Hastings

[hockey nut]

Is Hastings really this bad? They have not won a game in almost a year. I now they lost some players, but I would of thought they would of won a couple of games. They still have 4-5 guys that can play don't they. Please comment.

[Simplegameforsimplepeople]

They lost 3 or 4 key guys and they have a couple more either hurt or out for disipline reasons. Russ Welch is a good coach and getting what he can out of the team he has. I think they have a pretty good group of kinds coming up in the youth at one of the levels. They will be back.

[wbmd]

They lost 3 or 4 key guys and they have a couple more either hurt or out for disipline reasons. Russ Welch is a good coach and getting what he can out of the team he has. I think they have a pretty good group of kinds coming up in the youth at one of the levels. They will be back.

As long as those kids decide to stay at Hastings and not head to the private schools.

[HastingsDangler02]

We had many guys out for many reasons but everyone should be back besides one player.

And I agree with wbmd on the future for my home town.

[Simplegameforsimplepeople]

Dangler why did the other kids leave and why would the current youth kids leave?

[ALSECORD]

I have a friend that has kids in the program down there. Sounds like they have more problems than just a few kids leaving town. This is second hand, but it sounds like they have some bad apples, as well as a coach who seems to have lost any control he may have had with his program. No real involvement in the youth program after his children were done playing. Of course there are 2 sides to every story, but from what i understand the kids can't stand him, as evidenced by some of the kids over the year's playing Junior Gold and not even trying out for the Varsity. Coupled with the kids that are leaving. (private) No program can afford to lose 4-5 players every year, and win.

[He Hate Me]

Hastings will rebound

[ALSECORD]

Nothing personal Simple Man, but when you say the coach is getting the best out of what he has what does that mean? From what i've been told, and again there are 2 sides to every story, there are still several players left off of a State Bantam team that finished fairly high a few year's back. Sound's like that may not be the case at all.. If HockeyNuts is right (almost a year since there last win)? The whole team didn't defect did they? Can someone comment?

[HastingsDangler02]

Ok I don't know how many times I've posted everything about whats happened but I will give the info again,

The A bantam team a few years back finished 4th in state with a record of like 50-8-2(including scrimmages which there is a lot of) or something around there, too long ago to remember.

Since then we have lost...
Derek Stepan-SSM-Rumor as of now he will go top 20 in the first round of the draft pick if he keeps up the incredible work at SSM
Ryan Stepan-STA
Alex Riveness-STA
Austin Lepley-HM(who can't play hockey anymore anyways due to concussions and back problems)
Charlie Raskob-AHA-Rumor has it he will be picked withing the first 3 rounds of the draft pick
Tom Caturia-STA
David Duffy-quit(don't know why)

We have 7 guys left from that team all on varsity. Our best forward is out right now(until Jan. 4) due to a "discipline" problem, if thats what you want to call it. He's not a "bad apple" he just got caught up in a very unlucky situation where he shouldn't have been involved. I guarantee there are players that do dumb stuff on other teams as well. Another one of our best forwards is out due to academic issues. Other than that everyone is back now.

So up untill now we have been playing without a lot of scoring power. Hibbing we just got out played, Greenway was an upset, WBL we stuck with em till the third without 3 of our top senior players, and Anoka we only lost by 1 with those same players out. We beat Anoka earlier in a scrimmage 3-2 but the 3 goals were scored by our top forward that is out and all 3 assists came from the player who is out for academic reasons

As I've played for Russ before I would not say he is a bad coach or a bad guy, I just think ever since that year when Tharp, Taffe, and Welch(his son, all 3 went to the UofM) were here and they didn't win state(got second) everyone has looked down on him. That is just my opinion but anyone could think differently.

Anyways I'm done typing, I think this is the most I have ever typed on the forum even if you combined my other posts
I think I covered it all though...

[ALSECORD]

First of all Dangler I can appreciate your loyalty to your Community/Team. I assume your a team member?Or were? I am not makeing light of the situation down there, only offering my 2 cents, for what's it worth. Yes, your team has certainly suffered some loss, no question. But why is Hastings any different than my community Woodbury, or Stillwater, Park, Burnsville? These communities have been losing kids for year's. Hastings pop. i think is 20-25,000 now is it not? The High School is fairly large i assume? Although i have never coached hockey, (i did play). I would consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on the subject. Most of these situations go back to the feeder programs. Much like planting a garden. The seeds (younger players) if not nurtured, and watered, won't grow. Thus you do not get the benefits year after year. The gardner (your coach) if he doesn't care, this is what you get..(no wins in almost a year)? I realize you lost some key players, but with a solid youth program you should fill at least some of those holes. I checked the latest issue of LPH and i'm sorry if i missed it, but i did not see any Hastings teams.

