Michigan Club Team Seeks New Coach

[UM Club]

The University of Michigan Mens Club Hockey Team is seeking a replacement for its recently departed head coach. No, this is not the varsity team, but it is one of the best club programs in the country and the runners up at the 2002 ACHA D2 National Tournament, which is the club's best ever finish and fourth straight trip to the tournament. The level of play is quite similar to NCAA Division 3, with very talented and motivated players coming from Jr. A, Jr. B, Midget AAA, New England Prep Schools, NCAA programs, and top high schools. The core of the team will be returning along with some very good looking prospects.
Home games and practices are played at Yost arena and the team travels to play the best Division 1 and Division 2 club teams in the country on top of the league schedule. The Great Midwest Hockey league comprises UofM, Michigan State, Ferris State, Oakland (MI) U, Miami (OH), and Indiana. This is the best league top to bottom in the ACHA D1 or D2 as all six teams were among the 16 invited to Nationals in New York City this past year.
Coaches' travel is paid for in addition to a small salary. It won't be enough to support anyone without a job, but if you are living in the Detroit/Ann Arbor/Toledo area and want the opportunity to coach at a very high level this might be your chance to break in and get some exposure.
If you are interested in the position please email hockey.club.officers@umich.edu
or call Dan Burkons at 734-604-4542.
If you know somebody that might be interested please pass this message on to them or tell us about it.
Go Blue!

[Tony24]

I find it hard to understand how you can say Club hockey issimilar to the level of D3. That is just wrong.

[UM Club]

The caliber of play of the TOP club teams is the same as D3. There are close to 200 club hockey teams in the ACHA. Most of them are terrible. However, there are about 15 teams in the ACHA D1 and about 10 teams in the ACHA D2 that would be very competitive in any D3 league. Part of the reason for this is geography. The majority of these 25 or so top club teams are located in places like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc. There are many good hockey players that come out of these areas. Some are good enough to play NCAA D1. But for everyone else, there are no D3 schools to play for, as there are in New England, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. With the exception of Lake Forest College (Chicago area), there isn't a single D3 hockey program between New York State and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, there is an entire D1 hockey conference in this region (CCHA). There are seven D1 programs in Michigan alone, but not a single D3. So what do you think happens to all the players who are good enough to play D3 but don't live anywhere near a D3 program? Hence the strength of the club programs at places like Michigan, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, etc. The rosters for these top 25 or so teams look just like those for D3 schools. The players come from Jr. A, Jr. B, Midget AAA, Prep Schools, and strong High School programs.

[sagissoor]

The CSCHL would man handle that league, and I'm pretty sure you know it. I do agree it is a good league, probably second to the CSCHL as the best in the ACHA.

[Larry E. Bloom]

Yes your post is correct about players and geography at the club level and Div 3 level.....This aspect alone increases the future opportunity of the Big-Ten........There is not any program in the BT lower than D-2 club status.....These clubs get rinks than you'll see growth from d-1 club as well as Div-1

Title 9 was a positive move in the past but is now holding back a few clubs to grow into D-1. Progrssion should not be stopped by by policy....modification to this title is a necessity

[Larry E. Bloom]

a club coach?