WSP

[mnhockeygal]

In reading the BSM post, I thought I would ask this. Forgive me if this is old news, but my husband and I have been out of the state for 3 weeks. I was just informed by someone that the WSP varsity job is open. Is this true? I heard possibly parents were involved in this change also?? Who has the scoop??? Did the embarrasing 1st round loss do him in? <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

The coach has two young kids, a second born in the last couple years. My understanding is that after being with the program since its inception, he decided to make more time for his family. I think there has always been some that wanted him out, but my understanding is that none of this had any influence on his decision to leave on his own terms. <p></p><i></i>

[hubbaa]

he left before he got kicked out.<br><br>the people want langevine and he wants in, bad. giles at edina wants him bad also. knowing wsp they will drag its feet and lose him to edina... <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

I thought he was already named on the staff at Edina...<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincitie ... <!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>Posted on Tue, May. 09, 2006<br>Bonds a hit with Brower<br>BY CHARLEY WALTERS<br>Pioneer Press<br><br>.<br>.<br>.<br> Look for former North Star Curt Giles, who has been the hockey coach at Edina High School for seven years, to soon hire four-time Islanders Stanley Cup winner Dave Langevin and former North Stars goaltender Don Beaupre as assistants. The trio have more than 40 years of NHL experience. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ckeyfan</A> at: 5/12/06 3:42 pm<br></i>

[mnhockeygal]

What was the reason he would have been kicked out???? <p></p><i></i>

[puckhog]

Another coach who got forced out after what would be considered by most people to be a successful season. Who is to blame for this ongoing cycle? Overbearing parents? Coaches who don't have thick skin? or Administrators or AD's who don't back their coaches? It will be interesting to see who is next? This nonsense has to stop. <p></p><i></i>

[hockeyfinatic]

I am sorry but what does WSP stand for? <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

West St. Paul - a.k.a Henry SiBley. Not to be confused with southern neighbor SiMley in IGH (Inver Grove Heights). Add to the confusion that both are in the same conference and then also the fact that SiBley is actually in Mendota Heights - not West St Paul... <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p100.ezboard.com/bmnhs.showUserP ... ckeyfan</A> at: 5/12/06 9:15 pm<br></i>

[hubbaa]

ghs,<br><br>i don't know if shooter was indicating that he already accepted edina or not. obviously giles wanted him and let it be known in a public way. <br><br>langevign has let it know publicly that he wanted to coach wsp. as i stated earlier sibley probably can't/couldn't move quick enough to prevent giles from getting him. giles position is only an assistant, so giles is probably the only person that would have to approve the hire. wsp being a coach the process will take much longer with many faces involved in the hire causing edina to have an advantage in time.<br><br>the sibley girls history isn't a reflection of the youth system or the talent the program has. had they kept all its talent over the years they would probably be known as the best program around. yes, better than ssp, ep or anyone you can name.<br><br>they lose much to many kids to other schools and part of the reason they have lost some kids was the coach. i know several top end kids that would have gladly played their but left because of the coaching situation. this doesn't intend to mean the person in question is mean-spirited or treats the kids badly. i think his problem was quite possibly the opposite. he was too nice...<br><br>as time goes by the girls game is being taken more and more serious which means more scrutiny is being bared by the coaches. i hate to say it but it is only going to get worse, and it will get much worse than the boys. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

hubbaa - you're right when you read the shooter it seems to indicate possibility vs. a done deal.<br><br>Who was the first coach at Sibley, and were there any between them and the most recent one?<br><br>Tons of WSP/Mendota kids to Vis, SPA, CDH, etc. I've always thought Sibley was a decent school, but I hear that many of the legacy from these schools settled in this area and that that too may be a factor in them heading back to where mom &/or dad went??? <p></p><i></i>

[hockeygymnast]

I think if you look at the players who live in MH/WSP and go to the privates (CDH, VIS, etc.), I would bet that pretty close to 100% of their parents also went to private HS. I don't think many of those parents place too much emphasis on who the hockey coach is at Sibley, when they make the HS choice for their kids. The parents also realize that many of the players from the area are usually reunited for spring and summer tournaments and leagues. Many also play soccer together. One interesting observation about the WSP program is that the program has never produced a bona fide superstar like Thunstrom, Fischer (SSP), McKenzie, etc. Not to take anything away from their program, but it is surprising with all the success they have had at the youth level not to have ever had an impact player such as the three mentioned. <p></p><i></i>

[ghshockeyfan]

I guess I always viewed the WSP/MH situation more as an issue of having many other opportunities (due to economic affluence) than instead just a function of the public HS and its offerings.

