Freshman leaves Benilde mid-season for the WHL

[Stick Save]

Wow!!! what a great life lesson for a ninth grader. Kick him off the team! Lesson learned. If other teams want to chat with you keep quiet or be terminated. Very sad state in the "state of hockey".

That's what's wrong with this country today Bruins. No consequences for your actions. I dont care if your a 9th grader, a 12th grader or an adult. Personal behavior has consequences. Leaving your team and missing practice is NOT having a "chat" with another team. You want to shop your services around have at it, when the current season is over.

This really shouldn't be big news to anyone on this board, but school visits take place all of the time during a high school hockey season. Most go on quietly, and no one cares, and why should they. There are lots of good reasons these visits could be necessary during a season. Thus the reason the MSHSL expressly allows these to take place during the HS season.

It has been confirmed that BSM has no stated or written policy preventing such visits that the family violated.

So what is left, Precedent? ...BSM had several players attend NCAA programs this season. At least one of these involved a missed practice. There was no consequence. Last year, at least one BSM player made a visit to a USHL program, and sounds like he was dishonest about it to his coach to boot. There was no consequence.

Did the player/family know of the consequences? It is clear there was a warning. But what I have been told is there were several sort of emotionally charged "veiled" threats, in the spirit of "there will be consequences." The family has made it known that they would never of taken this trip had they known this would happen - they are devasted. And from what it sounds, Coach Pauly has yet to have a conversation with the parents. Not in an attempt to understand the threatened consequence, not after hearing their son was cut from the team from teammates and on Twitter...or since. And a meeting would not granted, because the decision was "final."

Did this Coach have an arguement with his wife that morning, and then decide...I think I'll cut that kid for not responding to my veiled threats. - I would hope we could all agree that that would be wrong. And if this decision was not backed by any written rule or policy, or a verbal communication the coach had had prior with his team, that applied to all... then I believe you are giving a HS coach a frightening amount of unchecked power.

And if this is the case, then we are witnessing a great abuse of power, and IMO, with the precedent, a pretty clear-cut case of discrimination.

[Stick Save]

Are you cracked? The coach told him if he goes there would be consequences. So he goes and gets the boot. That is the way life works and it should send a message. Why didn't he wait a few weeks until after the season. This was bad planning/advice or pressure from the WHL.

Thank you for this quote! Bad planning and advice from this kids PARENTS. If you start the season with a team then you finish it with that team.

D3Ref claims that if the kid was going to talk to a college it would have been acceptable. He's wrong. Besides, how many college programs are recruiting 9th graders? I stated before that I have watched this kid play and he was getting plenty of playing time and guess what? He wasn't Mr. Superstar like he and or his parents think he is. He's 150 pounds soaking wet and he found out that 11th and 12th graders are bigger and stronger then his is. BSM is also playing it's toughest schedule ever since going independent. I hope this kid learns a life lesson about commitment and being a member of a TEAM.

From what I have heard puck81, the Baer kid continues to attend the BSM games since this happened, now cheering on his former teammates. Would sort of tell someone he didn't intend to run off to any other team mid-season, unloyal and/or disgruntled.

And your Mr. Superstar comment about their family...guessing you've never even met them based on your perception.

[BodyShots]

Like everlywhere else, sue the coach and school.

[AMERICAN]

Bodyshot- how about a simple " we both made a mistake" and move on?

[minnscout]

Pauly would not let anyone visit NCAA, CHL, or USHL 2 weeks before playoffs. It is the timing more than anything that made this a easy decision to dismiss the kid from the team. If this was 2 weeks into the season there would be no issue what so ever. Use some common sense.

[BodyShots]

Bodyshot- how about a simple " we both made a mistake" and move on?

Great idea, but I don't think one side is up for that.

[AMERICAN]

Minnscout- in applying your common sense standard, wouldn't it have been common sense for the coach to simply tell the kid that if you do it that I will throw you off the team instead of having to go thru all this nonsense? Also, please let us know at what point in the season it's ok and when it's not ok? Is there a bright line that kids should be aware of before they pay a steep price?

[HockeyGuy952]

Is he playing anywhere right now?

[oldpuck]

It's those d**n Canadian vultures that Pauly and probably many other coaches have such a passioate feeling about.