[hockey nut]

The kids will stop leaving when Welch leaves!!! He has not done one thing to help out the youth program in years. I know for a fact that he hates the summer training that the kids are doing. He still believes that you can be a three star athlete and move on, like his son did. It is harder and harder to do as each year passes. I wish it was different but it's not. If you want to play College hockey you better be training year round or it will not happen.

Russ is tired,and has totally given up. When he leaves, it will get better, and not a day sooner. The town bell is ringing Russ. It is time to leave.

[GBombay29]

The kids that left are the kids the Russ worked with when he ran a summer session. He did develop a program now someone has brainwashed everyone to think it's no good. But spending $30,000 to have someone else train them on Sunday nights is better? Doesn't a guy that coached college, played pro level and is a Hastings Alum run a hockey training program? I also think he would give his Home Town a good deal on the training.

Raskob = his mom went to Holy Angels and dislikes Russ. where will little brother go? (who is pretty good by the way)
Stepan = offered something that anyone would take no matter where you played or who you played for.
Lepley = Didn't MAKE Hill did injuries have something to do with it? He might not be playing even if he was at Hastings

Russ took all these guys as Sophmores to curb thier threats of leaving because he knew what he had coming to the high school with that group. He cut seniors and jrs to make room for them. Anything since that has been average at best if not worse.

This group had a coach at bantams that year they went 50-2 that made Russ seem like a teddy bear.

You have a town of 20,000 you saw success in the early 70's with Tally, you saw success in the mid 80's with Stepan and Sags and the late 90's with Taffe, Welch and Tharp. What more do you want? Why don't you talk about the years they were average at best instead of wondering what could have been. Woodbury, CG, Tartan, Johnson and Stillwater have been dealing with losing kids for years. Right now there are 7 kids at Hill, 3 at Cretin, 2 at St Thomas, 3 in WBL and 1 at Stillwater that all left CG they all played youth in CG and would make them much stronger.

Wasn't this thread started by some saying how good they played against some tough teams? Sounds like Russ is getting the most out of the guys he has and that to me sounds like a GOOD Coach. There are many associations/high schools that would have loved to have a guy like him in charge. Enjoy what you have now because the furture isn't much brighter.

[Ben Dover]

Is Hastings really this bad? They have not won a game in almost a year. I now they lost some players, but I would of thought they would of won a couple of games. They still have 4-5 guys that can play don't they. Please comment.

Are you kidding me? State champs forsure.

[bardown10]

Who coached at the College level? And who played Pro hockey? If you are referring to Russ, your wrong.

[bardown10]

The reason the boosters had to spend the money is because Welch will not run a summer program. If they had a guy at the top they would not have to spend the money. If you don't now what your talking about I would suggest keepin your opinions to yourself. if your from Hastings you now how bad it is hear with Russ. If your not from hear you will never understand it. There is alot hockey pride in that community, and it makes alot of people sick that they have not won a game in 344 days. If you think the Chorneys, Gergens, Stepans, Raskobs, Caturias, Rivenesses wanted to leave your crazy, alot of these people bleed Blue and Gold. It would be so much easier if Welch left. Say a prayer for the Raider hockey community, and maybe he will step down.

[GBombay29]

The reason the boosters had to spend the money is because Welch will not run a summer program. If they had a guy at the top they would not have to spend the money. If you don't now what your talking about I would suggest keepin your opinions to yourself. if your from Hastings you now how bad it is hear with Russ. If your not from hear you will never understand it. There is alot hockey pride in that community, and it makes alot of people sick that they have not won a game in 344 days. If you think the Chorneys, Gergens, Stepans, Raskobs, Caturias, Rivenesses wanted to leave your crazy, alot of these people bleed Blue and Gold. It would be so much easier if Welch left. Say a prayer for the Raider hockey community, and maybe he will step down.

I am from Hastings. And I remember the guy who has taken a team to State. Yes he used to skate the guys for 2 weeks in the summer he stopped because people complained it wasn't enough and went elsewhere. So he stopped and let them go elsewhere, funny it was the same people that left. So you are saying they were FORCED to leave? It looks as thou they were looking for greener pastures and are blaming Russ for it all.

4 trips to state in 14 years, the other 2x's were '71 and '85. Looks like a lot of your pride in Hastings hockey comes from what he has done.

Does the name Dean Talafous ring a bell? What's wrong with his program?

Maybe you aren't as informed as you think you are bardown! Maybe you are one of the parents that does nothing but complain and send your kids away. Russ seems to be getting the most out of the kids he has now even with the superstars gone.

