MESSAGE FROM COACH LANTZ

Sunday, February 3, 2013

ALTHOUGH THE SEASON DID NOT QUITE TURN OUT LIKE WE HAD PLANNED, I SAW SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON TO THE SECOND.  I CAN HONESTLY SAY I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED FOR NEXT SEASON AS WE HAVE A STRONG GROUP OF FRESHMEN RETURNING AND WILL BE THE CORE OF PSU ALTOONA.  I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK THE PLAYERS.  THIS WAS A REALLY GREAT GROUP OF STUDENTS TO BE AROUND AND I THINK WITH A LITTLE MORE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION WE CAN HELP THIS TEAM REACH OUR GOALS.  NEXT SEASON WE ARE GOING TO ASK AND EXPECT MORE OF EACH AND EVERY PLAYER.  MY SECOND SET OF THANKS GOES OUT TO THE CAPTAINS AND ASSISTANT CAPTAINS.  NATE DOLAN (CAPTAIN), WAS A HARD WORKER ON AND OFF THE ICE.  HE JUST WANTED TO WIN AND NEVER GAVE UP, EVEN ON HIS LAST SHIFT WE HE LAID OUT TO BLOCK A SHOT.  RJ BONANNI (ASSISTANT), WAS AN EMOTIONAL LEADER IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND ON ICE HUDDLES.  AND FINALLY CHRIS "BIG TOE" STERNBERGER, ALWAYS THE FIRST AT PRACTICE AND ONE OF HARDEST WORKERS.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS IN LEADING THIS TEAM.  CURRENT TEAM MEMBERS LOOK DEEP WITHIN YOURSELVES AND LOOK AT YOUR CAPTAINS AS SOME OF YOU MAY BE CALLED UPON NEXT SEASON TO LEAD YOUR TEAM.  THIRDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PARENTS.  COLLEGE HOCKEY IS NOT EASY TO FOLLOW JUST BECAUSE OF DISTANCE.  YET THIS SEASON WE HAD ONE OF OUR STRONGEST FOLLOWINGS OF PARENTS TRAVELING TO BOTH HOME AND AWAY GAMES.  WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOUR SNACKS, AND FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS PUTTING YOUR SON IN THE CAR AND TAKING HIM TO HOCKEY PRACTICE AND GAMES EVERY WEEKEND, JUST BECAUSE YOU LOVE THE SPORT.  FOURTHLY,  JOHN CAREY (CLUB DIRECTOR).  JOHN DOES A LOT FOR OUR PROGRAM AND WITHOUT HIS SUPPORT, THE PSU ALTOONA PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE NEARLY AS SUCCESSFUL.  HE HELPS WITH OUR FUNDING AND IS A BIG SUPPORTER OF OUR PROGRAM.  THANY YOU TO THE STUDENT GOVERMENT FOR THE NEW HOME, AWAY, AND CANCER AWARNESS JERSEYS.  THANK YOU TO DONNA PEARLMAN, WHO MONITORS OUR FUNDING AND MAKES SURE BILLS ARE PAID ON TIME.  THANK YOU TO GLEN BARBOSSA AND MIKE BOWMAN FOR DEDICATING THEIR TIME AT OFF ICE.  THANK YOU TO THE ASSISTANT COACHES.  MIKE MAGEE, WHO HAS THE LONGEST TENURE WITH PSU ALTOONA AND STORIES KEEP THE LOCKER ROOM ATMOSPHERE LITE.  I WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK ASSISTANT COACH PATRICK KINCH, WHO NOT ONLY BALANCED STUDIES AT MAIN CAMPUS, BUT TRAVELED TO ALTOONA FOR PRACTICE TWICE A WEEK AND ALL GAMES.  WITH MY ACL INJURY COACH KINCH WAS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE.  HE WAS A FORMER PLAYER FOR ME HIS FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEAR, AND THEN WENT ONTO PLAY FOR THE D2 TEAM HIS JUNIOR YEAR UNTIL CONCUSSIONS ENDED HIS HOCKEY CAREER.  HE CONTACTED ME AND ASKED IF HE COULD HELP OUT THIS SEASON AND THE PROGRAM BENEFITED FROM HIS EXPERIENCE.  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK FREEDOM EXCURSIONS, FOR PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO ALL OF OUR AWAY GAMES, WHICH PROVIDED SAFE TRAVELS FOR THE PLAYERS ON MANY OF SNOWY AND LATE NIGHTS.  THANK YOU TO ALL THE PLAYERS WHO HAVE PLAYED THEIR LAST COLLEGIATE HOCKEY GAME AND WILL BE ATTENDING MAIN CAMPUS NEXT SEASON.  AND FINALLY THANK YOU TO THE MANAGERS BRIDGETTE DASILVA AND CORTNEY DLUBAK.  THEY ARE TRULY THE BACKBONE OF THE PENN STATE HOCKEY PROGRAM.  THEY DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO BEING AT EVERY PRACTICE, GAME, ACTIVITY WITH VERY LITTLE THANKS.  THE "BUNNIES" ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR HOCKEY FAMILY.  SOMETIMES THE BOYS DON'T REALIZE EVERTHING THEY DO FOR THE PROGRAM.  THEY ALLOW THE BOYS JUST TO SHOW UP AND PLAY HOCKEY. SO ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM I SAY TO THE MANAGERS....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!   I WISH BRIDGETTE ALL THE BEST AT MAIN CAMPUS NEXT SEASON AS SHE HOPES TO CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE D2 OR D1 PROGRAMS.  THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE AND LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT SEASON NEXT YEAR.