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If people don't like WBL's coach, they should take their kids elsewhere. Parents/fans should really let the coach run the show, which should be obvious, but needs to be reiterated because it's one thing to disagree with a coach and another to take it another step based on dislike. There's too many talented coach's out there that don't ever bother because of parental pressure.

Very well put Nerd.

I know of quite a few great coaching candidates who will never take the leap because they see this coach bashing going on all over. It is not just in Minnesota, but everywhere. I know Bill Butters wasn't good enough for some people in White Bear, I'm am wondering if you have any ideas who would be good enough???

HOCKEY SCOUT wrote:I know Bill Butters wasn't good enough for some people in White Bear

I seem to recall that his coaching ability isn't what ultimately got him in hot water.

The whole debate is silly. I don't know what everyone hates about Sager, he has his team near the top each year. At least 4 consecutive section finals, what else do you need? One of these years he is going to win the section, go to state, break the curse and most people from White Bear will praise him as the greatest coach ever. Trust me, there were a lot of people that despised Lechner and didn't think a nice guy coach could win with class at Hill-Murray. He's shown that you can do it the right way and we're happy to have him. After all, this is High School and this is all for fun. The coaches should be preparing these kids for the future in and out of hockey. Whether they finish with a title in their resume is not that important. Only a few kids each year get that honor...

I couldn't have put it better myself sparlimb.

By the way, coach Lechner is a first class person and coach.

HOCKEY SCOUT wrote:By the way, coach Lechner is a first class person and coach.

I think that every coach is first class according to HOCKEY SCOUT.

wbmd wrote:

HOCKEY SCOUT wrote:Mr. Hambly is a great guy and coach. This group is missing quite a few of the guys from bantams. A high school coach has to coach the kids that are able to make the team. All kids that make the team are White Bear Kids by being there. I also know that your coach is highly thought of by people at the highest levels. How do I know? It is what I do for a living. These are the people I spend to many hours a year to count. This is what we do and you are lucky to have this guy as a coach. He has helped more kids reach the next level than you know.

No - it's more like Woodbury is lucky to have a coach like Wes Bolin. He has done more for Woodbury's program than Sager has - or ever will - at White Bear.

It will be interesting to see what effect the new high school in Woodbury has on the current program in Woodbury.

Pioneerprideguy wrote:It will be interesting to see what effect the new high school in Woodbury has on the current program in Woodbury.

Can't help but hurt it. Woodbury is reaching it's max in population and school wise has been doing better and better in sports the past 10 years (they won a big school football championship). Are they taking kids from any other towns? I think it will dillute talent and where I see the population exploding in Lakeville, I see the population maxed out in Woodbury. What do you Woodbury folks think? Probably not many of them reading this thread.

Sparlimb wrote:

Pioneerprideguy wrote:It will be interesting to see what effect the new high school in Woodbury has on the current program in Woodbury.

Can't help but hurt it. Woodbury is reaching it's max in population and school wise has been doing better and better in sports the past 10 years (they won a big school football championship). Are they taking kids from any other towns? I think it will dillute talent and where I see the population exploding in Lakeville, I see the population maxed out in Woodbury. What do you Woodbury folks think? Probably not many of them reading this thread.

Woodbury is still expanding to the East. Right now the city of Woodbury falls within 3 school districts 622, 833 and 834. I wonder if the district boundaries will be redrawn.

Boundaries are in the process of being established with students comming from Park & Woodbury high schools. I gotta believe it will diminish both programs over time.

Seems to be the same ol same ol coach bashing year in and year out with WBL. If they are not undefeated, winning sections, state, thier conference must be the coaches fault. This is a common denominator across the world of high school athletics I would say. Just seems like it happens a lot on this board at WBL's coach, which is pretty sad. I would say a ton of kids would love to have the success WBL has, yet it isn't good enough for some people.

Sparlimb wrote:

HOCKEY SCOUT wrote:I know Bill Butters wasn't good enough for some people in White Bear

I seem to recall that his coaching ability isn't what ultimately got him in hot water.

The whole debate is silly. I don't know what everyone hates about Sager, he has his team near the top each year. At least 4 consecutive section finals, what else do you need? One of these years he is going to win the section, go to state, break the curse and most people from White Bear will praise him as the greatest coach ever. Trust me, there were a lot of people that despised Lechner and didn't think a nice guy coach could win with class at Hill-Murray. He's shown that you can do it the right way and we're happy to have him. After all, this is High School and this is all for fun. The coaches should be preparing these kids for the future in and out of hockey. Whether they finish with a title in their resume is not that important. Only a few kids each year get that honor...

