Lakeville North Head Coach

huntergatherer · Post by **huntergatherer** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:21 pm

Look for Ryan Kraft to be named the new head coach at Lakeville North

Stamkos91 · Post by **Stamkos91** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:33 pm

I heard it is a possibility that he may be named head coach but nothing is for sure and we probably will not know for another month or so...

keepyourheadup · Post by **keepyourheadup** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:38 pm

Sats I appreciate your points here except the exposure argument. Between the Elite league, selects and being in the lake conference if you are not noticed its simply because you don't have what they are looking for. Even last year in the South Suburban Conference when ever there was a big match up there were a hoard of scouts in attendance. Don't be discouraged by the attitudes of others, its just our nature to disagree.

Tigers33 · Post by **Tigers33** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 9:45 pm

Sats -

Did Mulefarm get to ya a bit? You are getting pretty defensive on this topic.

Sats81 · Post by **Sats81** » Fri Sep 02, 2011 11:49 pm

Apparently these mods take their jobs real serious as they take down every other one of my comments!

Mulefarm must be a 'respected elder' here on the board and have some serious pull in the world of online hs hockey experts!

Tiger33-nah, he's all good.

Keepyourheadup-agreed on the part about all the exposure with elite league, south suburban conf, etc. My last point made a lot of good points but the 'watchdogs' here took it down for no good reason.

Again, the point I have been trying to make is lakeville has a great deal of talent in their youth programs year in and year out but they almost always with the expection of kloos, harvey defect somewhere where they feel will give them a larger platform to perform.

LNs head coach was fired, he's not coming back, and someone else will do a much better job. Period.

keepyourheadup · Post by **keepyourheadup** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:02 am

Sats, your last post hit it pretty much on the head where lakeville hockey is concerned. Seems it took too long to get to the issue that really has people down there so riled up.

Tigers33 · Post by **Tigers33** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:06 am

I bet kids still leave!!

It amazaes me how people are excited that someone got fired. Gotta love our society these days.

mulefarm · Post by **mulefarm** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:15 am

Tried to find youth state tournament appearances and could only find champions and runner-ups. Did not see Lakeville listed in PW or Bantams. Does anybody know how many A PW and Bantam state tournaments they participated in? Usually the most talented teams make these tournaments.

keepyourheadup · Post by **keepyourheadup** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:42 am

VFW Bantam State champs 2008/2009
peewee consolation champ, 2006/2007..Lost to Duluth East
peewee state participant 2005/2006 performed poorly
And I know this may sound goofy but is also true
Midwest silver stick squirt champ 2004/2005
Midwest Silver stick squirt 2nd place 2003/2004 (lost in overtime to the EP group that just graduated.)
I only added the squirt stuff because its the one tournament other than fargo (I think they took second there as well) that all the top programs show up for.
These I believe to be the most recent.

Sats81 · Post by **Sats81** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:05 am

Tigers33-i believe with a solid hs coaching staff in place that has a 'plan' and actually interacts with the coaches in its feeder program and makes those coaches feel like they are coaching kids to get them to the next level where they will be in good hands will make a world of a difference. I know several people who have intimate knowledge of the LHA program and they all say the same thing: not only was schmitz not involved one bit, but he never interacted with any youth coaches (had almost an air of superiority to him) and never attended a game (pee wee, bantam, NOT even jv-unless he had to). There just needs to be better leadership and it starts with the hs coach.

The jefferson program was a great example of this in the 80s through the mid 90s with excellent mite and squirt programs that progressed to the pee wee and bantam levels then on up to high school. Everyone was on the SAME PAGE! Tom Saterdalen cared. Kent Murphy did an incredible job for yrs with the pee wees and greg trebil did an even better job with the bj bantams. But it all started with the youth program and what was instilled in the players heads from the time they were mini mites--hockey is a TEAM game. You go nowhere without FUNDAMENTALS. There are no individuals. And although bj certainly had some of the greatest individuals the state has ever seen in that specific era, they all had a greater sense of team than 'I' and that all began with a vision from the top. Something lakeville certainly lacks. In the end, those players all learned important life skills which is truly all you can ask for.

Mulefarm-not sure how many have played in state. I believe LS bantam a won vfw state a few yrs back with kloss, harvey, osterberg, etc.

