Planning to stay on in an administrative capacity at BSU
I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Feb. 28, 2001
By Devlyn Brooks
Staff Writer
Legendary Bemidji State men's hockey coach Bob Peters announced Tuesday this weekend's series versus North Dakota will be his last at the help of the Beavers program.
The Friday-Saturday series against the nationally ranked Sioux will bring Peters' 37-year collegiate coaching career full circle, as he broke into college coaching with UND.
Peters informed this year's Beavers of his decision in a team meeting Monday, according to the university. And he announced it publicly in a 30-minute press conference Tuesday in a room just a few feet from where he made history in the in the John Glas Fieldhouse.
Peters did say he will stay on in an administrative capacity at BSU, remaining as BSU's director of men's and women's hockey operations. He said he will perform administrative and fundraising tasks and will attend national and conference function on BSU's behalf. He added he may become active in promoting the new Division I hockey conference -- College Hockey America -- of which BSU is a founding member.
"I will retire as the men's head hockey coach effective upon the conclusion of the March 2-3 series with North Dakota," he said in a short prepared speech. "... This concludes 41 years as a hockey coach, 37 years as a head coach. And I have to admit the last 35 at Bemidji State have been the most precious. Coaching is the toughest assignment I ever loved and I would do it all again in a Minnesota minute."
Peters, 63, was named BSU's fifth head coach in 1966 when the Beavers still competed on an outdoor ice rink. He credits then-BSU President Harry Bangsberg for luring him away from UND, which was an established program. Peters coached two years with the Sioux and led them to the Division I Final Four in his second year as coach.
Entering this weekend's series, Peters has a career record of 744-296-48, making him the second winningest college hockey coach in history. He is second only to Michigan Tech's Ron Mason who has 800-plus wins at three schools. On Feb. 9, Peters notched his 700th win at BSU with a 6-2 whipping of Niagara University at the John Glas, making him the only coach ever to reach 700 wins with one school.
In the 33 years Peters has guided the team, the Beavers have appeared in post season playoffs 26 times, winning 13 national championships in the NAIA and National Collegiate Athletics Associations' Divisions III and II.
Bemidji State has produced 80 All-Americans, seven U.S. national team players, five Olympians, four National Hockey League players and a host of minor league professional players in the United States and Europe, according to the university. But to Peters, he is most proud of the number of BSU alumni who have gone on to work in the hockey ranks as high school and college coaches, a number too large to track.
Pioneers
Although his list of milestones is long, Peters spent the majority of his time Tuesday reflecting upon this year's Beavers team, which is the first in school history to play a full Division I schedule. The young team, which features only five juniors and seniors, has posted only four wins and by far the worst record in BSU hockey history.
But Peters said he is proud of this year's team because of their work ethic, and he promised Beavers fans a fine future because of the current players.
"They're the pioneers that had to go through the process of the transition to Division I. It's been a tough year as far wins and losses," he told a group of players who attended the press conference. "You will walk together forever, remembering this year, because you are the pioneers that took us through these difficult times. I salute you. I'm proud to be your coach."
A tip of that
Referring to Peters' remarkable ability to inspire his players, BSU Jim Bensen called attention to the many BSU players who have gone on to become coaches themselves, saying Peters has left an indelible impression on hockey at BSU and in northern Minnesota.
"Coach Peters has been Bemidji State hockey. What he has done in putting our university on the map is one thing. What he has done for the sport is extra special," he said. "But what he has done for people, for all the people who have played for him, as well as for all the people who played for him who became coaches ... the influence of Coach Peters can never be put in some kind of a measured dimension."
Bensen thanked Peters for coaching the Beavers to 13 national titles, for his three decades of commitment to BSU and for four decades of commitment to hockey.
Relating a personal anecdote, Bensen said in his early teaching days he was a coach for three years and it was tough work because a coach's work is openly displayed to the public once or twice a week. A teacher's work remains hidden in the classroom much of the time, he said.
"We're going to miss that person in the top coat leaning up against the wall in John Glas Fieldhouse," he said. "But we're not going to (forget) the influence, we're not going to forget the excitement that he brought to us. Coach Peters we tip our hat to you, and we thank you the bottom of our hearts."
Replacement process
Although BSU officials were coy with their answers Tuesday, Peters' likely replacement will be current Associate Head Coach Tom Serratore, who was the chief recruiting coordinator for St. Cloud State University for five years before joining the Beavers three years ago. He also was a three-year letterwinner and a forward on the Beavers 1986 NCAA Division III championship team.
Many Beavers aficionados have speculated since then that Serratore was the heir apparent to the throne.
But BSU Vice President for Administrative Affairs Tom Faecke said Tuesday a search committee will be formed and a national search conducted.
"Tom (Serratore) is a very talented young man," he said in an interview. "(But) we have to go through an active process of selecting a head coach."
Peters said he knows whom he'd like to take up the torch but he added he was prevented by protocol from saying a name.
"I know in my heart which way I want this program to go," he said. "And I know the individual who's capable of taking it that way."
Serratore, who has known about Peters' decision to retire since October, also declined to say that he is the natural replacement to Peters.
"I left St. Cloud to come here," he said. "It's obviously very appealing to me to be the next guy in line, especially being a Beaver alumni."
Faecke said he hopes to name a new coach by the end of spring semester.
Playing his alma matter
Peters said this weekend's series against UND will be special for many reasons, notably because he played collegiate hockey there and because the school offered him his first collegiate head coaching job.
Even though UND has won seven Division I titles, including one last year, and is again nationally ranked this year, Peters said he has never regretted making his decision to take the BSU head coaching job in 1966.
"The big time is where you're happy, and I was happy at Bemidji State," he said. "I'm very proud to be a member of the faculty of Bemidji State."
He said it was not planned that UND would be his last opponent, but he said he will enjoy it.
"It's going to be great to see my two favorite teams on the ice at the same time. BSU is No. 1. ... Don't forget that. The Sioux are next," he said. "So that's special. Playing North Dakota will be special."
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