Sports: Women's Hockey
DeKeyser brings familiar feel in place of Johnson
Despite 10 seasons in program, new hockey head coach struggling
SAJIKA GALLEGE/Herald photo
The Wisconsin women’s hockey team has struggled early on without Mark Johnson, despite the familiarity with new head coach Tracey DeKeyser.
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Interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser has been with the team since the beginning. Now, in its 11th season, it’s finally her turn to be in charge.
DeKeyser has been a part of the Wisconsin women’s hockey program since it first took the ice in 1999. Being a constant figure in the program, DeKeyser was given the chance to manage the team this year as head coach Mark Johnson takes a one-year sabbatical to coach the United States 2010 Olympic team.
Throughout the last 10 years, DeKeyser has worked hard to stay in Madison despite coaching chances elsewhere. After attending graduate school at UW and sticking with the program, DeKeyser feels her dedication to the team is evident, and she feels privileged to finally be the head coach.
“It’s really an honor to be in a position like this at a school like this,” DeKeyser said. “I’m here after 10 years of opportunities that have come up elsewhere; I’ve gone to grad school, and I’ve done different things to remain here at Madison. Hopefully, that speaks to my interest and my adoration of the program and what’s going on here.”
Having been a part of the team for so long, DeKeyser already has established a relationship with the program and the team. Instead of adjusting to a completely unknown coach, the team and DeKeyser are already comfortable with each other and are able to work hard using the same systems they have in the past.
UW senior goaltender Alannah McCready mentioned that practices are run generally the same as with Johnson, but DeKeyser’s coaching style is a little bit different. Fellow senior forward Kyla Sanders also noted the difference with DeKeyser bringing more energy but as dedicated to the team as always.
“She’s really easy to talk to, and she’s very vocal,” Sanders said. “She’s always there to help you out and everything.”
While UW senior captain Jasmine Giles feels the transition has been hard with the new coaching — not only in DeKeyser but the assistant coaches as well — a few other players feel it has been easy considering how long DeKeyser has been with the team.
“She’s been here forever,” junior forward Mallory Deluce said. “It’s been easy, no problems.”
Although she has kept many things the same, DeKeyser also is trying to bring in some new things. With the help of new assistant coaches Jackie Friesen and Peter Johnson, DeKeyser is trying to blend in some new drills and some variety, but also keep a balance with things her team is familiar with.
“I think we’ve brought some variety to the program,” DeKeyser said. “At the same time, we’re trying to balance between new and old and familiar. With familiar [things] comes confidence, and you can only do so much new stuff without it being overwhelming.”
While the transition from Johnson to DeKeyser has been smooth for the most part, it has not yet produced the same caliber of team the Badgers have been known to be for the past few years.
Although the team is ranked No. 6 nationally, the Badgers hold just a 7-4-1 record overall, while going 5-3 in the WCHA. The team has been struggling to beat inferior opponents and has split all but two series — in one of the two, they walked away with only a tie and in the other a win. Despite these struggles, the team feels it’s headed in the right direction.
“We just have to learn how to come together as a team, incorporate her new things into our team and how we run our team so we can push forward,” McCready said.
It’s normal to see teams have difficulties when a new coach is brought in, but for the Badgers, DeKeyser is a well-known face and she has just brought in a few new things that have made the transition from Mark Johnson to this season a little more difficult.
It takes some time to get used to a new coach — no matter how familiar they are — but DeKeyser has welcomed the opportunity.
“For Mark [Johnson] — one of the best coaches in the world — to place the program in my hands, it’s really very touching,” DeKeyser said. “It’s been fun, it’s been a challenge. We’ve had a different jigsaw puzzle to work with this year, but I think the pieces are finally coming together.”
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During that tie, I was shocked to watch DeKeyser not even bother to talk to her team after the 3rd period. The other team’s coach pulled their team together and talked before O.T. DeKeyser just sent her starting line out there without even talking to the entire team. I want to like DeKeyser, but I’m still waiting for her to go from assitant to head coach. It’s time to make that transition.
LEAD!
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To quote Jinelle Zaugg from an interview a couple of seasons back;
“We know when we’re not performing badly, because Coach (Johnson)won’t even come into the locker-room between periods. When he’s really mad at you, he gives you the silent treatment.”
DeKeyser’s leadership style is not without precedent.
To expect the Badgers to perform at the same level as we have gotten used to over the last 4 years in the first half of a season with major changes in coaching staff and, more importantly, replacement of so many upperclassmen with such a large percentage of freshmen, is unrealistic and unfair. All things considered, the women are not doing as badly as I would have honestly expected. I’ll give them some more time before I start getting disappointed.
But one thing I DO know about hockey: The UW hockey coaches do NOT need my advice on how to coach…