BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor High School hockey team isn’t going to dwell on the resignation of coach Denis Collins although three of the seniors passionately defended their coach before Tuesday’s practice at Sawyer Arena.
Collins stepped down Monday after he was placed on leave for not allowing bathroom breaks on the team’s trip up to Presque Isle for a game last week.
Collins has said that he was facing a tight travel schedule after the game time was moved up for the three-hour-plus trip to Presque Isle.
Assistant coach Quinn Paradis has taken over as the head coach.
“It’s behind us. We’re moving forward. It wasn’t my decision, it was the school’s,” said Paradis, adding that he preferred not to discuss the situation any further.
Collins initially offered his resignation on Friday.
“When we spoke the first time [Friday],” said Bangor Principal Paul Butler on Tuesday about his meeting with Collins and Athletic Director Steve Vanidestine, “[Collins] offered his resignation.
“I decided not to take it at that time.”
The three spent the weekend thinking about it, and when they met again Monday, Collins again offered to resign. Butler accepted it then.
After the players were told of the resignation late Monday afternoon, the school announced it publicly.
“This was not a snap decision. It took three days,” said Butler. “I felt it was in the best interest of the school to [accept] the coach’s decision.”
Seniors Zeb Tuell, Parker Sanderson and Zach Papsadora said they will use Collins’ resignation as extra motivation.
“Some kids made some bad decisions, and he was the one who took the blame for most of it,” said right wing Tuell when asked about rumors that players urinated in jars or bottles on the bus. “That wasn’t his mistake.”
Tuell added, “We miss him a lot. We wish he was still with us. The punishment was unjust. But we can’t let it affect our season. We have to move on.”
Sanderson said the situation is very upsetting.
“He meant a lot to Bangor High School hockey. He meant a lot to me, personally. I played for him for a long time, including with the (Maine) Freeze,” said left wing Sanderson. “It’s sad to see him go. Hopefully, there will be a resurrection (and Collins will eventually get his job back). The punishment didn’t fit the crime. I wish the best for him.”
Center Papsadora said Collins was “like our second dad. I’ve known him since I was 4 years old. “He was the best coach around, he said. I really appreciated all the stuff he did for us.
“He did a lot off the ice, too. He got us equipment, he did stuff with the team during summer camps and helped kids develop. He was really focused on skill development and that has been a big key for our team.
“It’s a tough loss but we have to go on,” added Papsadora. “We want to win a state championship for him. I’m going to skate even harder just for him.”
Tuell said the fact Collins stepped down because he didn’t want the controversy to be a distraction to the team says “a lot about him.
“He’s taking it like a man. He got out so it wouldn’t ruin our (momentum),” noted Tuell.
Sanderson added, “He didn’t want anyone else to get involved so he took the bullet for us.”
Tuell said Collins “was a great coach who cared about the game so much and put so much into it both on and off the ice.
“‘He took care of our jerseys, he raised money in the offseason,” Tuell added.
“He said he’d love to see us to win the state championship,” said Sanderson. “He wished us the best. That’s huge. We’ll do the best we can for him. He will be an inspiration for us.”
The 3-0 Rams, who beat Lawrence of Fairfield 8-2 Saturday in Paradis’ debut behind the bench, will take on archrival Brewer (2-0) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Penobscot Ice Arena in Brewer.
“I’m looking forward to the game. Brewer is always a fun rivalry. I can’t wait to get out there, and the boys are excited,” said Paradis.
“It’ll be a good game. We’ve got to go hard,” Sanderson added.
Reporter Dave Barber contributed to this report.
Real men can hold their urine.
Hockey clothing is very absorbent, too.
As this report clearly states, the incident has been overblown since day one. The next move is for the School department to do what is right and reinstate this coach. I see them not doing this and hiding behind the integrity of this coach and saying he is the one who resigned.
The school allowed a coach to fall on the sward for his players and school, very admirable of him and sad for the school for allowing him to do it prior to having all the facts. The school will not do what is right and reinstate him, guarantee it. The integrity will only go one way and the school will hide duck and squirm in hopes that this will go away. Integrity and school administration rarely go together.
