Craig Norwich resigns from SPA on Saturday

[Goldfishdude]

According to Charley Walters column in Pioneer DePress:

"Craig Norwich, a two-time hockey All-American at Wisconsin, before a 14-year pro career resigned Saturday as coach of the Saint Paul Academy-Mounds Park Academy co-op team.

Norwich, 54, has had preliminary interviews with a Rockford, Ontario school that wants to build an international prep hockey program the way the former Edina star did at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Fairbault."

I would assume if this job comes thru, this is more where his heart and passion lies, and we all should wish him the best of luck. A old friend of mine has a son playing on the team, and the respect for Norwich he has is immense.

Good luck, Mr. Norwich.

[ref101]

According to Charley Walters column in Pioneer DePress:

"Craig Norwich, a two-time hockey All-American at Wisconsin, before a 14-year pro career resigned Saturday as coach of the Saint Paul Academy-Mounds Park Academy co-op team.

Norwich, 54, has had preliminary interviews with a Rockford, Ontario school that wants to build an international prep hockey program the way the former Edina star did at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Fairbault."

I would assume if this job comes thru, this is more where his heart and passion lies, and we all should wish him the best of luck. A old friend of mine has a son playing on the team, and the respect for Norwich he has is immense.

Good luck, Mr. Norwich.

YES! Finally..................

[flatontheice]

According to Charley Walters column in Pioneer DePress:

"Craig Norwich, a two-time hockey All-American at Wisconsin, before a 14-year pro career resigned Saturday as coach of the Saint Paul Academy-Mounds Park Academy co-op team.

Norwich, 54, has had preliminary interviews with a Rockford, Ontario school that wants to build an international prep hockey program the way the former Edina star did at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Fairbault."

I would assume if this job comes thru, this is more where his heart and passion lies, and we all should wish him the best of luck. A old friend of mine has a son playing on the team, and the respect for Norwich he has is immense.

Good luck, Mr. Norwich.

YES! Finally..................

He had a great career playing hockey but he was one of the top 5 tools in coaching. Did he get suspended during the Schwans cup that finally led to his "resignation"?

[bghockey]

Craig is/was a great coach for young men. He had total respect from his player's when he coached the Rockets.
Best of luck to him in the future.

[Goldfishdude]

So, you guys telling me my pal was fooled?? I don't know Norwich. Just going off what my pal said last year... Haven't seen him this year to see if his opinion has changed.

With this alleged suspension, are you suggesting maybe he was "asked" to resign??

Interesting...

[starmvp]

Finally, best of luck in the future...

[dontcallmeshirley]

Discretion is the better part of valor.

[Night Train]

I think when he was hired the vision was to make SPA a metro based Shattuck. Strong academics and strong athletics. 3-4 years later it's a small private school with generally weak athletics partially because of the small student body. To be a sports centric private school could be a drawing card but has to be a real commitment from school leadership and not just lip service.

I could see how his behavior could change as his goal and dream was drying up. Most of the other privates have a solid commitment to hockey and it would be difficult to recruit a player that is also considering going to HM, STA, or Cretin for hockey as it's clear they're committed to being top hockey schools.

I understand it's an outstanding school.

[dontcallmeshirley]

See above.

[hockeyboys]

YES! Finally..................

I don't understand this comment. Please explain.

[HShockeywatcher]

I'd heard that he'd attempted to bring in both of the Beniks, Kohls from Hill, Wohlers from Mahtomedi, and Colton Warner from Apple Valley, all unsuccessfully due to opposition from the school.

Why would the school give opposition to that?

[Getemupscout]

He wanted hardship scholarships?

[iwearmysunglassesatnight]

[quote="HShockeywatcher"][quote="dontcallmeshirley"]

I'd heard that he'd attempted to bring in both of the Beniks, Kohls from Hill, Wohlers from Mahtomedi, and Colton Warner from Apple Valley, all unsuccessfully due to opposition from the school.
[/quote]

Why would the school give opposition to that?[/quote]

Perhaps being a good student was important to the school as well.
Wow, so the guy wasn't able to run it like Jerry Tarkenian at UNLV?
Forbid he would have to out recruit HM, Holy Angels, and the others.

[ref101]

YES! Finally..................

I don't understand this comment. Please explain.

Says it all, he's not a HS coach....

[Lakeviewing]

This guy has worn out his welcome. Time to move on.

