OK, I confess, I am a college hockey geek. I saw my first college hockey games at Madison Square Garden in 1972 watching the ECAC Holiday Hockey tournament. Those first games?
In the consolation round: Clarkson vs St. Lawrence and in the championship it was St. Louis vs. Notre Dame. I was planning on going to Clarkson the following fall and I was interested to see what college hockey was all about. CCT beat SLU and ND beat St. Louis, and I was hooked.
This love affair with college hockey is now 38 years old and I am pleased to find other college hockey geeks through US College Hockey Online (www.uscho.com) and the meets and greets at the Frozen Four. It is a fun group and yes, a bit geeky, but we all love our schools, even though Clarkson will never make the NCAA Divsion I finals again. Plus, there are a bunch of us in the MSHL.
So now I find a new resource - Hockey on Campus (www.hockeyoncampus.com) which is an internet radio show devoted to college hockey. Last night was the first broadcast and they archive them as well for later listening. Yesterday they interviewed the college hockey conference commissioners and mens and womens college coaches. The focus was all on D-1, but I hope they do focus on D-III in later shows as I have a financial interest in D-III hockey.
So, if you have any interest in college hockey, every Wednesday night at 7 PM the show is live. Apparently, you can tweet or email the show, too!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Bob Otte
Bob Otte sent me an email on Sunday afternoon announcing that he had to resign as Rules Interpreter of the MSHL. Bob has been taking more and more responsibilites with USA Hockey plus, his new job at his old place with a new employer that actually had him working more hours now then before he retired!!
Bob is a voice of reason. He and I knocked heads a few times over some rule interpretation or another, but it was always civil. Invariably, he was right. But in the end we both respected each others opinion.
So now another of the original 6 (or so) who founded the league has moved on. It is up to us to nurture what they began over 20 years ago so that when our successors look back they can give us the same warm kudos and we give them.
If you see Bob at an ice rink, please give him kudos for a job well done!
He will be missed.
Bob is a voice of reason. He and I knocked heads a few times over some rule interpretation or another, but it was always civil. Invariably, he was right. But in the end we both respected each others opinion.
So now another of the original 6 (or so) who founded the league has moved on. It is up to us to nurture what they began over 20 years ago so that when our successors look back they can give us the same warm kudos and we give them.
If you see Bob at an ice rink, please give him kudos for a job well done!
He will be missed.
The Referee - Coach - Player partnership
You all know the scenario. Big game, maybe late in the game or maybe not, and the official makes a call that your side does not like. Can be any level from little kids to pros and can be in any sport.
What happens next? Well if we watch TV, the camera immediately pans to the player and/or coach who goes ballistic, or the manager who comes flying out of the dugout and starts arguing with the official. Looks great on TV - great entertainment -- but it has no place in interscholastic sports!!!!!!
So what should you do??? Ask the official in a calm voice if you and he/she could discuss the call at the next break. You all know that the call is not going to change, so why take away valuable ice time arguing???? At the break, go to the end of the bench - away from the players -- and ask the official what happened. He/she will generally give you their side of the story. And that's it. End of discussion. You got the information you wanted and now its back to coaching/teaching.
Referees are not 100% perfect -- not at this level. And guess what, neither are the players and neither are the coaches. Imagine the ref in the middle of the game yelling out, "that was a horrible line change.", or "that was the worst pass I have seen in the last 6 months." You wouldn't like it, and the players would not like it. So, as my mother once said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Coaches coach
Players play
Officials officiate
Spectators cheer
If everyone does their assigned job, we have a great game. When we try to do more than what we have been assigned, then that is when problems arise.
As Patrick Swayze said in Road House, "Be nice."
What happens next? Well if we watch TV, the camera immediately pans to the player and/or coach who goes ballistic, or the manager who comes flying out of the dugout and starts arguing with the official. Looks great on TV - great entertainment -- but it has no place in interscholastic sports!!!!!!
So what should you do??? Ask the official in a calm voice if you and he/she could discuss the call at the next break. You all know that the call is not going to change, so why take away valuable ice time arguing???? At the break, go to the end of the bench - away from the players -- and ask the official what happened. He/she will generally give you their side of the story. And that's it. End of discussion. You got the information you wanted and now its back to coaching/teaching.
Referees are not 100% perfect -- not at this level. And guess what, neither are the players and neither are the coaches. Imagine the ref in the middle of the game yelling out, "that was a horrible line change.", or "that was the worst pass I have seen in the last 6 months." You wouldn't like it, and the players would not like it. So, as my mother once said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."
Coaches coach
Players play
Officials officiate
Spectators cheer
If everyone does their assigned job, we have a great game. When we try to do more than what we have been assigned, then that is when problems arise.
As Patrick Swayze said in Road House, "Be nice."
