Transcript of Jeff Blashill's introduction speech.
"I was a little afraid that I was going to have to wear that
jersey because last time I wore a hockey jersey things didn't go so well, which
is why I am in coaching.
After a long delay I am certainly very excited to finally be
here. Excited to begin a new chapter of Bronco hockey and build upon the
foundation that has been laid by so many great Bronco hockey alums. I grew up
in Michigan, have been part of the CCHA as a fan, as a player and as a coach
for 30-plus years. I have always known Western Michigan University to be
special institution and I have always felt that Bronco hockey had the ability
to be among the nation's elite programs. Today begins the work to make that a
reality.
I have a number of thank yous to extend. First the administration
at Western Michigan: President Dunn, athletic director Kathy Beauregard,
associate athletic director Monty Porter and the rest of the administration and
staff, as well as the Board of Trustees members, specifically Jim Hettinger who
I met on my interview here. I thank you very much for the confidence you have
shown in me and the faith you have put in me in this program. I will not let
you down.
A few other thanks, a special thanks to the Indiana Ice
owners Paul and Cindy Skjodt as well as their great staff they have there. It
was a great time of my life and we have a special two years. A lot of great
memories and capped it off with a National Championship and it will always be a
special place in my heart and I thank them for the opportunity they gave me two
years ago.
Also a few key members of the college hockey coaching
community: Bob Daniels and Drew Famulak at Ferris State, Enrico Blassi and
Chris Bergeron at Miami, and Seth Appert at RPI. They are people who have
shaped me greatly as an individual and as a hockey coach and I certainly owe
them a lot of thanks.
To the many great players and young men I had the
opportunity to coach, first at Ferris then at Miami and finally at Indiana.
They have been outstanding young guys and I certainly wouldn't be standing here
today without their unbelievable efforts and execution and I'd be remiss if I
didn't thank them.
Lastly my family, in terms of thanks, my parents Jim and
Rose Blashill are here. They have been incredible role models to me. They have
shown me the integrity, the work ethic and the passion that have driven me as a
hockey coach and guided me as a hockey coach. To my wife Erica and my two
children Teddy and Josie, as well as the unnamed one that is 'in mommy's
belly,' as Josie says. The sacrifices that a coaches family makes is
incredible, we certainly have been on this rollercoaster together and we are
excited for another run.
The bar has been set high here by the administration for the
Bronco hockey program and I can tell you that I welcome that. In fact it very
much excited me about the job. We'll have two main goals here amongst a number
of others but two main focuses. One will be to develop the young guys that are
in the back of the room as well as the others and those that we'll recruit. Develop
them as people, as students and as hockey players so they are prepared for life
when they leave Western Michigan University with prestigious degrees in hand.
Second is to win championships. Every year there are three
championships at stake in the CCHA. There is the CCHA regular season title, the
CCHA playoff title and a national championship. I believe and I know that if we
execute as a staff and our group of players execute that all three are
attainable.
This road will be long and hard but it is one that I have
traveled. I know what it takes to be great at this level and my job will be to
make sure our players live up to that standard and I will tell you that they
will. We will demand our student-athletes are making the daily choices it takes
to be great in all facets of their life. In the classroom, the community, the
weight room, on the ice and amongst others, we will demand they make those
daily choices.
To reach these heights we will need the help of our alums,
of the Western Michigan campus community and the greater Kalamazoo communities.
I will work tirelessly to earn your trust in our program. I look forward to the
days, hopefully soon, of playing in front of packed crowds at Lawson Arena.
Being lead by, what I know as an opponent, the best student section in the CCHA
in the Lawson Lunatics, we'll work on the language. But our work to achieve
this will begin today and I certainly look forward to it.
Thank you for your time and thanks again for the
opportunity."
