What Happened to Ice Hockey?
Championship teams are revered at their schools. They are praised in the hallways, in the classrooms, and all over the school campus. Coming off a historic season, ice hockey now enters its final season at Western Reserve Academy. The announcement comes with various questions; asking why and how such a successful team would be suspended in the first place.
“This was a very challenging decision,” states Director of Athletics Pete Hutchins. “Though it may appear that it was a financial move, this was purely logistical.” The logistics behind the move include WRA not owning their own rink, the constant travel to other rinks, and the staffing that has to go into hiring coaches who understand a boarding school ice hockey program. The travel generally was unique to Reserve as well. The Pioneer ice hockey players only practiced on the ice every twice a week and were consistently dismissed from school at 2:45pm to attend these practices.
The move also comes with the upcoming retirement of longtime legendary ice hockey head coach Brand Closen. “Coach Closen has developed and sustained this program in his tenure as coach. With his retirement, it’s a monumental challenge to hire a coach who truely understands our unique hockey program,” says Hutchins. “It’s disappointing to see the program go. I understand the school’s decision, and I am very supportive of the moves that the school makes,” says Closen. “We came to an agreement that the program would continue until I retired.”
Despite the announcement to players in June 2022, hockey’s cut was informed to Closen in May 2021 by then-Director of Athletics and Afternoon Activities Herb Haller and Hutchins – around the time that it was announced that football would not continue at WRA. “I was in a tough place not being able to say anything to the players for well over a year,” says Closen. The discussion around the move has been happening for a few years now. Multiple meetings and discussions have happened, considering player interest, staffing abilities, and the aforementioned logistical problems. Applicants to WRA were notified in the application process for the 2022-2023 school year that there was a possibility that hockey would not continue beyond the upcoming winter season.
Players on the team, both active and alumni were disappointed according to Closen. “It’s disappointing after the run we had last year of winning the championship for our division,” says four-year WRA hockey player Brendan Gallagher ‘23.
Closen and Gallagher voiced their concerns about the players who would be left without a winter sport following the upcoming winter season. “We’re leaving kids hanging, which is not a good position to be in,” says Closen. “The school isn’t giving these non-senior players other opportunities,” Gallagher said. In talking with Hutchins prior to Closen and Gallagher, he said “You never go into my job wanting to cut a sport. It’s hard. Especially when you think about the kids.”
As ice hockey prepares to hit the ice for one final season, Closen is still optimistic about what is ahead of them. “We’ve won four Baron Cups [in my time], so I think we should go out with a ring for the thumb.”
– Landon Allis ’23
The Reserve Record 