I am planning to declare my intentions Thursday night at 9 p.m., though it won’t be carried on national television. I promise not to refer to myself in the third person when I do it.
In a week when all of us witnessed the worst our sports world has to offer, Niagara University featured what is right about the world of sports, professionally or collegiately. To be candid, I didn’t even watch the big free agency announcement and hadn’t seen any of it until I watched ESPN on Sunday morning. And I’m not being critical of anyone who wants to make his or her life better because no one wants to end up 31 years old with two bad knees and no rings. Believe me, I’m 37 years old with two bad knees and I can’t fit the Sunday Gazette under me when I jump. It’s tough.
Those of you who made it to Dwyer Arena the first week of July had an opportunity to witness one side of what is really good about sports as we hosted the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp. Known by most as rookie camp, this five-day event showcased the future of the Sabres but more importantly showcased a classy organization. From Larry Quinn and Niagara alum Dan DiPofi on down, the Sabres showed again that people in the mega-million dollar world of professional sports can operate with class and dignity. With the 2010-11 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship coming up in December, I know the Sabres will do Western New York proud by putting on a spectacular event, and we are happy to play a role as the alternate site.
The past week with the Sabres really kicks off what should be an exciting year of hockey on Monteagle Ridge. Energy and enthusiasm continue to build for our men’s hockey team and the inaugural season in Atlantic Hockey. I spoke at an alumni event in Rochester in the middle of June, and the alums got me excited as they talked about going to RIT’s campus to watch us play. There is no denying that the rivalries with our new conference make everyone excited about our future in this growing conference.
Excitement for next year isn’t confined to one locker room in Dwyer Arena, or dressing room for those of you across the Gorge. Going into his second season as our women’s coach, Chris Mackenzie has put together a solid recruiting class and set us up for more growth as a program. Setting a strong course for the women’s CHA is a top priority this year so that our team can position itself for an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament if we are ever fortunate enough to play for a championship.
Having both hockey programs in the position to compete for conference championships and NCAA Tournament berths was a major priority of mine when I started four years ago this month. I truly believe we have positioned our women’s program to reach the lofty status of our men’s program.
A second major priority for me was and continues to be improving the student-athlete experience. That work continues and, through the generosity of Purple Eagle fans everywhere, we are making it happen. We hosted our annual Niagara Kist Golf Classic on June 14 at Niagara Falls Country Club and fielded another record turnout. The proceeds from the event helped make major renovations in the O’Malley Weight Room, with new plyo blocks, new platforms, new equipment and a badly-needed paint job. Having the weight room up to a Division I standard is important, so that our student-athletes understand how critical strength and conditioning is to our success. The teams that do the best in the weight room traditionally do the best on the field, ice or court.
The work being done all summer by our Purple Eagles will help us prepare for another year of success. As exciting as last year was, with a MAAC Championship in volleyball, championship appearances in men’s soccer, women’s soccer and men’s hockey, national television broadcasts for men’s basketball and reclaiming the Canal Cup from the school on Main Street, I can’t wait to get next year started.
Our intentions are to make all of you proud for supporting us, and I think we can do it without even making an announcement.
