By Arielle Aronson/DFP Staff
Senior goaltender Kieran Millan has had his share of troubles on the ice this season, and now, Millan is having problems off the ice as well. The goalie will be benched for Friday’s game against the University of Vermont because he broke team rules by skipping class.
Millan is the third Terrier in three weeks to be benched for skipping class. Senior forward Kevin Gilroy and junior defenseman Max Nicastro missed an away game at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell for skipping class as well.
Parker said the team has a long-standing practice of collecting course cards from professors at certain points throughout the semester. The course cards indicate what the player’s current grade in the class is, what the player’s projected grade is, and what his attendance has been like. When Parker received the course cards for Nicastro and Gilroy two weeks ago, he was made aware that Millan missed almost as many classes as the two benched players. Parker said he used the opportunity to warn Millan.
“I called him in and I said, ‘I’m sitting these two guys because they cut class too much,'” Parker said. “‘You’re on the verge of cutting this class too much. Don’t cut another one.'”
Apparently, Millan chose not to heed his coach’s warning. Millan met with Parker Thursday afternoon and then left the rink before a team video session, something Parker said was probably the result of the goalie not knowing there was a session at that time.
Parker was visibly annoyed with his goalie when he was interviewed after the video session. He said his frustration with Millan has nothing to do with the goaltender’s performance on the ice this season, but he “couldn’t be more frustrated regarding his class participation or his class attendance.”
“Rules are rules,” Parker said. “We bench other guys for it. He’s not above it. He’s been warned and he wasn’t listening.”
Senior goaltender Grant Rollheiser will get the start in place of Millan Friday night. The coaching staff had wanted to get Rollheiser some game action this weekend anyways, but while Rollheiser is not getting a start because Millan broke a rule, he is getting that start on Friday because Millan is not allowed to play. Parker said he had “no idea” who would be in net on Saturday, but Millan would not be benched from Saturday’s game for missing the same class.
“It’s not like he’s getting suspended,” Parker said. “But that’s the price you want to pay? You thumb your nose at the professor, then I’ll thumb my nose at you. That’s exactly how we look at it. You’re taking this class and the professor for granted. How would I feel if this guy didn’t show up for practice?
“People know what the rules are regarding that. It’s real simple.”
Great that parker tries to make the players go to class. I am sure that this is not the way they do it in Maine. However, as Arielle has stated in the Q and A a while ago, most of these players go to school at night at MET college. This fact, I think, tells them that they are part time students and that college is secondary. When I went to school all players had 15 hours a semester and, those in my class, all did the work while in day schoool. I believe they went to the rink late at night and one student/ hockey player was on the T with me as he worked part time after the 2:00- 3:00 class. This man was an all East forward and one of the greatest hockey players we ever had at BU. Maybe we should change our recruiting strategy and get men who want an education first and also play hockey at a high level. Is this the root of our problem of late? Just asking. Arielle?
Comparing eras is so tough because there’s just no denying that the game is faster, players are stronger and that it’s basically an entirely different game. Not to take away from the achievements of athletes in the past, but a lot of them wouldn’t survive in the game today. And that’s because of the amount and the kind of training these guys put in. Being a high level athlete these days is a completely different experience than it ever has been in the past.
Training is vital… The kind of training the athletes put in will dictate their performance in the game.