The waning of the year brings to mind the falling of leaves, flocks of birds flying to the south, and thick wool sweaters. It is a time of hibernation for nature and many people alike, but for some, it is the chance for a new beginning, an opportunity to erase the ghosts of the past. It is a season to embrace.
The UMass Boston men’s ice hockey team is looking for some redemption after a 2002-03 season that had very few bright spots. The overall record was a hideous 0-22-2. If there were multiple levels of a hockey hell, the Beacons were surely on the bottom floor.
Coach Jack Foley, however, in his second year behind the Beacons’ bench, believes that those players who survived the tumultuous times of last season will thrive this season. A severe shakeup of the lineup due to various factors (discipline, academic, lack of team commitment) left the roster shorthanded, and the makeup from the beginning of the season to end was very different.
Foley admitted that very little went according to plan last season and that it was very difficult times. He personally had never experienced anything like that in his career as a hockey coach. But looking back at it now, he thinks that it could be a very valuable lesson for those players who toughed it out.
“In the end, I think it was a very valuable lesson for the kids who stuck with [the program]. Those players really played hard. The result is that they came back this year in, probably, far better shape than they were last year, and more dedicated to play. If you looked at the things in a frozen moment, they weren’t great. But if you looked at it over a period of time, we were pretty good. We changed our philosophy of how we wanted to play, and how we wanted our players to act and behave.”
Although it is difficult (and dangerous) to judge team based on preseason practices, Foley is optimistic by what he has seen so far.
“The players are in much better shape, and they are more focused. Practices are really intense and the players are learning more and learning quickly.”
The team’s 2003-04 roster has a fair number of veterans (juniors and seniors), but not many sophomores and freshmen. Foley acknowledges that recruiting can be difficult for Division III schools (because of the absence of scholarships) and particularly difficult for UMass Boston because of the lack of dormitories, but he says that there are other factors that are even more difficult to overcome.
“There are so many wannabe Division I schools that can offer scholarships to players who should be at the Division III level. However, those kids do come to Division III, it just frustrates our efforts. As for the housing issue, I think that it is starting to go away a little bit, because of the cooperation of Harbor Point and the efforts of Student Affairs. It’s not as big an issue as it might have been before, especially for recruits who come from out of state.”
Foley’s shocking introduction as a college hockey head coach
My expectations are to get [the program] back on track and to make sure the players have fun. We have a group of players, who understand what it takes to be a student-athlete. You need to play hard, you need to do your schoolwork, and you need to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner. As for on the ice, I expect us to be better in both zones. Our forwards are likely to have more opportunities to score, as a result or more depth and balance. Our defensemen should be able to more the puck out of end more easily than last year. I would say what we are really aiming for is a significant decrease in shots allowed. We gave up way too many shots on net. That will be a key for us. The goaltenders need to be given a chance.”
Whatever improvements happen on the ice, the team will still have to face some tough and talented opponents, as UMB plays in the ECAC East Conference in hockey, which includes perennial powerhouses Norwich University and Middlebury. Despite the talent in the conference, Foley believes his team is up for the challenge.
“Obviously, we play some very talented teams. Norwich is about as talented a team as you will see at [the Division III] level. They are very well coached and well disciplined. And we played them very hard, even if the final score didn’t indicate it. Our conferences games were difficult, but our guys never gave up and played to the last shift. And even if the effort did not translate into wins, we still showed up in every game and gave it our best. I expect us to do the same this season.”
The team will open up the season on Friday November 21 on the road against Amherst College. The team won’t appear on home ice until December 10 when it faces off against Babson College.