[ghshockeyfan]

hubbaa
Local user
Posts: 1428
(5/15/06 10:35 am)
Reply Re: wsp...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
it was an issue of plain and simple not letting all involved know what the philosophy is about the younger and older students.

leading the younger ones into the system without giving them an honest expectation of what will occur.

some would say communication issue. others would say spineless and others would say loyalty to upper-classman. we probably could add deceit.

all i'm saying is just be honest with every player, parent, future players and yourself. i guess i would rather see kids leave the system based upon having all the facts and intentions spelled out to them than not.

ghshockeyfan
Registered Member
Posts: 5028
(5/15/06 12:58 pm)
Reply | Edit Re: wsp...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Communication is very important. Better to not leave anything to assumption or misunderstanding I think.

I've always played the best players, and while I feel seniority/dedication is honorable, I don't believe that better players should sit the bench behind upperclassmen. Again, the best players should play.

Unfortunately, sometimes people think that this approach is "building for the future," but I instead feel it's the exact opposite - it's playing to win now...

The former coach doens't seem to be the type that would intentionally decieve to me, and I feel I know him pretty well. I can understand the frustration of some in his program that may have left, but I also believe that the right questions have to be asked too if such info. isn't clear or volunteered.

Maybe the bigger question here is what coaches think about seniority and what role it should play in playing time at the HS V level in G HS Hockey???

[xwildfan]

One problem that the former WSP coach had was that he really didn't know the talent level of incoming players because he seldom was seen observing youth hockey games; it is tough to evaluate players during a typical HS try-out. Also, he rarely sought opinions of the youth coaches about the new players. He is definitely not the only HS coach who neglects youth hockey. The main reason is time; some coaches have lives outside hockey; some are even rumored to have families that expect a liitle attention.

However, one of his assisant coaches attended many youth games and definitely knew the players. Apparently, his input was not taken seriously; that I think was a big mistake by the head coach.

One last thought about the Sibley program. Much mention is made of the fact that many WSP players attend private schools and that WSP would be a powerhouse if all the players stayed at Sibley. If all the players attended Sibley, there would not be enough roster spots on the varsity for all the players. Then you would really see a bunch of disgruntled parents. It would get real ugly. Over the last few years, there would have been several CDH players that would have displaced players from the Sibley varsity. Those same Sibley parents who were not happy with the former coach probably would have been leading the charge to get rid of the coach because their child was not on the varsity. So, I think it is perhaps a good thing for some of the players to attend private schools. It allows a lot more players to play at the varsity level.

[SEhockeyDAD]

Interesting point. Perhaps some girls do benefit from WSP girls leaving. On the flipside, what about one or more girls from elsewhere who planned on attending CDH all along, want to play hockey, but are displaced on the varsity roster by incoming WSP girls? Its a ripple effect throughout the metro schools, maybe it evens out in the end, but if its you or your daughter getting the bench, your opinion of moving hockey players gets skewed in a hurry.

Still, I also wonder how big the impact of those WSP girls could have been. Three years ago at the U15 level, the best teams were Wayzata, just a step above the next few; WSP, Edina and Rochester. WSP was pretty much 2nd best in the state that year. (Interestingly enough, Eden Prairie and SSP were fighting it out for 4th place in district behind WSP, Edina and Roch.) While CDH did make it to state in '05 (0-2 at state), I'm pretty sure Sibley would have beeen a contender for state this last year and a favorite next year. Its fun to wonder what might have been.