I ask why they fear them. Is it about the US player's welfare ? I doubt it.

I'm glad to see a number of new posters here who have somehow gotten wind of this injustice. From their tone, I assume that many are parents that have now seen the ugly side of HS sports here in MN, and are afraid of the precedent it will set - that a coach can cut a kid at any time for disobeying a non-existent rule, and with the help of his administration, stonewall any opposition.

From the beginning, I have been amazed that the incident has now dragged BSM into the fray which could ultimately have some ugly PR ramifications. If the coach had not been so arrogant and sat with the family for a resolution rather than just cutting, announcing to the team at Friday practice that Alec was gone and erasing him from the BSM web roster, this may have worked differently.

Now BSM is involved rather that just Ken Pauly. How kind will the media be when the story reaches them? Always looking for a story at the peak of hockey season. Do you think it might be mentioned by the broadcast crew when BSM takes the ice in the Tournament (making some assumptions here)?

The media will be here sooner or later. THis story is bigger than Alec and his family. It is about uncontrolled power of this coach.

[BodyShots]

The media's response will be..... WWJD

What Would Jack Do?

[O-townClown]

Would Julie the freshman flute player at BSM be kicked out of the band for taking a day to check out Juilliard?

These are supposed to be ACTIVITIES for students to enjoy while attending the school. Has it now become big business and ownership rights?

Shame on BSM, they should make right for the boy and his family.

Bo, a girl a grade behind me was very talented. Singing mostly, drama too. She was the star of the choir and stage shows and she also was lead singer for a band that enjoyed success in the 80s and 90s.

Yes, the (reasonable, in my opinion) expectation of the choir director is that she would put forth the same amount of effort as the other members, even though her band also practiced.

This isn't American Idol where a kid has no say in the timing of an opportunity. Alec didn't go to an open audition in the summer and get invited to something that overlapped with his Red Knights games. He actually went west by his choice rather than attend a practice.

What if it would have been a college visit? College coaches handle this differently, including communicating with the HS coach.

Drop the whole "hockey is just an activity" ruse. The number of available opportunities is dwarfed by the number of kids that would like to play. This isn't Chess Club.

I'm sure Ken Pauly doesn't want to hold anyone back. Baer's family thinks the Western is a better place? Notice he hasn't tried to stop him.

Good luck to the kid. Methinks B-SM will survive without him.

[MrBoDangles]

Would Julie the freshman flute player at BSM be kicked out of the band for taking a day to check out Juilliard?

These are supposed to be ACTIVITIES for students to enjoy while attending the school. Has it now become big business and ownership rights?

Shame on BSM, they should make right for the boy and his family.

Bo, a girl a grade behind me was very talented. Singing mostly, drama too. She was the star of the choir and stage shows and she also was lead singer for a band that enjoyed success in the 80s and 90s.

Yes, the (reasonable, in my opinion) expectation of the choir director is that she would put forth the same amount of effort as the other members, even though her band also practiced.

This isn't American Idol where a kid has no say in the timing of an opportunity. Alec didn't go to an open audition in the summer and get invited to something that overlapped with his Red Knights games. He actually went west by his choice rather than attend a practice.

What if it would have been a college visit? College coaches handle this differently, including communicating with the HS coach.

Drop the whole "hockey is just an activity" ruse. The number of available opportunities is dwarfed by the number of kids that would like to play. This isn't Chess Club.

I'm sure Ken Pauly doesn't want to hold anyone back. Baer's family thinks the Western is a better place? Notice he hasn't tried to stop him.

Good luck to the kid. Methinks B-SM will survive without him.

One post, so many contradictions.

Me thinks that girl was actually you......

[Tenoverpar]

"wow, that escalated quickly...Pauly, you fired a kid" R Burgandy

[minnscout]

I can't believe there are so many people that support players leaving the team at this time of year. This is not mites, if he wanted to run around watching CHL games maybe SLP would have allowed but Benilde is trying to win a state championship and they need all players to be all in right now. Before he left he knew that the coach did not approve the absence and he went anyway- enough said. I hope for the future this will be a good learning expierience for all. Parents and players stay commited, go to practice, give it everything you have and dont bail on you teammates. There is plenty of time to do what you need to do after the season and dont rush off to the next level until you dominate the one you're currently playing at.