Wasn't Sager the coach of the '05 tournament team? If anything maybe the complaints have to do with Hill winning three sections in a row.

Pioneerprideguy wrote:We love the job he has done so much that HM is actually paying his salary. Showing that money is no object, HM has also picked up Housley's contract.

Lets wait and see how many from Hill decide to bolt early. I am guessing 3. That will leave the cupboard pretty bare. If they stay Hill will be fine if they leave Hill is looking at a dry spell a long dryspell.

There is a lot more to coaching than just how they do at the end of the year. Nobody on that team respects Sager and i don't blame them. I had him for a baseball coach and he constantly contradicts himself and half the time he doesn't make sense. You say WB is upset when they don't win state give me a break. They get upset when they get knocked out of the first round when that team was one of the favorites to win state (I'm talking about '05). Even sense Sager has got this team it has gone downhill. Players are leaving and i agree with you about putting the WB kids first. This untalented group that your talking about won state when they were bantams. Players left and got kicked off of this team because Sager doesn't have his team under control. That is why WBL fans have a problem with Sager.

White Bear under Sager has been very good year in and year out. They play one of the toughest non-conference schedules year in and year out. They play in one of the toughest conferences in state.

I am not a insider to the WBL hockey program, but it seems to me a lot of over zealous parents put "little Johnny's needs" ahead of the good of the team. How could it possibly be "little johnny's" fault that we didn't win state? If kids grow up listening to parents whine about coaching are they going to respect the coach? Is Sager to blame that Hansen and Johnson left? I don't know, but they did well without them and problem child #11.

It seems to me that the coach has been a target in WBL for quite some time now, going back to coach Pederson in the 70's.

MOVE ON.NOW

BIAFP wrote:MOVE ON.NOW

Move your browser to a new thread. Now.

whitebearsuperfanB wrote:Nobody on that team respects Sager and i don't blame them.

That is exactly what I have heard - especially from players of the 2003-04 season.

White Bear suffered great losses this year withthe two players they lost to juniors and two plyers they lost because of behavior. Even with these losses the team and coaches worked hard and came back to have a great season. A lot of the kids on the team this year were part of the bantam team that won the state championship a few years ago. Did they have a better coach? Possibly, but whether they had a better coach or not they still have many of the same kids and same potential to win state again. Sure people don't like sager for some of the choices he makes but on the other hand he isn't exactly a horrible coach. Look how far he has gotten this team this year and in the past years. He also made some good decisions this year, like kicking kids off the team when it was neccesary to do so. I think though the team didn't make it to state this year they have a possibility of doing so next year. Also, i don't think any kids from last years team, including Lowell !8, Putny 5, and Wolter 27 are ready to leave to juniors any time soon.

whitebearsuperfanB wrote:There is a lot more to coaching than just how they do at the end of the year. Nobody on that team respects Sager and i don't blame them. I had him for a baseball coach and he constantly contradicts himself and half the time he doesn't make sense. You say WB is upset when they don't win state give me a break. They get upset when they get knocked out of the first round when that team was one of the favorites to win state (I'm talking about '05). Even sense Sager has got this team it has gone downhill. Players are leaving and i agree with you about putting the WB kids first. This untalented group that your talking about won state when they were bantams. Players left and got kicked off of this team because Sager doesn't have his team under control. That is why WBL fans have a problem with Sager.

I think your wrong to say that nobody on the team respects Sager, but if it is true that is extremely sad. But how can you blame the coach for not winning the first round at the state tournament? When you get to the state tournament, it's not really about x's and o's anymore, it's about who can execute and get the job done. I think those pointing fingers at Sager need to turn those fingers around to their own players, because it is up to the players who decide the game. You can't win a state championship off coaching alone, the coach can only present the players with an oppurtunity and it's up to the players whether or not they want it bad enough.

Last but not least, it is absolutely RIDICULOUS to say that Sager does not have his team under control because two players were kicked off. It's not the coaches responsibility to BABY-SIT the kids, and it's the parent's responsibilities to keep their kids in line OFF THE RINK!