Butler refused his stepping down the first time. Denis went back and stepped down again after having 3 days to think about it. He was the leader and like most other sports the leader is held responsible not super star players.
Actually, the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR is the full time employee who is supposed to schedule and plan safe and secure trips for the student-athletes. He failed miserably expecting a school bus to go non-stop from BHS to Presque Isle. Cruel and unusual expectations from an ATHLETIC DIRECTOR who’s had many issues over the past years.
Is this really the best way for the administration at the high school to spend it’s time and our money? I sure hope that I didn’t pay for that ridiculous, professionally produced picture of the former coach.
The credit below the picture is unclear. But if it was paid for by the school, blame the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR who controls and manages the budget for athletics.
To late you brought shame on Betsy Webbs Rein of power. Someone needed to pay.
Pee in a jar what is the big deal. Now if he made someone poop in a jar then I would say ok.
No big deal but when its done in front of a female there is a problem.
I’m sure thy know what a penis looks like
I don’t think it’s the body part that was the issue, although that was in poor taste.
Schools are expected to use universal precautions when handling any body fluids- vomit, urine, blood, etc. Fluids are to be disposed of in accordance with health regulations. Even a bloody tissue has to be properly disposed. If the urine was spilled, the bus becomes a hazardous waste site and has to be cleaned appropriately.
From what I heard she was at the front of the bus with no knowledge of the pee bottle
Good point I had not thought about
Just because she was on the bus doesn’t mean it was done in front of her. Even if it was the student who did it should be punished not the coach.
how can something this ridiculous be?
I agree. Either there is more to the story or he should be coaching again. It just doesn’t make any sense.
Political correctness….and a not so great player not getting enough ice time with a parent that had an axe to grind.
Ever travel with a friend who easily drives 300 miles without stopping? You don’t get in his car a second time without being prepared.
One of life’s little lessons is learning how to pace yourself when traveling, and the sooner you learn this the easier your life will be.
You might want to remember this bus incident the next time someone tells you that sports don’t prepare one for the real world.
The humble Farmer
They were hydrating for the game on the way up. What do you suppose will happen when you hydrate? Yeh, I can go 300 miles, but no coffee for me.
For all that keep referring to a female player being on the bus. This is what I know about her, she is one of the hardest working members, if not the hardest working member of the team(from observation at practices and off season hockey related events). Now because I don’t know her personally, this is what I believe to be true about her. I believe she is a smart mature young woman and I believe she has definitely earned her spot on the team. With all that being said let’s face it, there are all kinds of issues that can arise from a female playing on a varsity hockey team (please don’t get all political on me and just try and understand what I mean). There are a lot of coaches that would not have a female on the team for these reasons. One more thing in Denis’ favor, and hopefully not part of his downfall, he gave her the spot she earned. Before you bring last names into this, I personally believe this is one of the reasons she is such a hard worker, she wants it to be known that her last name has nothing to do with it. It is pure work ethic.
Vanidestine?
Face it, if you choose to be a female player on a male team, you have to put your big boy panties on and play hard. Get used to the fact that as a female on a male team, no exceptions should be made because of your sex. If you can’t handle it, then go to an all girls team. They do exist!
There’s a state Rest Area just before the Millinockets/Medway exit. About 70 miles along the way, right? Even if it’s closed, there’s the Irving at that exit. Not sure why a single school bus can’t stop and say “Bathroom only, 5 minutes and we’re underway.” The blame should lie on the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR who arranges such trips and sets up the situation where the boys felt this was what they had to do.
They should have learned from former NFL player and ESPN commentator Mark Schlereth… as to why his nickname is “Stink”. If you can’t hold it, soak it up, boys.
But seriously, the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR needs to realize, that if you want your student-athletes healthy, they must hydrate, they need to have a lot of fluids in them, so they don’t suffer from dehydration. This trip was poorly scheduled, planned, and approved. They should have been on a Cyr charter bus with a bathroom, or stopped at the Millinocket exit.