[MrBoDangles]

Wow!!! what a great life lesson for a ninth grader. Kick him off the team! Lesson learned. If other teams want to chat with you keep quiet or be terminated. Very sad state in the "state of hockey".

That's what's wrong with this country today Bruins. No consequences for your actions. I dont care if your a 9th grader, a 12th grader or an adult. Personal behavior has consequences. Leaving your team and missing practice is NOT having a "chat" with another team. You want to shop your services around have at it, when the current season is over.

This really shouldn't be big news to anyone on this board, but school visits take place all of the time during a high school hockey season. Most go on quietly, and no one cares, and why should they. There are lots of good reasons these visits could be necessary during a season. Thus the reason the MSHSL expressly allows these to take place during the HS season.

It has been confirmed that BSM has no stated or written policy preventing such visits that the family violated.

So what is left, Precedent? ...BSM had several players attend NCAA programs this season. At least one of these involved a missed practice. There was no consequence. Last year, at least one BSM player made a visit to a USHL program, and sounds like he was dishonest about it to his coach to boot. There was no consequence.

Did the player/family know of the consequences? It is clear there was a warning. But what I have been told is there were several sort of emotionally charged "veiled" threats, in the spirit of "there will be consequences." The family has made it known that they would never of taken this trip had they known this would happen - they are devasted. And from what it sounds, Coach Pauly has yet to have a conversation with the parents. Not in an attempt to understand the threatened consequence, not after hearing their son was cut from the team from teammates and on Twitter...or since. And a meeting would not granted, because the decision was "final."

Did this Coach have an arguement with his wife that morning, and then decide...I think I'll cut that kid for not responding to my veiled threats. - I would hope we could all agree that that would be wrong. And if this decision was not backed by any written rule or policy, or a verbal communication the coach had had prior with his team, that applied to all... then I believe you are giving a HS coach a frightening amount of unchecked power.

And if this is the case, then we are witnessing a great abuse of power, and IMO, with the precedent, a pretty clear-cut case of discrimination.

Nothing happened to the other kids because this is an adult war between the MSHSL and the CHL. This kid was simply caught in the crossfire.

What he missed FOR is the reason he was kicked off the team.

$

[smittyfun15]

That's it exactly. It is because he wanted to visit the CHL. Minnesota hates when they loose kids to this league. It's okay if they go to the USHl or BCHL or anywhere else. I think there is a reason they don't want kids to go there, they are worried they won't be treated the same as kids from Canada. If it was a visit to anywhere else he be on the team...Only took 5 pages to get the real answer out.

[mulefarm]

For the people who are in the know. Why did the kid have to go at this time and not after the HS season? Someone please answer that question.

[mulefarm]

I can't believe there are so many people that support players leaving the team at this time of year. This is not mites, if he wanted to run around watching CHL games maybe SLP would have allowed but Benilde is trying to win a state championship and they need all players to be all in right now. Before he left he knew that the coach did not approve the absence and he went anyway- enough said. I hope for the future this will be a good learning expierience for all. Parents and players stay commited, go to practice, give it everything you have and dont bail on you teammates. There is plenty of time to do what you need to do after the season and dont rush off to the next level until you dominate the one you're currently playing at.

Hit the nail on the head!!!

[AMERICAN]

Does BSM throw kids out of school for the year for an unexcused absence from class or does it depend on what the unexcused absence was for? If the kid told the school he was going to be gone did BSM throw him out of school for the year or just the team? Can someone explain why it is ok to be throw the kid off the team and not the school if education is the priority? If the AD and the coach knew what punishment they were going to hand down to the kid can someone explain why they didn't tell the kid up front?

[mulefarm]

Does BSM throw kids out of school for the year for an unexcused absence from class or does it depend on what the unexcused absence was for? If the kid told the school he was going to be gone did BSM throw him out of school for the year or just the team? Can someone explain why it is ok to be throw the kid off the team and not the school if education is the priority? If the AD and the coach knew what punishment they were going to hand down to the kid can someone explain why they didn't tell the kid up front?

It's obvious you have never been on a team. You are not comparing apples to apples. Whether you like it or not, the coach runs the team and it really isn't a democratic system. He makes decision what is best for the team and the program, parents make decisons what is best for their individual kid. Two opposite ends of the spectrum.

