with some of the players and coaches and high five them as they stepped onto the ice. It will forever be one of our most cherished family trips. I'm not sure how Coach will feel about me writing this...but I wanted him to know that this fan...and thousands of others...appreciate all his efforts, commitment and dedication to the UVM Hockey Program. We all wish you the best of luck in your next journey. I know you said you are "retiring" from coaching...but I have a suspicion and a hope...that someday you'll end up back behind the bench doing what you do best...being a leader and a great example to the young men of the great sport of hockey!
Season ticket holder Bob White posted this on Facebook last night... thought it should be seen here ...
Last night Kevin Sneddon was behind the bench for his last game as Head Coach of the University of Vermont Hockey Team. It came quietly on a rare Thursday night match up against UMass the 9th ranked team in the country. A late goal in the third period gave the Minutemen a 1-0 victory and ended a long difficult season for the Hockey Cats. It also ends a 17 year career as head Coach at UVM for Coach Sneddon... It included 251 wins...several 20+ win seasons, 3 berths to the NCAA tournament and a trip to the Frozen Four in 2009. I've been a season ticket holder for over 35 years...and as a fan there were plenty of times I was critical...but full disclosure...I've become friends with Coach Sneddon and have grown to realize that most of my criticisms were based on my own ignorance of all that it takes to run a Division 1 athletic program. UVM Hockey competes arguably in the best hockey conference in the country...and although the UVM Basketball team reaps the deserved praise for its success...it would be a different story if it played in the ACC...or the Big Ten. I'm not going to pretend that wins and losses don't matter...they do...Coach Sneddon will be the first to admit that....but wins and losses are not the only measure of a coach... Things like loyalty, character and passion carry a lot of value..in hockey...and in life. I personally feel that he deserved to come out on the other side of the current renovations to the University's athletic complex. He has remained very loyal while coaching in a subpar facility his entire career at UVM. Unfortunately the powers that be didn't ask for my opinion...that rarely is a hindrance to me. I think this season surely proved Coach's value as a mentor and a leader of young men. Sure, the wins were few and far between, but if you watched this team compete...they never lacked effort or determination...I'm a firm believer that adversity doesn't build character...it REVEALS character...and this team showed as much class and character as any team that came before them or any team that will follow. Coach Sneddon is the exact type of Coach I would want for my own son... Tough, honest and fair. Providing life lessons that players will take with them until their last breaths. One of my favorite memories as a UVM hockey fan...and as a father is..in 2016 when the Hockey Cats traveled to Belfast Northern Ireland to compete for the Belpot in the Friendship Four Hockey Tournament. The Cats ended up winning that tournament...and it was certainly a thrill...but the greatest memory of that trip is watching Jackson, who was 9 years old and a budding hockey player at the time, and how excited he was to be able to interact with the team, take pictures with some of the players and coaches and high five them as they stepped onto the ice. It will forever be one of our most cherished family trips. I'm not sure how Coach will feel about me writing this...but I wanted him to know that this fan...and thousands of others...appreciate all his efforts, commitment and dedication to the UVM Hockey Program. We all wish you the best of luck in your next journey. I know you said you are "retiring" from coaching...but I have a suspicion and a hope...that someday you'll end up back behind the bench doing what you do best...being a leader and a great example to the young men of the great sport of hockey!
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Haven't you guys bemoaned players being run off the team for many years now? I am curious about that since he does have a lot of people praising him. I am sure he has a great relationship with a lot of former players but just how big is the group of former players that resent him?
Haven't you guys bemoaned players being run off the team for many years now? I am curious about that since he does have a lot of people praising him. I am sure he has a great relationship with a lot of former players but just how big is the group of former players that resent him?
UVM Cat in Texas
Now UVM Cat in Georgia
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Thanks for posting this. I know you're a fan of Sneddon and have been at wits end with some of the comments on here on multiple occasions. I've been pretty vocal about moving on, but I do appreciate the good things "Coach K" (how bout that, new nickname?) was able to accomplish. I mean we came within mere minutes of advancing to the national championship game! Hopefully that'll happen again but, quite frankly, it probably won't in my lifetime (I'm 55). It's my hope we can find someone with similar good qualities (mentorship, friendship, etc.), but with an ability to develop talent, figure out how to get things going offensively, and successfully compete 60-75% of the time on a HE and national level. Hopefully we won't be looking back in a few years wishing we still had Sneddon, but it's a chance I'm definitely willing to take, and I'm glad the school finally feels the same way too. Let's go Cats!
Charlie Catamount
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
He has done those things too. I think the one thing I've come to learn about Sneddon is that he was a master schmoozer with the media and people who have some influence at UVM so I think you're going to see all this praise because people have called him a good guy. I'm sure he is to a lot of people but I also would believe the people he was not good to be it former players or fans or other media members that were critical of him. I also think that by saying he's retiring before the season ended it was a good PR thing for the school to get the nice send offs for the guy rather than deal with what has been a completely awful and terrible season and a long time coming under his watch.
I personally do not like when I read or hear "how hard it is" at UVM to win because I don't believe that. I believe you can win here and I'm not asking for national titles but Sneddon did not do much winning at all for nearly a decade when it has been proven by him and Mike Gilligan that you can win and be respectable so I find this whole thing about acting like it's a hard job as an excuse for his losses to be frustrating personally and a way to excuse poor performance and administrative oversight.