[hockey nut]

Wow 2 weeks in the summer. Now thats a training program. He quit running his 2 week joke (that he never showed up for) Danny Welch, Jeff Taffe, Adam Welch all 18 or 19 at the time ran the camp. Thats why people quit going. I totally agree with Bardown10. He could not get enough kids to do a summer skate, but 4 hockey booster dads got 350 kids to do the 8 week clinic. Russ is to busy at Doug Woogs camp for the good of his own program. I don't now why the boosters spend so much time trying to make kids better for him. By the way the kids that left, it sure looks like they made the right moves. Not all the kids were Superstars either. These kids are leaving because they want more. RUSS WELCH OFFERS NOTHING.

[GBombay29]

Wow 2 weeks in the summer. Now thats a training program. He quit running his 2 week joke (that he never showed up for) Danny Welch, Jeff Taffe, Adam Welch all 18 or 19 at the time ran the camp. Thats why people quit going. I totally agree with Bardown10. He could not get enough kids to do a summer skate, but 4 hockey booster dads got 350 kids to do the 8 week clinic. Russ is to busy at Doug Woogs camp for the good of his own program. I don't now why the boosters spend so much time trying to make kids better for him. By the way the kids that left, it sure looks like they made the right moves. Not all the kids were Superstars either. These kids are leaving because they want more. RUSS WELCH OFFERS NOTHING.

Nice to dream.

[ALSECORD]

GBombay I'm curious if you think the players should stay just because that's the way it's always been? Welcome to the real world. The rest of us here in the Big City have dealt with this for year's. It sounds to me like you've got alot of excuses, and not alot of answers. I guess if i had a real passion for my program (like you sound like you do) i might start attending booster meetings and finding out how in the world it came to this. . Find out why in world the Head Varsity Coach is not more involved with the youth program. (it has to start at the top) I'm sorry, but it's a sin that a town the size of Hastings is trying to win for the first time in almost a year.. Again, as i stated in previuos posts you've lost some players. That's hard for any program to absorb, but so has everyone else. And whether you personaly think it's right for kids to leave or not. Or you feel a loyalty to an old class mate or poker buddy. You need to face the facts, it looks like your program is falling apart at the seams.

[GBombay29]

Russ was involved with the youth program. He came up with the inhouse program that all of the boys that left went through and it looks like they developed along with the kids he took to State 4 years in a row. But mommy and daddy wanted to travel and play the big schools because the high school was having success meant that they were part of this powerhouse.

I believe it is a kids right to leave. But don't put the blame on Russ Welch. The 8th, 9th and 10th graders that are staying are pretty average but I bet Russ will make them competitive he will get them to bring it every game like he has started to do with the team this year. That is the team I am proud to support. Look at where they have finished in D8 the past years in bantams at or near the bottom, so yes I know the program in a downward spiral. I am loyal only to a guy who has done something most school hockey programs only dream about, 4 trips to State. And I know enough not to expect it year in and year out.

As for meetings I have been to more then you could count, it only takes 1 bad apple to spoil the bunch. Yes it has to start at the top but when the bottom over rules the top it basically tells him they don't want him involved any more they can do it better. In the end he only has to worry about the kids that attend Hastings High school and not the youth program. That is what he is paid to do!

[hockey nut]

Your exactly right Bombay, thats what he gets paid for. That is why Hastings High school will have another 4-22 season because he puts no extra time in to make the program better. If this is the effort he gives than don't piss and moan when your better kids want more. Why don't you pole the better High School hockey coaches in the state and see if they have a summer program for there athletes. I now what you will find. Just a foot note Russ had nothing at all to do with the start of the in hous program!!! He was at South Saint Paul when it happened. It was Ron and Tom Savage. The youth progam is tired of dealing with him, so they quit asking.

[GBombay29]

So he leaves, who are you going to blame then? The next couple of classes seem to be keeping the kids in town who's to blame when they go 4-22??? We don't have the elite players like we did, they come along every once in awhile just like every other town. The class now chose to go else where. Deal with it and quit blaming 1 guy for all our problems. He didn't run a summer program yet all these guys that left managed to develop, they did it on thier OWN and thats where development starts, if a kid isn't willing to shoot or stickhandle in the driveway it won't happen cause someone is out on the ice with them all summer.

[hockey nut]

When he leaves this community will blame him. He has not done a thing with the youth program in 8-9 years. Thats why they have not won a game in a year. When this group was in pee-wees and bantams he was no where to be found. This years A pee wee and A bantam teams are the result of a couple of youth coaches that have blown him off for the last 5-6 years, and did the training on there own with there teams. The game has passed Russ along time ago. He does not have to agree with kids playing hockey all summer, but if he can stop the train from rolling go for it. By the way he has been to the State Tourney 4 time in 22 years as a head coach in the worst section in the state. I'm not so sure those are great numbers. Hastings needs a young energetic coach to come in and clean house. Every youth program needs a leader, Hastings does not have one.