[barry_mcconnell]

As a hired gun you can't expect too much loyalty from your current employer.

This kid is going to have so many opportunities and I wish him much success. He has a pile of talent. But I also respect a coach's need to minimize distractions and maintain team focus.

In an ideal world the coach and kid could have sat down together and worked things out. Sometimes there are motivations that make that impossible.

[AMERICAN]

Mulefarm- been on a team, have you? Can you explain why the coach who knows what punishment he is going to hand down wouldn't simply tell the kid up front? Not saying it's a democracy and if he told him up front I have no problem with the punishment. Why play hide and seek with the kids?

[Stick Save]

Pauly would not let anyone visit NCAA, CHL, or USHL 2 weeks before playoffs. It is the timing more than anything that made this a easy decision to dismiss the kid from the team. If this was 2 weeks into the season there would be no issue what so ever. Use some common sense.

Minnscout, you really should be giving equal time to the Wahlin post. After all, it is very possible that the young Wahlin may have visited UMass recently, or at the very least was in very deep family/school discussions about this future opportunity, that is 3 years off. What's the rush? Have you asked them? And they made and announced his verbal committment just a few days ago, well within the "too late in the season" line you drew in the sand - at such a critical time before playoffs. Wasn't this selfish? What about his TEAM? Couldn't he have waited another month until the season was over to pursue this and make his decision?? You should be over there slinging mud at his family, and recommending he be removed from the team for their similarily selfish timing.

Of course that would be absurd. Congrats to the Wahlins, and to all of our MN kids as they gain exposure and opportunities outside our bubble. Boys like Wahlin, Gersich and Vannelli. As far as I know, none of them have been punished by their coaches for their in-season antics.

Or is the difference that these boys all made the "right" decision with their futures?

[mulefarm]

Mulefarm- been on a team, have you? Can you explain why the coach who knows what punishment he is going to hand down wouldn't simply tell the kid up front? Not saying it's a democracy and if he told him up front I have no problem with the punishment. Why play hide and seek with the kids?

Bingo! I have no idea what was said between player and coach, do you? From my past experience I doubt it was a knee jerk decision and I would hope the coach gave the kid the option to cancel visit or go and be off the team, pretty simple to me.

[Shinbone_News]

Pauly would not let anyone visit NCAA, CHL, or USHL 2 weeks before playoffs. It is the timing more than anything that made this a easy decision to dismiss the kid from the team. If this was 2 weeks into the season there would be no issue what so ever. Use some common sense.

Minnscout, you really should be giving equal time to the Wahlin post. After all, it is very possible that the young Wahlin may have visited UMass recently, or at the very least was in very deep family/school discussions about this future opportunity, that is 3 years off. What's the rush? Have you asked them? And they made and announced his verbal committment just a few days ago, well within the "too late in the season" line you drew in the sand - at such a critical time before playoffs. Wasn't this selfish? What about his TEAM? Couldn't he have waited another month until the season was over to pursue this and make his decision?? You should be over there slinging mud at his family, and recommending he be removed from the team for their similarily selfish timing.

Of course that would be absurd. Congrats to the Wahlins, and to all of our MN kids as they gain exposure and opportunities outside our bubble. Boys like Wahlin, Gersich and Vannelli. As far as I know, none of them have been punished by their coaches for their in-season antics.

Or is the difference that these boys all made the "right" decision with their futures?

Well, the most obvious answer to your question is that none of these other players seem to be a threat to leave the team before they graduate. Not saying I agree with Pauly's decision at all, I'm just saying that he -- of all people -- probably has an excess of frustration about this particular issue as regards his D-core. And at this time of year.

All those other players are looking after their careers post-graduation. No coach would stand in the way of that (except maybe during the last two weeks of the regular season). One might easily assume that Baer is aiming for a little sooner than graduation, and Pauly probably figures why wait? Go, if that's what your loyalty to this team amounts to.

Also, just as an aside: it seems to me just WAAAAAY too much speculation by people who have no idea what the locker-room dynamic is at BSM. (I have no idea either, I'm just saying there's probably a lot more to this story than what this group can cobble together in the way of guesses.)