SMU women’s hockey coach considering leaving
Posted Mar 31, 2011 05:50:51 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Saint Mary’s University women’s hockey team will be back for the 2011-2012 season – but their coach may not.
Head coach Lisa Jordan’s contract expires at midnight tonight and while negotiations for a new contract are underway, she says other possibilities have come up over the last two weeks.
Speaking on The Rick Howe Show, Jordan said it’s about a 50-50 chance she leaves Saint Mary’s.
“There’s been other organizations that have reached out to me knowing that my contract was ending on the 31st and asking what my level of interest was,” she said. “After the experience that I had that ‘Black Friday,’ I’m taking a serious look at everything and making sure I weigh all of my options before I make a commitment to anybody at this point.”
The university Board of Governors voted to keep the team this week, after a March 18th announcement that it would be cut due to budget concerns.
On Wednesday, Canadian Tire announced a $60,000 commitment to keep the team afloat over the next year, with an option to renew for the next four years.
Jordan says she and her players were elated by the turn of events.
“There was a lifeline needed to our athletics department and specifically the women’s hockey program,” she said. “I think Canadian Tire is a well-established household name across Canada, in terms of their support of athletics and children and they’ve stepped up to the plate and done something very huge and significant for the university.”
At Wednesday’s announcement, SMU president J. Colin Dodds personally apologized to the hockey players, saying it was a mistake to try and cut the team.
