Dave Hanneman resigned as Dickinson High boys hockey co-coach Monday, saying he wants to become more involved with the Dickinson Hockey Club's youth program."I need to focus on the youth program and get those kids to where they need to be so when they get to high school, we're not teaching them the basics anymore," Hanneman said.
Hanneman, who resigned after four years as the Midgets' coach, plans to remain the Dickinson Hockey Club's director.
In the 2005-06 season, he took the label of co-coach with former assistant coach Tom Folske.
Over Hanneman's four seasons, the Midgets compiled a 35-54-5 record.
The past two, the team was a combined 21-22-4. In each season, the Midgets lost to Bismarck Century by one goal in state-qualifier games.
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This year, they lost 5-4 to Century in double overtime and finished their season at 10-11-2. The season included seven straight losses against West Region opponents.
"We've got a good group of kids coming back, but they need to start kicking butt right now in the weights and the training," Hanneman said. "I'm going to be there for every one of those kids. I'm just not going to be coaching the high school."
Hanneman said being in charge of the club and coaching the high school boys team did not mesh as well as he hoped it would.
"There's just been chaos, chaos, chaos at that youth level and I just need to be more hands on," he said.
With Hanneman stepping down, the likely choice to replace him is Folske.
However, the school must open up the position publicly and Folske, who lives and works in Bowman, has not decided whether or not he wants to pursue the position.
"It's a possibility," Folske said. "It's something I need to discuss with my family."
Folske believes Hanneman's decision is a positive step for hockey in Dickinson.
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"For him, it'll be a good move," Folske said. "He wants to get more involved at the youth level and this will give him an opportunity to do that.
"He sees the program growing right now. Him being involved at that level will help nurture that that much more."
Hanneman will end his stint as a high school coach at the Chicago Showcase this summer.
Grand Forks Central head coach Tony Bina will coach Team North Dakota and Hanneman will be his assistant.
"I was a part of that as a player and I'm extremely excited to be a part of it as a coach," Hanneman said.
