Re: EMASS Girls Hockey 2010-2011
posted at 12/16/2010 6:05 AM EST
Thought this was pretty intresting, feel bad for the girls and the program
BARNSTABLE
Kim Sullivan, the head coach of Barnstable girl’s ice hockey for nine years, officially resigned last night, according to Barnstable's former goalie coach T.C. Cleary.
A mass informational e-mail was sent about the resignation to all alumni players of the team by Kristen Logan, daughter of manager Paul Logan and former captain and varsity player of four years.
Sullivan's resignation comes after “being bullied online by disagreeing parents,” said Cleary. Also, since this summer, accusations ranging three pages long were made to the school and MIAA by upset parents.
“This season Kim has resulted on being forced to go back on team policies and rules,” said Cleary.
Current players are upset.
“There are no words to describe how I feel. I can’t ever imagine playing under anyone else,” said captain Harleigh Jenkins.
Both Jenkins and fellow captain Cortney Sollows have played for Sullivan for four years on varsity.
“She puts us before herself at the drop of a hat,” said Sollows.
An example of that would be when a team manager and a sister of a former player, Caroline Fries, passed away two winters ago due to cancer.
“When Caroline passed away, she held our team together. Without her the team would have fallen apart,” said Sollows.
Former players are stepping out and defending Sullivan through e-mails, Facebook, and by possibly boycotting the alumni game. The players include Cara Osimo who played for Sullivan as a captain during the inaugural 2002-2003 club season.
“She treated all of her players with respect and always interacted with us in a responsible and appropriate manner," said Osimo. "Her patience and genuine caring personality had a very large impact on me during a time in which I needed guidance."
Kathryn Lennon, former captain and 2002-2003 player, has been working with Sullivan since the beginning of starting a girl’s team at Barnstable.
“She was right there with me when I needed to speak to the school council to get the Barnstable team approved. I wasn’t scared about having the team because I knew we had a coach, a very qualified coach,” said Lennon.
Calls to Sullivan and Barnstable High School’s Athletic Director Steve Francis have not been returned. According to Sollows and Jenkins, the team was speaking with Francis before today’s practice about the resignation.