There will be a new look at BB&N next season.
Ed Bourget, who has coached the girls program since 2013, will take on a new role as the school's director of hockey operations. BB&N has begun a search for a new girls hockey coach.
Bourget (Shrewsbury, Mass.) will take on an overarching role across both the Knights' boys and girls programs with responsibilities including programming, scheduling, recruiting, helping student-athletes with the college process and more. One of his main objectives will be improving the boys program alongside varsity coach Anthony Moccia (Medford, Mass.).
"They've deemed that the girls are in a good spot, and the boys are not," Bourget said. "They've asked me the challenge of maintaining the girls side while improving the boys' scenario. It's an interesting task."
BB&N's girls team went 19-9-2 this past season and reached the Elite 8 semifinals. The boys went 5-22-1, following a 3-24-0 run the season prior. They have not finished above .500 since going 15-10-3 in 2013-14.
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"The whole goal is you've got to be able to compete in hockey games. We're not competing in hockey games right now," Bourget said. "That's at least in my vision in the next few years. We're never taking Belmont Hill off the schedule because that's a major school rivalry. But at the same time, we want to make them have to go into our games and be like, 'All right, we've actually got to practice hard and go into this game.' It's not a stat night anymore."
In 11 seasons behind the bench of the girls team, Bourget amassed a 184-118-22 record, including two Large School championships and three Elite 8 appearances. He was previously an assistant coach with the boys team from 2005-06 to 2012-13. After graduating from BB&N in 1996, Bourget played Division 3 college hockey at St. Anselm before three seasons of Division 1 at Sacred Heart. He had professional stops in the IIHL, ECHL and France. Bourget also coached Sacred Heart's women's team in 2002-03.
Bourget was formerly Mass. Hockey's girls player development director and has coached at USA Hockey's U18 National Camp.
For him, the biggest thing will be building the programs from within. BB&N, which is a Pre-K to Grade 12 day school, offers junior varsity and middle school programs. The girls side had 75 total players between varsity, JV and middle school this winter. That number has eclipsed 80 in the past. On the boys side, the numbers are dwindling.
"We had a JV team, but they couldn't have any games this year because they didn't have a goalie," Bourget said. "The middle school boys were better than they have been in a long time but still not enough to compete on a consistent basis, and they would have to borrow some of the girls players. We need a scenario where we're going to be able to fulfill teams."
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Bourget feels there is even more potential to foster growth among the younger age groups.
"There are a bunch of kids here that play hockey already," he said. "Now it's more about encouraging them to keep at it or doing some camps. If they really want to play hockey, there's an opportunity. So I think we're trying to grow from within the school with the kids that already play instead of them just leaving."
One of his initial ideas could be a learn to play program for younger students.
"We have our ice rink here, right? It's free ice," Bourget said. "So, establishing a program within the community at BB&N, and being like, 'Hey, we're going to bring out some coaches and skills coaches during the winter season.' ... I think that's pretty empowering and a unique thing that I don't think anybody does."
With the new role and vision for the programs, Bourget believes one benefit will be collaboration with the coaches. He could be on the ice during practices or running skills sessions with the teams. He'll also be able to take some things off the coaches' plates.
"It frees up the coaches, too," Bourget said. "For instance, if Moccia or the new girls coach wants to go watch a kid, I can run their practice. All the girls players know me. I recruited all of them and I coached all of them. I'd probably be more heavy on the boys side next year just to get to know those players and those families more.
"Admissions season goes right through the heart of hockey season, so now we have three people that can go out at any given time, between me and the two head coaches. If they really want to look at a person, I can run their practice real quick. So, that's kind of like the working relationship that we're going to try to foster."
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Would BB&N consider going in the direction that Dexter Southfield did for its boys programs? Bourget doesn't think so.
"There is zero possibility because of our academic background," he said. "I say this all the time from Day 1, even when I talk to you or all my recruits, BB&N is an academic school first. I always tell people, you don't come here for hockey. You come here to go to school, but my job is to provide you with the most elite hockey experience you can get at a highly academic school. That's something that we've done (on the girls side). We've always been above .500 with playoff appearances and doing some good things."