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:25 pm

To all who think it possible that a few parents could have made this happen, you must be delusional. This was a long time coming. You must know there are years of documentation in the A.D. and the principal's office not just the current. Randy had to have known this was in the making, not that he is a horrible man, simply not a good coach. Randy let Rutt run the show, with his clouded and zero objectivity. As far as making it to State for the last two years, that was purely the hard work of a few players that have a better understanding of hockey than there coaches. When the coaches played the right kids at the right times good things happened, Unlike both games against Burnsville, that were televised.....how embarrassing was that...sure lets play all the young players and sons for showcasing!! oh and lets look stupid as we get our asses kicked. Not that the young players aren't good, cuz some are very good and will only get better. Its just the televised games were the wrong times to ONLY play them. You seen what happened when you played your whole team against good teams ie. WBL Moorehead Apple Valley...still lost to them, but was a great game. Any way if Randy was more involved and took more control of his team instead of letting the likes of Rutt ruin things, he may still be the head coach.

mulefarm · Post by **mulefarm** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 1:27 pm

Don't really understand your thinking. You say there is documentation on Schmitz, are you guessing or is it fact? What kind of documentation, player abuse, improper behavior, attendance, knowledge. Did the AD ever attend a practice or give him a yearly evaluation on things he should improve on? You say that he let the assistant run things, did you attend coaching meeting, practice. How do you know this? You then say he would still be coaching if it wasn't for his assistant, which leaves me to believe he probably is a decent coach. Sounds like you have more of a problem with the assistant coach than anything else. Coaching contracts are yearly there is no due process, most contracts are renewed in the spring, his must not have been, or they could not have fired him at this time.

The Other Bash Brother · Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:55 pm

Sats81 wrote:Apparently these mods take their jobs real serious as they take down every other one of my comments!

Mulefarm must be a 'respected elder' here on the board and have some serious pull in the world of online hs hockey experts!

Tiger33-nah, he's all good.

Keepyourheadup-agreed on the part about all the exposure with elite league, south suburban conf, etc. My last point made a lot of good points but the 'watchdogs' here took it down for no good reason.

Again, the point I have been trying to make is lakeville has a great deal of talent in their youth programs year in and year out but they almost always with the expection of kloos, harvey defect somewhere where they feel will give them a larger platform to perform.

LNs head coach was fired, he's not coming back, and someone else will do a much better job. Period.

ProfanityandNameCalling.com

they'll let you speak your mind

Post by **east hockey** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 3:08 pm

The Other Bash Brother wrote:
Sats81 wrote:Apparently these mods take their jobs real serious as they take down every other one of my comments!

Mulefarm must be a 'respected elder' here on the board and have some serious pull in the world of online hs hockey experts!

Tiger33-nah, he's all good.

Keepyourheadup-agreed on the part about all the exposure with elite league, south suburban conf, etc. My last point made a lot of good points but the 'watchdogs' here took it down for no good reason.

Again, the point I have been trying to make is lakeville has a great deal of talent in their youth programs year in and year out but they almost always with the expection of kloos, harvey defect somewhere where they feel will give them a larger platform to perform.

LNs head coach was fired, he's not coming back, and someone else will do a much better job. Period.
ProfanityandNameCalling.com

they'll let you speak your mind

You should have stayed there.

Lee

Tigers33 · Post by **Tigers33** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 4:34 pm

blamenoone - You should apply. Well I will be excited for Lakeville to advance into the state tournament in the next few years. I am expecting you will get the coach you want so it will be fun to watch them play all three games in the X the next few years.

And yes parents can make this happen. If you dont believe that than you are wearing some foggy glasses. Look at the Lakeville South Girls position for that example. Again a team that went to state the last few years and the coach wasnt good enough. Wow! I can tell you that we will not be moving to Lakeville anytime soon

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:12 pm

Tiger33 you sure seem to know alot for someone who doesn't live in Lakeville! If parents alone could make this happen why then did it take so long? This is all old news, everyone knows that. If that team doesn't make it to State this year its largely do to alot of young players that will develop into very good players, and with a passionate coach that truly understands hockey I think this team will make it to State again. Last years team did not make it to state due to coaching alone, you must understand the non-renewal did happen for a valid reason.

