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Michigan Tech hopes very little will change in their hockey program after announcing new head coach Joe Shawhan.
Shawhan fills the role vacated by Mel Pearson, who left earlier this year to coach at the University of Michigan.
Shawhan has spent the last three years as an assistant coach to Pearson, where he developed a strong relationship with his players–something he expects will continue.
Shawhan said, “I’m not going to change. This is how I’ve always been and I just want to be a mirror for them. Our goal is to help them be the best in everything, a way of life, so we just need to create a consistent environment, which is here–which I was able to move into three years ago when I came–to allow these guys to grow into what they can be.”
Another tradition Shawhan expects to carry on is the success of the team, which isn’t necessarily measured by wins and losses.
“I could go race one of our athletes and I can train for six months and get blown away,” Shawhan said, “doesn’t mean I didn’t do the best I can do. We want our guys to be able to do the best they can do, and then if we’re doing our job and getting good athletes in here, everything else will take care of itself.”
From the players’ perspective, Shawhan is not already just familiar with the team and the program, but Huskies’ forward Brent Baltus says he has been instrumental in its growth.
Baltus said, “He’s a very knowledgeable guy. He’s had a big impact on a lot of areas we’ve had a lot of success in these last three years, whether it be our P-K, our D-zone, goaltending–all those things, that I think it will be nice to have a guy who’s familiar with the program.”
Shawhan is the 22nd head coach of the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team.