Plenty of woods and space at the rest area too, while there’s only a small bathroom at the Irving.
We used to call things like this “chicken***t”.
Seems like there’s a lot more of it these days.
When I was 17, I used to pee twice a day. I can’t imagine these kids are any different. We can continue to live this way and self destruct or we can reintroduce reason into our daily lives. This is stupid.
Not everyone is on the same schedule.. However, there’s got to more to this! I can’t believe that someone didn’t yell out ” Pee Break” –
On the other hand, I recall on longer bus trips (maybe 1 1/2 hr) we had pee breaks that we found aggravating. Especially as upper classmen. I can’t recall if coaches reminded kids – but if by the time you’re in HS, you haven’t learned to go before you leave on a trip, somethings wrong.
The Millinocket north rest stop has plenty of woods too.
What if just one of those on board “tried”…but didn’t have to go until an hour later. Is that a reasonable scenario?
I agree – this makes no sense – if the kid said something and the coach ignored it more than any parent , then there MIGHT be an issue.
Why would anyone ever get involved with High School athletics today? This doesn’t amount to a P*&s hole in a bus. What a joke!
A conscious decision was made by parents before the season began to have “box lunches” prepared for away games, aleviating the need for an expensive and LENGTHY stop at McDonald’s. A stop at McDonald’s can easily add about 1 1/2 hours on to any bus trip!
If the parents of these students athletes had any idea that making a decision to try and get their student athletes home at a decent hour, rather than midnight or 1 am would cause the resignation of an extremely talented coach, I am sure they would have gladly waited at the rink for the bus to return at some ungodly hour on a school night.
Who would have ever thought making a decision that should have benefited these kids would have come at such a costly price!!!
Were the decisions some of these student athletes made smart, absolutely not, and I am sure in hindsight they would have chosen differently. If the coach was aware of what happened on the bus should he have pulled the bus over and made those that were responsible walk home? I think not!!!
Unfortunately no one can take back what has happened. What can be done is the continued support for Coach Collins and continued calls to the school to encourage an overturn of the decision!!!
Well said parents made an informed decision. This is one more reason that none of us should be talking about this, we the public shouldn’t even know about this incident. For as such a non issue that this is, if any of the players were truly offended by what went on during the bus ride, then the principal, AD, coaches, athletes, and PARENTS of athletes (at least the parents of the athletes that are minors) should have discussed this behind closed doors. Then and only then after everyone involved had their say and if and only if some sort of action was taken against the coach or any other adult involved, that story makes the news. Any actions involving minors stays between school and parents. It seems to me reporters use to be held accountable for the stories they published. Wouldn’t it be nice to go back to them days. Now when ever anyone has an axe to grind with someone that holds any type of a public job, they can just make a call to a journalist and destroy that persons career. Without mentioning names, because I don’t have proof, (if I was a reporter I would just throw the name out there and stand behind freedom of speech, but seeing as I am not I would probably be sued for slander) I strongly believe that is exactly what happened here.
Looks like that is not gonna happen. Did not take to long for everyone to bale on the idea of getting coach Collins his job back ?
We really pay somebody $90K to be the athletic director at the High School?
You’re paying veteran classroom teachers with less than 20 kids in front of them 70k. Are you OK with that?
I am ok with that… at least there are students being taught values, integrity and going out in to the world with an education. Really, what is the athletic director teaching students? If you don’t go his way, it’s the highway!!
I don’t know a teenage or schoolaged for that matter girl or boy who cannot hold their bladder for three hours. Go before you leave the school and there’s no reason you can’t wait until you’re back to the school unless you have a medical condition. This is nothing but teenagers thinking they’re being cool or funny and making stupid decisions. They should have been repremanded. Not the coach. He didn’t whip his out. There shouldn’t have even been a need for a story here. I know toddlers that can make a trip over three hours without a pee break. I don’t stop to go to the bathroom on a trip to Boston. Ridiculous.
