uaafanblog
AKA - "Drop The Puck"
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change
I suppose most people assume that the great thing about the world is that everybody is entitled to their opinion.
If you really don't think that any coach can bring the recruits UAA needs to build a winning program then I'm really unsure as to how you think any change in management personnel (coach or admin) will make a difference in the program. Are we just supposed to accept that UAA will never be competitive because of where it is? The "finding a dimond in the rough" philosophy has been tried; Brush had limited success, Talafous less so, John Hill had a wee bit of luck with that and Shyiak has only had moderate success doing so.
Exactly how does some "up and comer" make this process happen? The truth about recruiting is that the most elite players want to go to a program that has had success or to play for a coach that has the reputation to put them in the show. This is why Minnesota and Wisconsin and Denver and even CC outrecruit UAA. Those schools have either a tradition of success or a coach players feel can enhance their future careers. An "up and comer" can't give any of that to a recruit. I am not one to just accept that those schools (and plenty of others not mentioned) are going to get the known elite players and hope that the coach of the team I cheer for can find the missed players that are diamonds in the rough. That's a helluva burden on some coach anyway ... "you go and find the players that proven coaches have missed and build me a successful team". Such a challenge is a fools errand.
As it is the players that come to UAA are guys that by and large didn't get approached by more successful programs. Once in a while those guys are going to turn out to be studs but that is more the exception than the rule. Maybe you guys just hope to have the success that UAF has had. For me, that's not enough. There is an opportunity afoot to make a substantial change to the program. Finding a "name" and paying him the necessary wage is the best way forward. Beyond doing that there is one option that makes sense. Find someone who can keep the elite local players that go elsewhere at home. If you look around the NCAA and see Alaskan players contributing to success and imagine that those kids could be at UAA instead of Denver, CC, Notre Dame or wherever then you've got something.
I think a local hire could accomplish that and do it for substantially less than the 300K that I keep mentioning. But that's still a big task. Kids that grow up in Alaska can easily be understood to have a desire to play college hockey outside the state. UAA isn't some incredibly attractive educational institution. What would you rather have hanging on your wall? Graduated from Notre Dame or UAA?
This is why I'm advocating for something outside the box. I'll support a local guy ... hire Corey Millen and I'm all good. Hire Dennis Sorenson and I won't be disappointed. Hire Derek Lalonde and I promise you'll get the status quo; a competitive season once in a while with lots of non-NCAA years. This program should be focused on getting into the NCAAs every year. Anything less is unacceptable. Nothing against "up and comers" but they cannot make the difference at UAA. Find Mike Keenan's number (or someone similar) and give him a serious sales pitch. Who knows what might happen with someone like that?
Be bold.
I suppose most people assume that the great thing about the world is that everybody is entitled to their opinion.
If you really don't think that any coach can bring the recruits UAA needs to build a winning program then I'm really unsure as to how you think any change in management personnel (coach or admin) will make a difference in the program. Are we just supposed to accept that UAA will never be competitive because of where it is? The "finding a dimond in the rough" philosophy has been tried; Brush had limited success, Talafous less so, John Hill had a wee bit of luck with that and Shyiak has only had moderate success doing so.
Exactly how does some "up and comer" make this process happen? The truth about recruiting is that the most elite players want to go to a program that has had success or to play for a coach that has the reputation to put them in the show. This is why Minnesota and Wisconsin and Denver and even CC outrecruit UAA. Those schools have either a tradition of success or a coach players feel can enhance their future careers. An "up and comer" can't give any of that to a recruit. I am not one to just accept that those schools (and plenty of others not mentioned) are going to get the known elite players and hope that the coach of the team I cheer for can find the missed players that are diamonds in the rough. That's a helluva burden on some coach anyway ... "you go and find the players that proven coaches have missed and build me a successful team". Such a challenge is a fools errand.
As it is the players that come to UAA are guys that by and large didn't get approached by more successful programs. Once in a while those guys are going to turn out to be studs but that is more the exception than the rule. Maybe you guys just hope to have the success that UAF has had. For me, that's not enough. There is an opportunity afoot to make a substantial change to the program. Finding a "name" and paying him the necessary wage is the best way forward. Beyond doing that there is one option that makes sense. Find someone who can keep the elite local players that go elsewhere at home. If you look around the NCAA and see Alaskan players contributing to success and imagine that those kids could be at UAA instead of Denver, CC, Notre Dame or wherever then you've got something.
I think a local hire could accomplish that and do it for substantially less than the 300K that I keep mentioning. But that's still a big task. Kids that grow up in Alaska can easily be understood to have a desire to play college hockey outside the state. UAA isn't some incredibly attractive educational institution. What would you rather have hanging on your wall? Graduated from Notre Dame or UAA?
This is why I'm advocating for something outside the box. I'll support a local guy ... hire Corey Millen and I'm all good. Hire Dennis Sorenson and I won't be disappointed. Hire Derek Lalonde and I promise you'll get the status quo; a competitive season once in a while with lots of non-NCAA years. This program should be focused on getting into the NCAAs every year. Anything less is unacceptable. Nothing against "up and comers" but they cannot make the difference at UAA. Find Mike Keenan's number (or someone similar) and give him a serious sales pitch. Who knows what might happen with someone like that?
Be bold.
