TOMASSONI LEAVES CRIMSON
by Alec Radzikowski, Boston Globe Correspondent
 
Ronn Tomassoni left the Harvard men's hockey team as quietly as he came.
 
Tomassoni, a fixture in the Crimson's program for 17 years, reigned
yesterday after nine years as head coach.
 
"I've been thinking for a while about this," said Tomassoni, who
compiled a 140-115-26 record at the helm.  "I think it's time.  It was
17 wonderful years."
 
The decision to step down came as a surprise to the players and others
involved with the program.  There was a brief 10- to 15-minute team
meeting, and then a press release announced the news.
 
"I told the players that I loved the program and I loved working with
them, and I wished them well next season," said Tomassoni.  "What was
hard was picking up the phone over the last three days and telling my
former players."
 
Tomassoni did not meet with the media to announce his plans.
 
"I remember when we announced his hiring," said sports information
director John Veneziano.  "It was on Red Sox Opening Day.  There was no
press conference, and it was a low-key day.  I remember Ronn said, "When
the time comes [to step down], let's do it the same way."
 
"The most important thing for him was talking to the kids and making
sure they found out first.  After that, everything else was secondary.
The issue was never about him.  It was always about the kids and doing
the right thing by them.  That's just the way he is.  We really did
appreciate that about him."
 
Junior forward Trevor Allman, who will be a team captain next season,
was grateful to play for Tomassoni.  "He treated me with as much respect
as anyone could ask for," said Allman.  "We as players wished him the
best, and he wished us the best."
 
As for his future, Tomassoni is undecided.  "Change is good, although
I'm not sure what I'm gonna do," he said.  "I've got some ideas, but I
have to get the emotional side out.  I'm gonna sit back a while.  It was
an emotional thing.  Not just for me, but for my family."
 
Harvard now has the task of replacing a coach who led the Crimson to
three consecutive ECAC regular-season titles (1992, '93 & '94), an ECAC
tournament title ('94), and a Beanpot championship ('93).
 
The search [for a new coach] hasn't begun," said Paul McNeely, assistant
director of sports media relations.  "There are really no candidates at
this point.  This really caught us by surprise."
 
It's an emotional day at Harvard," said Jerry Pawloski, an eight-year
assistant who played for Tomassoni from 1984 to 1988.  "He's a class
act, a first-rate class act.  We're not here to produce pros.  He took a
tremendous amount of pride in shaping people's lives."
 
Jim Greenidge of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
 
 
 
 
 
"There are really no candidates at this point."
      Let the paper flow begin.....the postman will carry a heavy bag up
Soldiers Field Road next week.
 
Bill Corrigan
 
LET'S GO BRUNO!
 
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