Jack Parker Talks About His Team, His Game, His Life
Legendary hockey coach takes questions from the BU community
| By Cynthia K. Buccini. Video by Nicolae CioroganTerrier head hockey coach Jack Parker chats with Joe Amorosino (COM’92), sports director at Boston’s WHDH-TV. Watch a longer version of the interview here.
How will head hockey coach Jack Parker motivate his team in the postseason? Are student-athletes different today? And how much longer will Parker remain at the helm of BU hockey?
These were some of the questions that the BU community—staff, students, and alumni, including contributors to the Terrier Hockey Fan Blog—wanted us to ask Parker (SMG’68, Hon.’97), who sat down for an interview last month with Joe Amorosino (COM’92), sports director at Boston’s WHDH-TV.
The questions addressed not just the team, but the game itself, as well as Parker’s plans for the future. What does it mean to have a young team? If Parker could determine one rule change in college hockey, what would it be? How is he feeling after undergoing heart bypass surgery in 2010? And how will he motivate a team that came in fourth in the 2011 Beanpot? ( The Terriers lost to Boston College in the first round, then fell to Harvard in the consolation game.)
“I thought we played great against BC,” says Parker. “We lost in overtime against one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the nation.”
Parker, who is executive director of athletics, has been head coach at BU since 1973. In that time, BU teams have won more than 40 championships, including 3 NCAA Division 1 titles. Parker says the 2010–2011 squad is the youngest he’s ever coached, a fact that bodes well for the future. “If everyone sticks around,” he says, “we’ll be in good shape for the next couple of years.”
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On 9 March 2011 at 10:31 PM, Jerry Lane (COM'80) wrote:
for years jack smoked four packs of camel non-filter cigarettes PER DAY then he had quadruple bypass surgery a conection? i think so a lesson for all...we dont want sudden death for the coach
On 9 March 2011 at 9:12 AM, Bill Faris (SMG'68) wrote:
Coach Parker has always been dedicated to the school and to the team. When we were both undergrads at BU he would often come in on Monday morning with lots of war wounds from the previous game, but Jackie always stuck with it and gave it everything he had. Congratulations to him on the success of the past and on the bright future he has built BF
On 8 March 2011 at 10:31 PM, Mark Phelps (CAS'75) wrote:
Jack taught 'Power Skating' to a group of English majors (yours truly included) the fall semester of 1971 as their PE required course. Inspired by the Big Bad Bruins, I decided to take up hockey as a way to look forward to winter. Jack helped convince me that, no, at age 18, you're NOT hopelessly too old to join the fun. I played intramural hockey on Baker Rink when it was brand new, and had a blast. Forty years later, I'm still playing. Thanks Jack -- and I could still use a few pointers.
On 8 March 2011 at 9:32 PM, linda (SED'76) wrote:
BU hockey was very exciting when I attended there. The 4 gold medalists from the 1980's historical Olympic win over the Russians were on those teams. Thanks for those memories. The BEST game I ever saw was the NCAA championship game a few years back when BU came back from a two goal deficit to win. Go Terriers!
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