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 5:22 pm

Tigers33,
I don't have a coach that I would like to see get the Job, I only hope whom ever does get it will have some passion and more knowledge than his players. Why is it when a Team makes it to state or advances to the next level people like you think its all due the coach?

keepyourheadup · Post by **keepyourheadup** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:20 pm

Anyone with knowledge of the talent level at LN can tell you that they achieved more than most expected. Not defending Coach Schmitz but much like LS they had no depth at all. Good hard working kids but if you were to just look at the rosters of the other teams in the South Suburban they finished about where they belonged. Great late season rallies on the shoulders of a hot goalie shouldn't be used as a measuring stick on what their potential was. The talent at the youth level the next few years is just average, in order for meaningful change to occur it will need to start at mites and squirts. Blame, do you really believe your team was being held back by their coach and missed out on the chance to be a top end team? If so then the term delusional applies. He's gone now and its time to move on but don't expect too much too soon.

Tigers33 · Post by **Tigers33** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 9:04 pm

Blamenoone -

I am not from Lakeville and in fact do not live close to Lakeville. I have a few friends within the association. All I am saying is it's pretty fishy that this happened so late. Lets be honest about that at least. So, to the naked eye it looks like a group of parents forcing the AD to do this. If not, than it would have been done back in April/May.

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:41 pm

keepyourheadup

By no means was I saying if it weren't for the coach this team would have been at the top. However this team could have won a few more games than they did, and since you are not from Lakeville and did not witness on a regular basis what went on..I don't know how you could say anything about the caliber of the players. And yes the goalie is hot and so sad that he will no longer play for LNHS.

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:47 pm

Tigers33-keepyourheadup

Sorry headup you are not the blogger that says you don't live in Lakeville, that was meant for Tigers33(must be from Michigan).

I understand why you might say its fishy and happened last minute, but if contracts are supposed to be renewed in the spring, then why wasn't it? Maybe there was more going on than even you know.

nahc · Post by **nahc** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:18 pm

Blamenoone: You are so far out of touch with the situation in Lakeville North, your comments have no meaning. I don't have a dog in the fight but saw a good dozen or so North games this year. North plays in the South Suburban Conference with Apple Valley, Lakeville South, Burnsville, Jefferson, etc., probably one of the toughest 2A conferences in the state. Besides that, you throw in games with Eden Prarie and Wyzata, and one can see how tough a season this team had in 2010/2011. One oculd argue their section road to the State Playoffs, but North was an underdog team to come out of the section having lost to a very good South team twice during the season. Yet, they did pull off the upset, and after losing to EP in the first round, beat 2 very good teams in White Bear Lake and Moorehead. Not many teams in the State tourney could say that they won 2 games......but North did. The team has lost some excellent players as has been well documented on this website. To say that Randy Schmidts and his staff did not coach their butts off last year is like saying Bill Belinicheck is so successful only because of the players on the team. Obviously I am not comparing the North coach to the Patriots coach, only in the argument that the Blame guy throws out. I really think this is a huge loss for North........The kids that played very much appreciated the coaching staff........in my opinion.......those who did not get the maximum playing time, were not playing for obvious reasons......again, just my 2 cents worth and it probably is a mute point at this stage of the game.

Who is Ryan Kraft?

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:35 pm

Nahc

I have no Idea who Ryan Kraft is! However like my last post questions, if these guys were such great coaches and so well liked by there players, then why would the contract not be renewed??? I have heard it said the players held a player only meeting trying to come up with solutions them selves. tried to put together lines that they took to the coaching staff, only to be denied. Again you must understand there has to be a reason!! Anyone that knows what goes on in Lakeville is no where near out of TOUCH. Just saying.

blamenoone · Post by **blamenoone** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 2:48 pm

Nahc,
What makes you such an expert on whether my comments are out of touch?

nahc · Post by **nahc** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:00 pm

Blame:

As with all hockey levels, when PARENTS get involved, all bets are off whether its a squirt coach or Highschool. With enough bantering, supposition, etc brought against the coaches, anything is possible. We aren't talking about a criminal here.....I had the privelage to once meet all the North coaches. They appeared energetic, truly cared about all the kids on the team, and really wanted to the team to do their best and excel to whatever level possible. I very much realize that winning is everything and if one doesn't put up the numbers, they are gone. I also understand that every skater is the next coming of Sidney Crosby and DESERVES to be on the first line.........Especially in highschool, Coaches play to win with no participation medals given out.....there is not equal icetime as some associations dictate and hopefully this will continue.

I am not an expert at anything, just providing discussion points in this forum......with a little bit of balance thrown in.......

HighSchoolHockeyForums.com

Lakeville North Head Coach

Lakeville North Head Coach

Randy Scmitz fired

Randy Schmitz fired