Monday, September 21, 2009
YAHOO
When you first think of the word Yahoo, you generally associate it with a web page or a search engine or some other part of that giant web service company out on the left coast. But, do you know what Yahoo means?
You
Always
Have
Other
Options
That's right, you always have other options. So what, in the context of the MSHL does this mean? First, there is the golden rule - what happens in the MSHL stays in the MSHL. We don't air our dirty laundry in public. Disputes are discussed internally amongst the board and, when appropriate, the membership. However, we don't go around gossiping in rinks about internal issues.
OK, enough of that. Some school has issues with a decision made by MSHL management. Could be anything ranging from a suspension to player placement, to how cold the rink is. You know what happens? Our email box gets flooded with wailing and gnashing of teeth from one or more people claiming (figuratively) that the world is going to end if their problem is not solved right now and to their satisfaction.
And that's the way it is left. They dump their problem on the league's lap and then expect the league to become Solomon and solve the problem. The trouble is, if they don't agree with the solution, the league is wrong and more emails come flooding in.
What's missing is Yahoo. OK, you have an issue. Instead of asking the league to solve it, why not present an alternative that may work for all parties, not just yourself. Be creative. If you think it is too cold for your team, don't go out and buy space heaters and blow the fuses, but maybe offer to buy the ice at an indoor rink at a time convenient to both teams. It may not be the best solution for you, but it may be the best solution for all.
So if you have an issue, don't be a complainer, be part of the solution. Just remember that when the league makes a determination it is making it with the whole league in mind, not just you. Keep that in your mind as you pound out the email to the league.
You
Always
Have
Other
Options
That's right, you always have other options. So what, in the context of the MSHL does this mean? First, there is the golden rule - what happens in the MSHL stays in the MSHL. We don't air our dirty laundry in public. Disputes are discussed internally amongst the board and, when appropriate, the membership. However, we don't go around gossiping in rinks about internal issues.
OK, enough of that. Some school has issues with a decision made by MSHL management. Could be anything ranging from a suspension to player placement, to how cold the rink is. You know what happens? Our email box gets flooded with wailing and gnashing of teeth from one or more people claiming (figuratively) that the world is going to end if their problem is not solved right now and to their satisfaction.
And that's the way it is left. They dump their problem on the league's lap and then expect the league to become Solomon and solve the problem. The trouble is, if they don't agree with the solution, the league is wrong and more emails come flooding in.
What's missing is Yahoo. OK, you have an issue. Instead of asking the league to solve it, why not present an alternative that may work for all parties, not just yourself. Be creative. If you think it is too cold for your team, don't go out and buy space heaters and blow the fuses, but maybe offer to buy the ice at an indoor rink at a time convenient to both teams. It may not be the best solution for you, but it may be the best solution for all.
So if you have an issue, don't be a complainer, be part of the solution. Just remember that when the league makes a determination it is making it with the whole league in mind, not just you. Keep that in your mind as you pound out the email to the league.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Emails
Emails -- we get emails.
High school hockey is a winter sport. This means that we follow the winter sports season, with some adjustments due to ice availablity and spring sports and youth hockey playoffs. The Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association (MPSSAA) sets the first day of winter sports practice as November 15, and the first day of competition in early December (19 days of practice later). The winter sports season ends around the middle of March. While we'd love to follow those guidelines, with the lack of ice rinks and available ice times, we can't. So here are our dates...
1st day of organized practice: 10/18/09
1st day of non-league games: 11/2/09
1st league game : 11/16/09
Last day for games for teams not involved in post season play: 2/5/10
Playoffs start: 2/8/10
Playoffs end: 2/20/10
All Star week: 2/22-26/10
Spring sports start: 3/1/10
In addition each team is limited to playing 22 games (TOTAL) between 11/2/09 and 2/5/10.
If there is a registered USA Hockey MSHL team practicing right now, then it should be brought to the attention of the league. If there are teams that exceed the game count, then that, too, should be brought to the league's attention.
High school sports is built upon trust that every one of the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators are playing within the rules. If one team, coach, or student-athlete breaks the trust, then we have a weakening of the educational system that we are part of along with the teachers and administrators in the school systems.
Sounds like a parent who is more familiar with youth hockey that high school hockey. Many youth 16U and 18U hockey teams have a high proportion of high school students on them. It may look like Great Northern High School out there, but in reality it may be the Upper Patapsco 18U AA team. Why they are practing in mid-August when the season does not start until mid October is another matter.I was called last night by a parent asking me why we were not practicing and playing tournaments like several schools to be named later in our conference. I told them as far as I understood we were supposed to follow the MPSSA rule on when we could start a winter sport. I want to follow the leagues guidance and advise my parents accordingly. Would you give me the leagues guidance on this issue, Thank you.
