Another possibly problematic women's coach

[OnMAA]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Not agreeing with the general population doesn't sit well with some! Agreeing with Eeyore is not easy but I did and that's my opinion. Let me commiserate.

If you are trying to be funny it worked

[Puckdrop14]

If you are trying to be funny it worked

Unless you have lived through it, you get frustrated when you read a lot of guesswork hence my agreement with Eeyore.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

I can verify that the post from HelloItsMe is indeed from a current senior on the Penn State women's hockey team. She was also a regular starter on the team. I have no reason to make that up, and you can believe it or not, but it's genuine and a good summary of how the seniors feel about the allegations in the Collegian article.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Good to hear. Hope she posts again. But if not; it would be understandable. She's definitely in an awkward position.

[Puckdrop14]

Good to hear. Hope she posts again. But if not; it would be understandable. She's definitely in an awkward position.

So you can continue to commiserate? I hope she doesn't post and leaves well enough alone.

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

So you can continue to commiserate?

That's not where I was going with my remark. When HelloItsMe first surfaced, we weren't exactly welcoming. While I don't think we were rude, I do wish we had a mulligan on that.

Also, it does feel a little wrong that the complaining parties had their side of the story presented, but the coach's defender is being told stop, don't fully tell your side of the story.

I hope she doesn't post and leaves well enough alone.

I would be absolutely fine with that result. But whether or not to speak should be her choice.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Also, it does feel a little wrong that the complaining parties had their side of the story presented, but the coach's defender is being told stop, don't fully tell your side of the story.

I think that's probably the biggest issue with the current seniors - just like two years ago, the complainers have been heard (again), but that's where the Collegian reporters stopped reporting (again). I've never heard of a single player on the D-1 team, in any class, having any complaints about mental abuse from Brandwene. True, the D-1 underclassmen would have good reason not to accuse the coach publicly, but you know hockey parents do talk at games, and the only complaints I've ever heard anyone having have been strictly about Brandwene's coaching ability. As HelloItsMe pointed out, that's a far different complaint than mental abuse.

The seniors get an exit interview (I assume that's with the AD) before they graduate, and that's where they can lodge any complaints they have about their experience under Brandwene, and I think that's where they've chosen to keep those complaints rather than sharing them here, especially since they don't involve mental abuse anyway. If any of the current seniors had experienced that kind of thing, they would have no reason not to share it now, but not a single one of the twelve has alleged anything like that. By HelloItsMe sharing her own D-1 experiences at Penn State, it gives the story some balance - something the Collegian reporters didn't seem too interested in.

If Brandwene did treat these former club players this way, it should have been handled years ago when it first came up, if the allegations had that kind of merit. If these complaints have nothing to do with the D-1 team, and the accusations weren't credible enough back then to dismiss Brandwene, why run the story again? I don't understand the motivation.

[OnMAA]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Unless you have lived through it, you get frustrated when you read a lot of guesswork hence my agreement with Eeyore.

Understood. As a parent of two former College players (years ago) seen this type of innuendo happen in the past. Lost of half truths and falls truths being spewed. Also experienced being nailed on the wall on this very forum for my opinions. Hence my general advice to be careful in posting. Most of us on here are passionate about the game, for a variety of reasons. Sometime passion brings out the best in people, sometimes the worst.

Having said all that. The experience of being a varsity athlete is in general a wonderful one, with lots of valuable life experiences and friendships being build. Our daughters sure learned from it and enjoyed it. This despite some hardships and in each occasion going through turmoil and a coaching change while they were on their respective teams. Both have gone on to use the experiences as part of success beyond college.

[agfire]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Just curious if there has been any new developments on this coach? Unless I did not see him, he was one of the few Div. 1 Coaches absent at Nationals in Blaine...

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Just curious if there has been any new developments on this coach? Unless I did not see him, he was one of the few Div. 1 Coaches absent at Nationals in Blaine...

I don't know if this qualifies as a "new development", but the Penn State AD did finally comment on the women's hockey situation, in an article mostly about allegations against the Penn State gymnastics coaches: http://www.collegian.psu.edu/feature...bf9c472cb.html

[KTDC]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Something that’s unique about female athletes that I learned early on in my coaching career is that they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I think guys feel that way as well but I think with young women, they want to know that you care about them deeply and that you have their back.
.............Brad Frost

Are we raising a nation of whiners? Do they really think that is "abuse"?

Maybe, maybe not, whatever........comes up every year it seems.

Coaches need to get it into their skulls, the players need to feel cared about by their coaches. Being a "hard guy" is going to cause problems if the players don't feel the coach cares about them.

You can create expectations, and set standards, and have consequences for actions. But if they don't feel cared about there's going to be issues. PC or not, whiners or not, abuse or not......get used to it.

[ne7minder]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Something that’s unique about female athletes that I learned early on in my coaching career is that they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. I think guys feel that way as well but I think with young women, they want to know that you care about them deeply and that you have their back.
.............Brad Frost

Are we raising a nation of whiners? Do they really think that is "abuse"?

Maybe, maybe not, whatever........comes up every year it seems.

Coaches need to get it into their skulls, the players need to feel cared about by their coaches. Being a "hard guy" is going to cause problems if the players don't feel the coach cares about them.

You can create expectations, and set standards, and have consequences for actions. But if they don't feel cared about there's going to be issues. PC or not, whiners or not, abuse or not......get used to it.

I'm not convinced it is a male/female thing or that it is "kids today" either. Boys/mens sports filters for a certain type of personality because it is tradition. Boys accept 'hard . . . nosed' coaches because that is the only model for success the industry as seen. Girls/women on the other had do not come from that abusive tradition and have different expectations. My guess is that there have always been some number of young men who either quit the game or fail to develop to their full potential because they do not respond to abuse from someone who does not seem to care about them. But I think many successful mens coaches show their players they care. In his book Jerry Kramer recounts how abusive Vince Lombardi could be but mentions several times about how he also showed he cared. It's just not as common or acknowledged on the male side.

[bearcat]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

90% of all college hockey coaches are....idiots. Sorry to say burst your bubble, but that's the way it is. I'm sure he's better than some and worse than others....

[OnMAA]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Q: What are some effective coaching strategies used when working with female athletes?

Thatcher: From personal experience as a coach and a player, I would say the number one most important strategy when working with female athletes is COMMUNICATION!

Hit the nail on the head with this one. Posted the below on this board in the past, but worth repeating.....

A very good coach I know was at a Scotty Bowman Clinic/Seminar once, and he came back with the same nugget from this clinic:

Question from said coach to Scotty Bowman...
Q: What is the most important aspect of success in coaching.
A by Mr Bowman: "effective communication with the players and understanding that communication has to be properly tailored to each individual player.

[ZedLeppelin]

Re: Another possibly problematic women's coach

Penn State Athletics has submitted their review of the allegations against Brandwene to the university's Office of Ethics and Compliance:

http://www.centredaily.com/sports/co...e77374857.html