I think that losing this excellent coach over this matter is crazy. However-assuming that not one person on a bus would have to use the faculties over a three hour time period is ridiculous. I don’t know how you or anyone else can determine that EVERYONE on board has the same time schedule for using the facilities. When a hall pass is issued by a teacher to”go” I doubt that every kid in the school is going at the same time.
I think he voted Romney!
Couple of comments on bangorian & westshores observations. If you look the photo it is credited to Linda Coan O’Kresick, a BDN photographer, and in the first story regarding this issue the caption indicated it was from a 2005 UMO clinic. So your tax dollars are safe. Regarding teacher and/or administrator pay; just what is the value you place on the actions of the teachers and principal in Newtown, CT last week. Most people have no idea of the time, effort, and love expended by teachers.
Look beyond the obvious and people will find the reason for this madness. It has nothing to do with peeing.
Its been mentioned a few times in these posts that there is more to this than meets the eye.They are correct. A recent code of conduct violation was reported to the A.D. You would think if something as trivial as a bus incident made the news,that a player suspension or any disciplinary action would as well. We”ll see.
Biscuit do you have any idea what the violation was ?
It involved defacing vehicles on school property and harassment.Which the A.D. blew off.Perhaps if he had taken the appropriate actions the “bus” incident would never had occurred.Sparing a good coach from being thrown under said bus
Thanks for the info ! Someone that knows about this first hand or someone with some authority needs to step up and make sure this does not get swept under the rug. And that the person or persons that did this are held accountable. And that whoever tried to cover this up is also held accountable !
The person who knows about it firsthand was forced to resign.
All the more reason for this person to step up and stop all the cover ups.
This incident was withheld from the supt. I would like to think she knows now. Perhaps she should meet with the “firsthanders”
Isn’t she part of the good ol’ boys club ?
Dont know. If she is why was she kept out of the loop on this one?
Good point !
Don’t hold your breath. Not going to happen.
This coach was a scapegoat. Period. End of story. The story made the press and someone had to be held accountable. Not too long ago, during football season many BHS students had a party. A cheerleading coach had snuck into the party and took down names of students that had been drinking, went on her way and when the students arrived back to school many were suspended from athletics for violating the terms of the athletic code. Good. As they should have been. No leak to the press. However, my question is this – had one of those students driven off, killed someone and that coach had not contacted the authorities (even though the party was not school sponsored) – What actions would have the school have taken? That coach would have lost her job in a New York minute for not reporting an event to the police. BUT, the party continued on and the story did not leak to the press…and the STUDENTS were held accountable for their actions. As long as the administration can avoid / hide from responsibility, accountability can be appropriately assigned. Hold their feet to the fire, and someone has to pay. Pee in cup, potentially lose a life!? It’s all perspective and from mine – a poor, weak, cowardice decision was made. I’m embarrassed for BHS.
Because winning a cheering competition is not as important as winning a Class A State Championship in Hockey for BHS ! So suspending some cheerleaders would have no consequence. But if they suspend a few hockey players that could really hamper winning.
Bangor has yet to win a state title. Perhaps culling the herd might help.
And this is their year ! They probably will win EM championship because there is no competition. But when it comes to the States, Paradis will get out coached and they will loose
Sorry to disagree but there certainly is competition. They call them perennial contenders for a reason. Lewiston , St. Doms, Scarborough.Bangor hasn’t played anyone of consequence yet. The season is still young.
My fault, thought they would not play those teams until States. Lewiston and Scarbourough are very good teams. Do not know much about St. Doma
I will agree that Mr. Paradis has bitten off a lot by coaching two teams while running a successful business.
It goes deeper than that, though. This was about saving face at the expense of a valuable asset who was a trusted leader of young men. And THAT is a direct result of an obvious lack of integrity on behalf Butler and the AD and whoever else was involved in this decision. This is beyond disappointing. Small town sports politics are nothing new, but man, this is off the hook ridiculous and again, just plain embarrassing.
This blown up in the media as it was for pee and the players who participated in underage drinking in the last year just swept under the rug?!