He has done those things too. I think the one thing I've come to learn about Sneddon is that he was a master schmoozer with the media and people who have some influence at UVM so I think you're going to see all this praise because people have called him a good guy. I'm sure he is to a lot of people but I also would believe the people he was not good to be it former players or fans or other media members that were critical of him. I also think that by saying he's retiring before the season ended it was a good PR thing for the school to get the nice send offs for the guy rather than deal with what has been a completely awful and terrible season and a long time coming under his watch.
I personally do not like when I read or hear "how hard it is" at UVM to win because I don't believe that. I believe you can win here and I'm not asking for national titles but Sneddon did not do much winning at all for nearly a decade when it has been proven by him and Mike Gilligan that you can win and be respectable so I find this whole thing about acting like it's a hard job as an excuse for his losses to be frustrating personally and a way to excuse poor performance and administrative oversight.
pokecheckguy2
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Goodbye good luck and good riddance!!
Time to get a real coach in here and change things up and I hope they find the person to bring the passion back to the Gutt with teams people can be proud of!!
Goodbye good luck and good riddance!!
Time to get a real coach in here and change things up and I hope they find the person to bring the passion back to the Gutt with teams people can be proud of!!
NYCatamount
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Hahaha didn't realize this forum had already been created. Bring on the offseason!
Hahaha didn't realize this forum had already been created. Bring on the offseason!
jcarter7669
Registered User
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Some people feel the need to be nice after someone leaves regardless, you know the old pat on the back as they walk out the door. Sneddon has been a disaster for the program and people blaming it on the facilities is just scapegoating. Sneddon came in and performed well initially with Gilligans recruits and teams, and he rode that success with his own recruiting for a while. But soooooooooo many players were wasted, never reaching potential or developing. What top player want's to come play for a program that is likely to end your hockey career.
Sneddon was good at some things... the team was typically defensively sound and there was always a strong goaltender in net, but for 17 years we watched sub par offense, even with good players... Connor Brickely comes to mind.
Regardless of how you feel about his coaching this program needed and deserved a change. If you can't sell out Gutterson there is a big issue. Hockey was THE sport at UVM for many many years, even when squeeky ball was growing into an AE power. I'm not even sure it's the second top sport anymore... soccer may have lept over it.
Hopefully a coaching announcement will be made early to give time for the players and new coaching team to settle in and for some optimism to build around the program.
Some people feel the need to be nice after someone leaves regardless, you know the old pat on the back as they walk out the door. Sneddon has been a disaster for the program and people blaming it on the facilities is just scapegoating. Sneddon came in and performed well initially with Gilligans recruits and teams, and he rode that success with his own recruiting for a while. But soooooooooo many players were wasted, never reaching potential or developing. What top player want's to come play for a program that is likely to end your hockey career.
Sneddon was good at some things... the team was typically defensively sound and there was always a strong goaltender in net, but for 17 years we watched sub par offense, even with good players... Connor Brickely comes to mind.
Regardless of how you feel about his coaching this program needed and deserved a change. If you can't sell out Gutterson there is a big issue. Hockey was THE sport at UVM for many many years, even when squeeky ball was growing into an AE power. I'm not even sure it's the second top sport anymore... soccer may have lept over it.
Hopefully a coaching announcement will be made early to give time for the players and new coaching team to settle in and for some optimism to build around the program.
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Former UVM standout and the first VT born player to be drafted...Toby Ducolon’s team looks VERY well coached in tonight’s D1 championship game. Hmm. Worth a chance for a year? These kids look like they know exactly where to be and when to be there.
Former UVM standout and the first VT born player to be drafted...Toby Ducolon’s team looks VERY well coached in tonight’s D1 championship game. Hmm. Worth a chance for a year? These kids look like they know exactly where to be and when to be there.
UVM Cat in Texas
Now UVM Cat in Georgia
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Now that the season's over, UVM should be able to ramp up the coach search.
Now that the season's over, UVM should be able to ramp up the coach search.
UVM Cat in Texas
Now UVM Cat in Georgia
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Iona just announced that they hired Rick Pitino as head basketball coach, so schools are thinking about these things despite the coronavirus. Hopefully UVM is too.
Charlie Catamount
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
I don't get the fascination with this guy...I'm not knocking his accomplishments and the Cats could use some good actual coaching but the guy has been there 17 years and he's been good...but not setting the world on fire and hasn't coached above D3 in his life and I do think that matters in this day and age it is a totally different world out there with how you evaluate talent and recruit it. At least when Princeton hired Fogarty he had years of previous D1 experience as an assistant before being at Adrian but Princeton under him outside that one year run to the NCAAs has not been good.
Would be interesting to hear how the actual search is going there hasn't been a peep from media or anything I've seen and that could be because UVM keeps it close to the vest but stuff always leaks out.
I don't get the fascination with this guy...I'm not knocking his accomplishments and the Cats could use some good actual coaching but the guy has been there 17 years and he's been good...but not setting the world on fire and hasn't coached above D3 in his life and I do think that matters in this day and age it is a totally different world out there with how you evaluate talent and recruit it. At least when Princeton hired Fogarty he had years of previous D1 experience as an assistant before being at Adrian but Princeton under him outside that one year run to the NCAAs has not been good.
Would be interesting to hear how the actual search is going there hasn't been a peep from media or anything I've seen and that could be because UVM keeps it close to the vest but stuff always leaks out.
Charlie Catamount
New member
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
If there's anyone out there with a subscription to this site out there can you let us know if this article has any actual new info or is it just talking about coaching changes in general? https://www.hockeyjournal.com/college-hockey-coaching-changes-coming/
If there's anyone out there with a subscription to this site out there can you let us know if this article has any actual new info or is it just talking about coaching changes in general? https://www.hockeyjournal.com/college-hockey-coaching-changes-coming/