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Sarsland tells his side of the story

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Peter Knutson
Let’s Play Hockey

After 27 years of coaching the Elk River High School boys’ hockey program, Tony Sarsland has decided to move on to the next stage in his life. While coaching there, Sarsland amassed an impressive 588-277-26 record, 12 conference championships, and a state title in 2001. Sarsland will be deeply missed by the current and past players he has coached.

While 27 years is a long time to do anything, Sarsland’s exit was a bit unexpected and premature. Earlier in the year, Sarsland was accused of harassing his players and having an intimidating, aggressive personality. He first resigned on Thursday, Feb. 9, but three days later rescinded his resignation. On Monday, April 9, Sarsland turned in his official resignation.

While there is a large cloud of mystery surrounding these allegations, we did get a chance to hear what Sarsland had to say.

“It all started with the new penalty changes,” Sarsland said. “I have always tried to promote clean play at all levels I have coached. The new changes did not change how I saw the game. I made a rule that if you hit someone from behind, you were done playing for the night. It is the coach’s responsibility to firmly implement this mentality into the players. Don’t hit players from behind!

“During a very close game, one of our leading scorers received a checking from behind penalty. To set an example for the team as well as to the hockey community, I held true to my rule. I pulled him aside and told him he was done for the night. After the game, his mom was a little upset, as any parent would be, but she also agreed with the rule and thanked me for making the right choice. A few games later, the same player received another checking from behind penalty. It was his second in three games. Again I pulled him over to the side, this time a little more aggressively and told him, ‘This can’t happen again.’

“A few days later at work, I was pulled into the principal’s office and told there were allegations against me, saying I was physically abusive to the players. This came as a huge shock to me. I have never shaken a player or hurt them.

“I know I can get a little passionate during the games sometimes, but never have I done anything to harm a player. At the beginning of the season, I asked every single player how they wanted to be disciplined. Each one responded, ‘Confront me on my problems. Get in my face if you have to until I realize what I am doing wrong on the ice.’

“There were also allegations that I was very intimidating and hard to talk to. I am a 65-year-old man, 5-foot-8 inches, have been coaching for 27 years, had tons of former players call me and ask to talk, and never once had any problems with my players, parents or the community. I regularly talked to the principal, athletic director and superintendent and never once did they say there were any problems.

“After the meeting on Friday morning, I was suspended from teaching and I resigned as the coach. I was also told I would resume teaching on Monday. How can such an intimidating guy be allowed back to the classroom so quickly?”

A long-time teacher at VandenBerge Middle School, Sarsland has a reputation as one of the school’s most popular teachers.

“That next day, the varsity team had a game. It was the first time I hadn’t been at a game in many years. I was not allowed to talk to any of the players or have any contact with them. That same night, every player on the team showed up at my doorstep. There were a lot of tears as each one of them came and asked when I would be back. I told them I cared deeply about all of them, but my family is more important.

“Just before they left, two players talked to me, one being the player who received the checking from behind penalty. They said, ‘Coach, we were both there. You didn’t do anything. You weren’t even mad.’

“The next day, my whole family showed up at my house and they all wanted me to continue coaching. That meant a lot. I received over 500 phone calls from people wanting me to reconsider my decision, so I did. I rescinded my resignation and waited for the next eight weeks. The players were all interviewed. They were asked if I had ever grabbed their facemask, hit them or done anything to physically abuse them. Each one again said no. After waiting for so long to hear a decision from the school, I decided it was best for me and my family to resign.

“I wish things didn’t have to be like this because I am going to miss those kids. It was never about me as a coach. It was about the players. I never thought I was a great coach. I couldn’t even tell you my record. All I can tell you is that I have coached some very special kids, enjoyed my time coaching them, and am going to miss it a lot.

“The Elk River program is a great community to work with. We never once recruited a player, we always tried to play clean and most importantly to have fun. That I will swear on my life and take to my grave.”

During Sarsland’s absence, Ben Gustafson took over as the interim head coach. Elk River finished out the season in a close lose to the top-ranked Duluth East Greyhounds. Gustafson was the junior varsity coach at the beginning of the season.

While there remains some mystery surrounding the issue of Sarsland’s final weeks with the Elks, one thing for sure is that Tony Sarsland will always be remembered as a great friend and coach in the Elk River program.