High school hockey is a winter sport. This means that we follow the winter sports season, with some adjustments due to ice availablity and spring sports and youth hockey playoffs. The Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association (MPSSAA) sets the first day of winter sports practice as November 15, and the first day of competition in early December (19 days of practice later). The winter sports season ends around the middle of March. While we'd love to follow those guidelines, with the lack of ice rinks and available ice times, we can't. So here are our dates...
1st day of organized practice: 10/18/09
1st day of non-league games: 11/2/09
1st league game : 11/16/09
Last day for games for teams not involved in post season play: 2/5/10
Playoffs start: 2/8/10
Playoffs end: 2/20/10
All Star week: 2/22-26/10
Spring sports start: 3/1/10
In addition each team is limited to playing 22 games (TOTAL) between 11/2/09 and 2/5/10.
If there is a registered USA Hockey MSHL team practicing right now, then it should be brought to the attention of the league. If there are teams that exceed the game count, then that, too, should be brought to the league's attention.
High school sports is built upon trust that every one of the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators are playing within the rules. If one team, coach, or student-athlete breaks the trust, then we have a weakening of the educational system that we are part of along with the teachers and administrators in the school systems.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Some ideas for next season
The off season is never truly "off" for anyone who is involved in interscholastic sports administration. There is the next season to plan, venues to reserve, schedules to get done, uniforms to order, etc.
Here are some of the plans for the MSHL
(a) Hockey Weekend Across America -- January 29 (Friday) and January 30 (Saturday)
Friday night will be rivalry night. The biggest rivalries in the state will take place that night. For example, Severna Park - South River, DeMatha - Gonzaga, Wootton - Churchill...
On Saturday there will be an NVSHL - MSHL All-Star game - our best 21 vs. their best 21. Sure some of the best will be away with travel commitements, but we should be able to find 21 student-athletes. The proceeds from the gate will benefit a local charity.
(b) The Gardens Classic (tentative)
An 8 team tournament on December 28,29, and 30. 3 games per team, one game per day. In case you're wondering how this works...
Day 1
Games 1,2,3, and 4
Day 2
Game 5 - loser game 1 vs loser game 2
Game 6 - loser game 3 vs loser game 4
Game 7 - winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Game 8 - winner game 3 vs. winner game 4
Day 3
Game 9 - loser game 5 vs. loser game 6 (7th place)
Game 10 - winner game 5 vs. winner game 6 (5th place)
Game 11 - loser game 7 vs. loser game 8 (3rd place)
Game 12 - winner game 7 vs. winner game 8 (Championship)
They'll be a paid gate with the proceeds returned to the participating teams to offset their costs.
Here are some of the plans for the MSHL
(a) Hockey Weekend Across America -- January 29 (Friday) and January 30 (Saturday)
Friday night will be rivalry night. The biggest rivalries in the state will take place that night. For example, Severna Park - South River, DeMatha - Gonzaga, Wootton - Churchill...
On Saturday there will be an NVSHL - MSHL All-Star game - our best 21 vs. their best 21. Sure some of the best will be away with travel commitements, but we should be able to find 21 student-athletes. The proceeds from the gate will benefit a local charity.
(b) The Gardens Classic (tentative)
An 8 team tournament on December 28,29, and 30. 3 games per team, one game per day. In case you're wondering how this works...
Day 1
Games 1,2,3, and 4
Day 2
Game 5 - loser game 1 vs loser game 2
Game 6 - loser game 3 vs loser game 4
Game 7 - winner game 1 vs. winner game 2
Game 8 - winner game 3 vs. winner game 4
Day 3
Game 9 - loser game 5 vs. loser game 6 (7th place)
Game 10 - winner game 5 vs. winner game 6 (5th place)
Game 11 - loser game 7 vs. loser game 8 (3rd place)
Game 12 - winner game 7 vs. winner game 8 (Championship)
They'll be a paid gate with the proceeds returned to the participating teams to offset their costs.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Dual Sport State Champions
Later this week, South River High School will play in the Maryland State 4A/3A boys lacrosse championships. One of the student-athletes on that team is Matt Gregoire who was a member of the 06-07 MSHL State Championship squad.
This gets me wondering, how many of our student-athletes have won an MSHL championship AND another state title? I know a number of student-athletes at DeMatha did it in the late 90's early 00's with the lacrosse team, but has anyone else?
Please post a list - it would be interesting and fun to recognize multi sport athletes.
Update: South River did it! Congratulations to Matt Gregoire and the rest of the Seahawks.
This gets me wondering, how many of our student-athletes have won an MSHL championship AND another state title? I know a number of student-athletes at DeMatha did it in the late 90's early 00's with the lacrosse team, but has anyone else?
Please post a list - it would be interesting and fun to recognize multi sport athletes.
Update: South River did it! Congratulations to Matt Gregoire and the rest of the Seahawks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
