Posted: 5/1/02

Young resigns as boys hockey coach

Berk Brown
Sports Editor

When the Forest Lake Senior High boys hockey team drops its first puck next season, it will do so with a new head coach.

Jim Young, who guided the Rangers to their best season in school history last year, officially resigned his position last week as head coach after just one season.

It was a season which saw the Rangers go from a struggling program to one which rose to a new level. Forest Lake went 17-8-2, had its first-ever home section playoff game and handed Roseville its only regular-season loss.

While Young said several factors went into his decision, the biggest was his need to spend more time at home next year. He and his wife are expecting their first child in November, just when the Rangers will be preparing for life without him.

ìPhysically, I just canít coach next year and have a baby in November,î Young said. ìI just wonít have the time I need in order to really be around and fight all the fights which need to be fought and do all the things which need to be done to keep us from just winning 17 games a year and being an average program.î

Young wouldnít rule out a return to Forest Lake or coaching in the future, but said he will not be a head coach anywhere next season.

Rumors had begun circulating within the community that Young was leaving Forest Lake to coach at Suburban East Conference rival White Bear Lake.

Young called such rumors ìlaughableî and said he never applied, interviewed or showed interest in the job.

Forest Lake Activities Director Don Bosch said last week a search for a replacement will begin immediately.

ìItís going to be a tough loss for us,î Bosch said of Youngís departure.

Itís going to be a tough loss, because Young not only came in and made the Forest Lake program successful from a winning standpoint, but he also returned discipline, respect and expectations back to a program which had just three winning seasons since the programís inception in 1973.

Young had been the head junior varsity coach at Hill-Murray prior to coming to Forest Lake last season. He also is a successful real estate agent in Maplewood.

Young always told his players to keep their priorities straight and to put God, family and school in front of hockey. Now heís simply putting his family ahead of hockey.

ìNow my family needs have changed and itís time to do what I told them to do,î Young said. ìI need to go to work on my family.î

Bosch will be getting to work on hiring a replacement after being unable to persuade Young into staying.

ìWeíre going to start taking applications (this week) and try to get somebody in place by May,î Bosch said. ìI want the next coach to be able to meet the returning players before summer. Iím not going to wait forever.

ìHopefully weíll get quality candidates. Weíre going to use Jim as a resource and hopefully weíll be able to find someone as good as him.î

Young said it is important for the players he coached to realize what they accomplished and encouraged them to keep the bar raised high and do what it takes to improve Forest Lake hockey.

ìIím extremely proud of what we accomplished in my first year. But, at the same time, I didnít score one goal, I didnít have one assist and I didnít take one shift. The players did it on their own,î Young said. ìAll I did was change perceptions and attitudes.î

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