MGoBlue.com Summer Sessions: Head Coach Red Berenson
7/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
July 25, 2011
Each weekday in the month of July, MGoBlue.com will feature an interview with a U-M head coach. On Monday (July 25) head ice hockey coach Red Berenson talks about the team's top returning players, driving an earthmover, and his summer activities on and off the ice.
What makes the summer in hockey so unique? Why are the summer months so important to the development of the team?
I think what's changed in hockey is that there are a lot of prospect camps that happen during the summer and a lot more ice available so it doesn't seem to be as seasonal of a sport as it used to. You have players skating all summer and tryouts going on for teams, everything but college, even the pro teams have rookie camps and prospects camps, so our players don't get as much time off from hockey as they used to. On the flip side, the productive part is we all do a better job in our off-ice conditioning and that happens once our season is over. Our players work harder off the ice as well.
What do you see as the team's biggest strength heading into next season?
I think our strengths will be our goalkeeping with Shawn Hunwick returning and with freshman John Gibson (Note: On July 27, 2011, John Gibson decided not to attend the University of Michigan). They should be as good as any tandem in the league and maybe in the country. And then I see our defense. I really like the depth that we have on defense with players like Greg Pateryn back as a senior and young John Merrill emerging as a top defensemen last year as a freshman and then all then all the players in between. I like our experience and our depth on defense.
What was your first summer job? And where?
I used to work for my dad in the summer, but that was before I was 16. When I was 16, I got a driver's license and I got a job with a construction company and I was driving one of those earthmovers from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. It was a 12-hour night shift and that was quite an experience. We lived out in the country, about 100 miles outside of Regina, so it was way out in the boondocks. We lived in trailers out there and one of my friend's dad owned the company. They needed a driver and I was in the right place at the right time. I think we made all of $1.50 an hour so I thought I was rich. Well, I realized I didn't want to be a 50-year-old earthmover driver. These guys work hard and get bounced all over the place and it's a tough job, but it was exciting for me as a young kid. I wouldn't want to have that job now.
Do you or did you have any special travel plans this summer?
Nothing special. I played in the Snoopy hockey tournament in California last week (which we won). We had a good week but we're playing against a bunch of old men, 65 and over. That's about it, outside of normal family visiting and travel. The canoe trip took us up on the border of Manitoba and Ontario. I don't know if that is a special trip since I do it every year.
Since your season ended, tell us one unique thing you have done?
The summer has gone by so quickly I don't think anything was unique. The only difference was we had to look for an assistant coach who turned out to be Brian Wiseman. We hadn't hired anyone in 20 years so that was unique. We were on the ice together last night. He's going to be terrific.
Past MGoBlue.com Summer Sessions
• Head Women's Tennis Coach Ronni Bernstein (July 22)
• Head Field Hockey Coach Marcia Pankratz (July 22)
• Head Women's Basketball Coach Kevin Borseth (July 21)
• Head Men's Lacrosse Coach John Paul (July 20)
• Head Wrestling Coach Joe McFarland (July 19)
• Head Women's Track & Field Coach James Henry (July 19)
• Head Women's Golf Coach Cheryl Stacy (July 18)
• Head Rowing Coach Mark Rothstein (July 15)
• Head Women's Swimming Coach Jim Richardson (July 14)
• Head Volleyball Coach Mark Rosen (July 13)
• Head Men's Soccer Coach Steve Burns (July 12)
• Head Women's Cross Country Coach Mike McGuire (July 11)
• Head Men's Cross Country Coach Alex Gibby (July 11)
• Head Women's Soccer Coach Greg Ryan (July 8)
• Head Men's Tennis Coach Bruce Berque (July 7)
• Head Men's Track & Field Coach Fred LaPlante (July 6)
• Head Water Polo Coach Matt Anderson (July 5)
• Head Men's Swimming & Diving Coach Mike Bottom (July 1)