According to Charley Walters column in Pioneer DePress:

"Craig Norwich, a two-time hockey All-American at Wisconsin, before a 14-year pro career resigned Saturday as coach of the Saint Paul Academy-Mounds Park Academy co-op team.

Norwich, 54, has had preliminary interviews with a Rockford, Ontario school that wants to build an international prep hockey program the way the former Edina star did at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Fairbault."

I would assume if this job comes thru, this is more where his heart and passion lies, and we all should wish him the best of luck. A old friend of mine has a son playing on the team, and the respect for Norwich he has is immense.

Good luck, Mr. Norwich.

YES! Finally..................

He had a great career playing hockey but he was one of the top 5 tools in coaching. Did he get suspended during the Schwans cup that finally led to his "resignation"?

[MNHockeyFan]

Curious that nobody has given the exact reason why he was suspended, assuming that is really what happened and it led to his resignation?

[flatontheice]

Curious that nobody has given the exact reason why he was suspended, assuming that is really what happened and it led to his resignation?

It would take hours to go thru all the reasons..

[supertacks]

Wow, looks like this a classic case of the "either you love him or you hate him"!

[Saywhat?03]

I heard from what i consider a reliable source. The school was unhappy with some of his "outbreaks" during games and had given him a sort of "last straw ultimatum". It was in reference to him getting kicked out of hockey games for arguing . So he argues a call at the Schwans cup and gets kicked out. Then takes the high road, and resigns rather having a "storied hockey school" like SPA fire him.

[johnnyquest]

If I am interpreting some of these posts correctly, is there an implication that the Beniks, Kohls & Wohlers are "academically challenged" to the point where SPA said "no" ? and is the "hardship" exception a financial one or an academic based consideration ?

[ref101]

I heard from what i consider a reliable source. The school was unhappy with some of his "outbreaks" during games and had given him a sort of "last straw ultimatum". It was in reference to him getting kicked out of hockey games for arguing . So he argues a call at the Schwans cup and gets kicked out. Then takes the high road, and resigns rather having a "storied hockey school" like SPA fire him.

Sounds about right, always found a way to remove himself from a game (his way), probably the most "ejected" coach that I've ever known..... wonder what the number was???

[observer]

I'll guess the coach wanted to offer steeply discounted tuition. I think SPA may be more loyal to their families that have been there from the beginning and couldn't see cutting kids that have been long time students, and payers, for kids from outside the natural community that don't pay full boat.

There's real mystery regarding what some of the privates do financially for some of their student athletes but also resentment as players get cut from school teams that they've attended, and payed for, their entire life.

It's a catch 22 as strong teams attract kids to the schools but then also cause the teams to cut good players that have paid a lot of money to attend the school for years.

[nickel slots]

Students that attend SPA fill out FAFSA forms to see what kind of Federal Financial Aid they qualify for.

They tow the line.

[hockeyboys]

Students that attend SPA fill out FAFSA forms to see what kind of Federal Financial Aid they qualify for.

They tow the line.

What line are they towing? There is not Federal Financial aid for private high school. The FAFSA form is used by many schools to determine need, but has nothing to do with Federal Aid, or in any way limits or requires schools to adhere to the recomendations of the determination.

Private schools are not limited to giving out aid based on FAFSA determinations. I'm fairly certain SPA doesn't give out money to hockey players. Not sure about other sports. Maybe tennis? They do win state championships in that sport. More likely, if they deviate from need based aid it is to assist students that are academically gifted. This is SPA we are talking about.

[nickel slots]

Students that attend SPA fill out FAFSA forms to see what kind of Federal Financial Aid they qualify for.

They tow the line.

What line are they towing? There is not Federal Financial aid for private high school. The FAFSA form is used by many schools to determine need, but has nothing to do with Federal Aid, or in any way limits or requires schools to adhere to the recomendations of the determination.

Private schools are not limited to giving out aid based on FAFSA determinations. I'm fairly certain SPA doesn't give out money to hockey players. Not sure about other sports. Maybe tennis? They do win state championships in that sport. More likely, if they deviate from need based aid it is to assist students that are academically gifted. This is SPA we are talking about.

That's the line I was talking about. Sorry I wasn't clear. While I can't speak for the other activities, I know from a very reliable source that they don't offer hockey scholarships.

I also know they were hiring a new Dean a few years back and Coach Norwich was hoping the new regime would share his vision that the school would become a hockey power... a la Shattuck... a program he was instrumental in bringing back to prominence.