March 4, 2008

By Mike Scandura
Special to usahockey.com

University of Wisconsin-River Falls men's coach Steve Freeman has had chances to move on to bigger, more high profile coaching positions. But why leave a great situation at one of the nation's preeminent Division III hockey programs?

Freeman, a native of New Brighton, Minn., is wrapping his 12th season as the Falcons' head coach.

Through March 1, his career record of 236-98-25 ranks him sixth in winning percentage among active coaches - even though he's coached fewer season than most other Division III coaches.

"Over the years there have been opportunities for assistant positions at the Division I level to use as a stepping stone," said Freeman. "But running your own program and being your own boss is attractive.

"Some coaches who have gone that route have had success. But many are envious of having a program like this where you can put out a winning program year after year. It might not be as glamorous as some of the bigger programs, but it certainly is as satisfying and just as relevant to us."

Freeman was voted the NHCA Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2003, and was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The Falcons have averaged over 20 wins per season during his tenure. In 2006-07, they won the NCHA and WIAC championships and received a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

And during his seven years as the Falcons' top assistant coach and his 12 as head coach, River-Falls has played in five NCAA Division III Frozen Fours (winning the whole ball of wax in 1994), 11 NCAA Division III Tournaments and 12 NCHA Peters Cup Final Tournaments.

Yet when asked about the keys to his success, Freeman eschewed any self-promotion.

"I think you have to look at the great tradition at River Falls, the winning and the success, and obviously the foundation that was set over the years through other coaches like George Gwozdecky, Rick Kozadack, Craig Dahl and Dean Talafous," said Freeman. "River Falls always has been known as a hockey school.

"We have tremendous locker room facilities. We're very lucky."

Unlike many coaches, Freeman didn't grow up in a hockey family. In fact, there's no history of coaching hockey or any sport in his family's background. But eventually he became involved with coaching youth teams and then, after serving as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, Stevens Point, he was named the head coach.

"The head coach left and I took over that program," he said. "It was a great opportunity because hockey was a very popular sport in Stevens Point at that time.

"I found I had an innate love of the game. I loved to be around it. I got the coaching bug when I had a chance to work with youth teams and I developed a hunger to keep climbing up the levels.”

Freeman also coached at St. Mary's Springs High, where he won a Wisconsin state championship. Then, for two years, he was the head coach and general manager at Dubuque in the USHL, which immediately preceded his appointment as an assistant coach at UW-River Falls.

"Once I decided I wanted to continue coaching, I got involved in as many USA Hockey programs, clinics and symposiums as I could," said Freeman, who played his college hockey at UW-Stevens Point (Class of 1981). "They were great motivational tools and gave me an opportunity to learn.

"It became a natural progression. But it is a truly competitive business. Coaches and players must continue pushing to improve. That's the nature of the business. It certainly is a year-round job."

Freeman has been a guest speaker/instructor at USA Hockey clinics and has coached various Select Teams in international competition. Freeman gained a completely different perspective the first time he went overseas.

"One trip that had a great impact on me, through USA Hockey, came when I went to a world symposium in Austria in the late '80s," he said. "The world championships were going on at that time and it was a wonderful experience."

Freeman eventually put his experience to a different use when he signed on with USA Hockey to serve as an instructor at various clinics.

"As I became a more experienced coach, I was able to share my knowledge," he said. "But the best thing was being around hockey people at those clinics. That was a great motivational tool for me to continue coaching and it whetted my appetite to move on.

"USA Hockey gave me a lot of those opportunities."

Because hockey is such an integral part of River Falls, the opportunity to coach at the college is one for which he's extremely grateful.

"We have total support from the student body and the community," said Freeman. "The capacity of our rink is about 1,800 and it’s full most of the time.

"We have a very strong following. It's a wonderful place to coach."

Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.